TASK XX

SOLAR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING

Work Plan

Draft May 17, 2019

Prepared by: Maria Wall (SE), Caroline Hachem-Vermette (CA), Daniele

Vettorato (IT), Silvia Croce (IT), Jouri Kanters (SE), Pietro Florio (CH)
1. Background
Solar neighborhoods are increasingly important to achieve net zero energy districts and low
carbon cities. The planning of neighborhoods that address the generation of renewable energy
on site will enable solar thermal technologies and photovoltaics to be implemented or prepared
for, as well as creating daylight and sunlight access to achieve healthier urban environments.
Solar neighborhoods also create environments which are energy (resource) self-sufficient and
resilient to energy price fluctuations or reliance on energy imports – helping future-proof towns
and cities.

2. Scope
In this Task, a neighborhood is defined as a group of buildings, a district/precinct. It is a
spatially defined, specific geographic area, often including different types of buildings and
functions, open space and infrastructure. The scope of the Task includes solar energy issues
related to
1. New neighborhood development
2. Existing neighborhood renovation and development
Solar energy aspects include active solar systems (solar thermal and photovoltaics) and
passive strategies. Passive solar strategies include passive solar heating and cooling,
daylighting and thermal/visual comfort in indoor and outdoor environments.

3. Objective and Organization

The main objective of Task XX is to support developers, property owners/associations,
architects, urban planners, municipalities, institutions and other key players to achieve solar
neighborhoods that support long-term solar access for energy production and for daylighting
buildings and outdoor environments – resulting in sustainable and healthy environments.
The types of support being developed in this Task include strategies for the design of new and
existing communities with focus on solar energy, comprising methods to secure sunlight
access (right to light). Furthermore, the Task aims to focus on economic strategies and
business models for better use of passive and active solar energy. Apart from economic
values, added values or co-benefits of solar energy are considered. Another objective is to
study the workflow of tools needed to support decisions in all planning stages (tool chain).
Finally, case studies in each participating country will be a central part to bind close ties to
practice and implementation.
To achieve these objectives, the work is organized into the following Subtasks:
Subtask A: Solar planning strategies and concepts
Subtask B: Economic strategies and stakeholder engagement
Subtask C: Solar planning tools
Subtask D: Case studies

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4. Process

The Task starts on September 1st, 2019 and ends on October 31st, 2023.

Task meetings will be held twice a year. In addition, Subtask meetings or working group
meetings may be held in between Task meetings.

Each participant/organization will submit short semi-annual status reports to the Operating
Agent before each Task meeting, including information about their new publications relevant to
the Task, according to a given format. Also, each Subtask Leader will issue a management
report at the end of the Task, following the IEA SHC standard table of contents for such a
report, as a basis for the final management report to be compiled by the Operating Agent at
the end of the Task.

5. Subtasks

Subtask A: Solar planning strategies and concepts

Lead: Caroline Hachem-Vermette, Canada

Objective
The main objective of Subtask A is to identify, develop, and test planning strategies and
concepts for increased solar energy capture and utilization in neighborhoods, in view of
achieving NZE/NZCarbon status.
Specific objectives of Subtask A are to:
 Review existing concepts and targets that underlie neighborhood design, both new and
existing.
 Develop (criteria for) the design of representative archetypes/prototypes in existing and
new neighborhoods (e.g. spatial design and building design - types of buildings, mixes
of buildings, density, open space -, passive solar design potential, various active solar
strategies and technologies, synergies and conflicts with other potential usages - in
connection with Subtask B).
 Develop and test planning strategies and concepts for increased solar energy capture
and utilization in neighborhoods, in view of achieving net zero energy (NZE), net zero
carbon (NZC) status or other goals in the era of low-carbon energy transition.
 Recommend strategies and concepts for the conceptual design of new and existing
neighborhoods.
 Give a common definition/concept of urban surface usages relating to functions (e.g.
energy production, microclimate regulation, permeability of surface, etc.) and materials
(e.g. solar thermal panels, PV panels, green areas/facades/roofs, water, cool/reflective
materials, etc.).

Activities
A.1. Review of current neighborhood designs:
A.1.1. Review existing guidelines and common practices that underlie the design of
existing and new neighborhoods, especially those aiming at increased efficiency
and solar capture, and other compatible/hybrid usages, in the participating
countries. These include examples in practice and literature (with Subtask D).
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 A.1.2. Based on the review conducted in A.1.1, determine the main parameters/design
elements that can impact the design and performance of neighborhoods, and
their possible combinations in various prototypical neighborhoods (archetypes for
existing and new) considering both solar and other surface usages.

