C01 — Achieving Limerick’s 2050 Vision: How Digital Twin Technology is Supporting the Drive Towards Net-Zero Cities

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Cities have a critical role to play in securing a net-zero future. Despite accounting for less than 2% of the Earth’s surface, they consume 78% of the world’s energy and produce more than 60% of overall greenhouse gas emissions. With projections indicating that the world’s urban population will rise to 68% by 2050, a 13% increase from 2018, cities must urgently seek out innovative solutions to balance the needs of growing citizen populations, in a manner which is sustainable and consistent with a zero-carbon trajectory. This paper will explore how digital twin technology has been leveraged to pursue Limerick’s net-zero vision; their ultimate aim being to go beyond this and become Ireland’s first “Positive Energy City” by 2050, meaning that it will generate more energy than it consumes. Through close collaboration with institutions within the city, a detailed decarbonisation roadmap of the entire city centre was outlined, considering both transport and built environment-related carbon emissions. The city-level digital twin was used to understand what level of emissions reductions the city would be able to achieve by following the decarbonisation guidance set out at national level. In doing so, it was identified that Limerick would fall short of its 2050 target by a significant margin, approximately 33%, if following the government guidance alone. The study therefore highlights the need for rigorous testing of decarbonisation policies and guidance, and for science-based analysis using appropriate digital tools, to ensure that any proposed actions will in fact get cities, or indeed any other group of buildings, to where they need to be by 2050.

Product Details

Published:

2022

Number of Pages:

8

Units of Measure:

Dual

File Size:

1 file , 3.6 MB

Product Code(s):

D-94056-C01

Note:

This product is unavailable in Russia, Belarus