IMPACT OF URBAN BLOCK MORPHOLOGY ON BUILDING HEATING AND COOLING CARBON EMISSIONS IN SEVERE COLD REGIONS: A CASE STUDY OF RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS IN HARBIN, CHINA

ABSTRACT Global climate change has put severe cold regions under pressure to reduce the energy demand from heating and cooling simultaneously. Studies have shown that urban morphology significantly impacts building carbon emissions. However, few studies have focused on heating and cooling carbon emissions related to urban block morphology in severe cold regions. This study took 156 residential blocks in Harbin, China, as the research object. It explored the relationship between Local Climate Zone (LCZ) type, layout type, morphological parameters, and building carbon emissions from heating and cooling through numerical simulation and statistical analysis. The results showed that LCZ type and layout type had a more significant impact on cooling carbon emissions but less on heating carbon emissions. Considering heating and cooling carbon emissions comprehensively, low-density high-rise and low-density multi-story blocks had the lowest and highest carbon emissions, respectively. The carbon emissions of blocks with row layouts were less than those of the courtyard layouts. In addition, floor area ratio, wind projecting angle, and site coverage showed a significantly weak negative correlation with heating carbon emissions, and the correlation degree decreased in turn. This study provides a reference and evaluation basis for urban block planning and design under the low-carbon goal.