A.2. Design and analysis of archetypes/prototypes to bridge gaps in practice and literature:
A.2.1. Develop a number of neighborhood prototypes (existing and new) that include
the neighborhood variables determined in A.1, and that can serve as a basis to
analyse various impacts.
A.2.2. Develop methods to analyse scenarios developed in A.2.1, and carry out these
analyses (including modelling - with Subtask C).
A.2.3. Develop business models and financial studies for various scenarios (with
Subtask B).

A.3. Develop recommendation on strategies, including a proposal for a common

definition/understanding of urban surface usage (link to Subtask B).

Deliverables
No. Deliverable Month

D.A1 Report on example strategies to protect solar design and Jun.2021

technologies (Internal Report)

D.A2 DA2.1 A summer school for at least 2 consecutive years to Jul.-Sep.

allow advanced PhD students and Master students to 2021 and
contribute to the study of neighborhood archetypes 2022.

DA2.2 Report in neighborhood archetypes: Design and Jun.2023

analysis

D.A3 Strategies for the design of new and existing high energy Sep.2023
performance solar communities. These strategies can be
designed as an interactive web based documentation

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Subtask B: Economic strategies and stakeholder engagement
Lead: Daniele Vettorato and Silvia Croce, Italy

Objective
The main objective of Subtask B is to focus on strategies, business models, and stakeholder
engagement for increasing the use of passive and active solar energy. Apart from economic
values, added values or co-benefits of solar energy are considered.
Specific objectives of Subtask B are to:
 Identify and describe conflicts and synergies of the different and potential usages of
urban surfaces, with specific relevance to solar energy harvest.
 Identify financial mechanisms and suggest ways to finance the transition moving from
energy market to added value services.
 Develop a method to propose and assess alternative scenarios for urban surface
usages.
 Identify the potential co-benefits related to the hybrid and/or integrated usage of urban
surface, apart from the solar energy production.
 Analyse the potential integration of the Task outputs for the New Urban Agenda1 (NUA)
implementation.
 Recommend suitable activities for stakeholder engagement/nudging strategies, and
integrate the lessons learnt in the urban planning practice.

Activities
B.1. Analysis of the potential integration of the Task outputs for the New Urban Agenda
(NUA) implementation:
B.1.1 Analysis of the articles of the NUA that relate to the urban surface usages with
special focus on energy production / resilience to climate change.
B.1.2 Definition of a pathway to contribute to the implementation of NUA within the
results of the Task.

B.2. Identify and describe conflicts and synergies of the different and potential urban surface
usages, with specific relevance to solar energy harvest (link to Subtask A, activity A.3):
B.2.1 From literature: extraction of evidences of conflicts and synergies.
B.2.2 Presentation and discussion within the expert group of the results from the
literature, focusing in particular on the potentialities of integration of functions, and
on the possible improvements to the state-of-the-art.

B.3. Develop a method to propose and assess alternative scenarios for urban surface usage
(e.g. pareto optimization, multi criteria, etc.) (link to Subtask C):
B.3.1 Modelling of scenarios using also outputs from Subtask A - archetypes - and,
when possible of selected real neighborhoods (link to Subtask D case studies).
B.3.2 Discussion within the expert group in relation to the integration of the outputs in
the participating countries’ urban planning procedures.

B.4. Develop a framework to assess the multiple-benefits created by the adoption of hybrid
and integrated strategies for urban surface usage (link to Subtask A, activity A.3).

B.5. Recommend suitable activities for stakeholder engagement/nudging strategies and

integrate lessons learnt into the urban planning practice:

1 New Urban Agenda (2017). United Nations. A/RES/71/256. ISBN: 978-92-1-132731-1. http://habitat3.org/the-new-urban-
agenda
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 B.5.1 Framework development for the integration of the traditional stakeholders
engagement approaches (e.g. governance approaches) with behavioural
economics2.
B.5.2 Discussion/Workshop on the added value of the proposed framework.

B.6. Identify financial mechanisms and suggest ways to finance the transition, moving from
energy market to added value services (link to Subtask D):
B.6.1 Analysis from literature and selected case studies of innovative financial models
and trends (connection with the new concepts of smart grids, block chain, etc.).
B.6.2 Discussion of the results within the expert group in order to find connection with
country specific characteristics.

Deliverables
No. Deliverable Month

D.B1 Report on surface uses of neighborhoods, focused on how to Dec. 2021

define most suitable uses, prevent conflicts and create
synergies (link to Subtask A, activity A.3)

D.B2 Report on economic incentives and business models, Jun. 2023

including added values, to promote the diffusion of solar
neighborhoods (link to Subtask A, outputs from activity A.2.3)

D.B3 Report on strategies for stakeholder engagement and citizen Sep. 2023
involvement in solar neighborhoods, developed and tested in
case studies (link to Subtask D)

Subtask C: Solar planning tools

Lead: Jouri Kanters, Sweden / Additional co-leader? t.b.d.

