A design-integrated BIM–BEM framework for energy, economic, and environmental assessment of urban transport infrastructure

Urban transport infrastructures are characterized by high and continuous energy demand, complex operational requirements, and strong interactions with the surrounding urban environment. Unlike residential and commercial buildings, which are subject to consolidated energy performance regulations, transport infrastructures such as metro and railway stations often lack equivalent frameworks mandating energy-efficient design. As a result, energy performance is commonly addressed only at late design stages, limiting the effectiveness of efficiency measures and constraining long-term operational performance. In this context, the present study develops a design-stage decision support approach aimed at embedding energy, economic, and environmental performance assessment into the early design phase of urban transport infrastructures. The proposed methodology integrates data-rich Building Information Modelling (BIM) with dynamic Building Energy Modelling (BEM), enabling the systematic evaluation of alternative design solutions and system configurations before construction. Rather than focusing on isolated technologies, the approach supports a comparative assessment of multiple energy strategies under realistic operational constraints, allowing designers to identify trade-offs and synergies at an early stage. The methodology is applied to a metro station currently under design as a representative case study, illustrating how early design choices influence energy demand, operational costs, and associated carbon emissions over the infrastructure lifecycle. Results show that integrating energy performance assessment into the design process can lead to substantial reductions in electricity consumption and emissions compared with conventional practices. By framing energy performance as a design driver rather than a post-design verification task, this work contributes to decision-oriented methodologies for sustainable urban transport infrastructure.