Objective
The main objective of Subtask C is to identify the current workflow of solar planning tools and
to further develop this tool chain to support decisions in all planning stages.
Specific objectives of Subtask C are to:
 Identify the current solar planning tool workflows and related tools used by key actors
for planning solar neighborhoods. This could include tools from all platforms (GIS, CAD,
or BIM). Analyse the strengths, weaknesses, and development needs.
 Identify relevant common indicators synthetizing solar energy and daylight
performance of neighborhoods to be used in a summary dashboard for easy
comparison.
 Develop a roadmap for improved workflows and solar planning tools needed in all
planning stages (tool chain).

2Behavioural economics studies the effects of psychological, cognitive, emotional, cultural and social factors on the
economic decisions of individuals and institutions and how those decisions vary from those implied by classical theory.
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Activities
C.1. Identification of current tools and tool workflows on all platforms:
C.1.1 Determine main strengths and weaknesses of available tools, including readiness
level (from proof of concept to licensed software), usability (which target users)
and accessibility (which competences needed by target users).
C.1.2 Contact with local urban planners and key actors, maybe also Task experts, to
identify which key performance indicators are meaningful, which tools they use
and when, and to extract which data, etc.
C.1.3 Combine and generalise existing workflows.

C.2. Discussion and development of workflow of tools needed in all planning stages (tool
chain):
C.2.1. Complement the missing parts of the current workflow(s) as found in C.1, based
on existing software developments, including novel contributions from Task
experts.

Deliverables
No. Deliverable Month

D.C1 Report on the identification of existing tools and workflows Mar.2022

D.C2 Roadmap for improved workflows and development needs Sep.2023

of solar planning tools

Subtask D: Case studies

Lead: Joint by the Operating Agent and leaders of Subtask A, B and C.
(with option to add separate subtask leader at a later stage)

Objective
The main objective of Subtask D is to carry out case studies in each participating country as a
central part of the Task to bind close ties to practice and implementation. This will enable to
identify barriers, and to test strategies, methods and tools to get feedbacks on development
needs, and to disseminate our results.
Specific objectives of Subtask D are to:
 Coordinate and collect case studies across subtask (A, B and C) topics.
 Serve as a platform for exchange of experiences from practice, including testing
strategies and tools and interview stakeholders.
 Describe and disseminate case studies and stories of new and existing solar
neighborhoods.
Every participating country should contribute with at least one (1) case study.

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Activities
The following activities are planned:
D.1. Coordination of database of solar neighborhoods (link to Subtask A/B/C).
D.1.1. Gather performance indicators and key aspects each subtask will use to identify
and describe relevant case studies. Decide which aspects are mandatory to
document and which are optional, depending on case study.
D.1.2. Create a template for documenting case studies based on the aspects identified.
D.1.3. Collect case study documents, based on the template and filled in by experts.
D.1.4. Publish the case studies of existing and new solar neighborhoods on the website.

D.2. Communication and dissemination of results from selected case studies (link to Subtask
A/B/C):
D.2.1. Organize workshops/seminars to present developed strategies and methods/tools
in conjunction with Task meetings, inviting practitioners (feedback and
dissemination).
D.2.2. Organize local workshops/seminars in neighborhoods/cities, by local experts.

Deliverables
No. Deliverable Month

D.D1 Report on case studies and case stories (on Task webpage) Sep.2023

D.D2 Carry out seminars and workshops, which provide feedback Year 1-4
and support knowledge exchange a) in conjunction to Task
meetings (minimum 4) and b) as local seminars/workshops
connected to case studies and local collaborations
(minimum 1 per country)

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 6.

archetypes

Task meetings
neighborhoods
neighborhoods
Subtask B
Task meetings
Subtask A

Milestones
Milestones

diffusion of solar
create synergies
solar communities

values, to promote the

incentives and business
D.A3 Strategies for the

models, including added

design and technologies

high energy performance

citizen involvemen in solar

D.A1 Report on example

D.B2 Report on economic

strategies to protect solar

uses, prevent conflicts and

design of new and existing

how to define most suitable

D.B1 Report on surface uses

stakeholder engagement and

D.B3 Report on strategies for
of neighborhoods, focused on
D.A2 Design and analysis of
Literature review on Initiate review of pertinent

2019
2019

surface uses, synergies literature

and conflicts

off)
off)
and
Literature review Analysis from literature Review of existing case studies
existing case studies

1 (Kick-
and selected case

1 (Kick-
studies of innovative
financial models and Continue to review existing case

2
2
trends

2020
2020

Development of a studies
method to define urban
Development of frame- surface uses
work for stakeholders
engagement Extract main design parameters
that can be used in the design of
Design of solar neighborhoods

3
3
neighborhood
archetypes that
encompass
Application and test of combinations of design 1st Draft
the method - start
parameters

Development of

4
4
framework to assess Review by experts

2021
Application and test of
2021

multiple-benefits Simulation and analysis

the method on
of the archetypes (in
archetypes (link to
Subtask A)
collaboration STC)

Final report
Summer school 1;

5
5
1st Draft Simulation of
archetypes
Activity and Time Table Summary

Final report
Simulation and analysis
of the archetypes (in
collaboration with STC)

6
6

1st draft 1st draft

2022
2022

Compile
recommendations of
designing solar
neighborhoods ( fore
existing and new Analysis of results
applications)

7
7

Summer school 2

Draft report

Develop methods of
organization/ delivering
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8
2023

recommendations (e.g.
2023

Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar

interactive online
webpage)
Final Report Final Report

Final

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9

Final Report
Recommendations

Task END Task END Task END Task END Task END Task END
Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec
Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec

An overview of the milestones and the schedule for Subtask B is presented in the table below.
An overview of the milestones and the schedule for Subtask A is presented in the table below.

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An overview of the milestones and the schedule for Subtask C is presented in the table below.

Milestones 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Subtask C Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec

Combine and generalise

D.C1 Report on the

Initiate/ literature review

workflow / Contact with

local urban planners
Identify and describe
identification of existing tools

current tools and

and workflows

Final report
Final Draft

Task END
workflow

1st Draft

map and identification of

Initiate/ literature review
D.C2 Roadmap for improved

Identify missing parts in

Development of road-

development needs
workflows and development

tool workflow

Final Report
needs of solar planning tools

Task END
Final draft
1st Draft
Task meetings
1 (Kick-off) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

An overview of the milestones and the schedule for Subtask D is presented in the table below.

Milestones 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Subtask D Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec
Identify case studies per
Identify key aspects and

D.D1 Report on Case

First final case studies

identify missing ones

available on website
1st case study test of

studies and topics -

Final case studies

Review, copyright,
Template for case

Overview of case

First case studies

Studies and Case Stories

studies available
Drafts of all case
studies finalized
Draft template

documented

Task END
indicators

template
country

editing

online
D.D2A Carry out seminars
Seminar/Workshop in

Seminar/Workshop in

Seminar/Workshop in

Seminar/Workshop in
conjuntion with Task

conjuntion with Task

conjuntion with Task

conjuntion with final

and workshops, which

Task meeting
provide feedback and

Task END
meeting

meeting

meeting
support the knowledge
exchange; international, in
conjunction to Task meetings
(preliminary schedule)

D.D2B Carry out seminars

and workshops, which
provide feedback and

Task END
support the knowledge
exchange; connected to
case studies and local
collaborations (minimum 1
per country)

Task meetings
1 (Kick-
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
off)

Task Information Plan

The results of the Task, detailed in the previous sections, will be published according to the
plan below. For each deliverable, the target audience is envisaged. In addition to Task
deliverables, articles for scientific journals and participation in international and national
conferences will be a natural part of the Task work.

The website will be on the www.iea-shc.org web platform.

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 Task # Information Plan
Task Duration: 1.Sep.2019 - 31.Oct.2023 Target Audience

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# Title/Proposed Title Format Task Month
Subtask A A1 Identification of parameters in the design of solar neighborhoods Internal report Jun.2021
x x x x x x A2 Neighborhood archetypes: Design and analysis Report on SHC Website/journal papers Jun.2023
x x x x x x x x x x A3 Strategies for the design of new and existing high-energy performance solar communities SHC Website (e.g.interactive webpage) Sep.2023

Surface uses of neighborhoods, focused on how to define most suitable uses, prevent conflicts and
x x x x x x x x x x B1
Subtask B create synergies Report on SHC Website Dec.2021
Economic incentives and business models, including added values, to promote the diffusion of solar
x x x x x x x x x B2
neighborhoods Report on SHC Website Jun.2023
x x x x x x x B3 Strategies for stakeholder engagement and citizen involvement Report on SHC Website Sep.2023

Subtask C x x x x x x x x x C1 Report on the identification of existing tools and workflows Report on SHC Website Mar.2022
x x x x x x x x x C2 Roadmap for improved workflows and development needs of solar planning tools Report on SHC Website Sep.2023

Subtask D x x x x x x x x D1 Case Study Collection Print only, on SHC website Sep.2023

Seminars/workshops for feedback and dissemination. International in conjunction to Task meetings +
x x x x x x x x x D2
local seminars/workshops Seminars/workshops t.b.d.

Operating Agent x x x x x x x x x Task webpage online Sep.2019

x TCP Annual Report contribution (1 per year) SHC report online Annual
x x Task Highlight report (1 per year) Online Annual
Position Paper (ExCo needs to approve request to omit) to be decided later if included
x x x x x x x x x x Solar Update articles (minimum during and end) In Solar Update Newsletter t.b.d.
x Task Status report (2 per year) Internal document 2/year
x Final Management report Internal document May.2024
x Mid-term Task evaluation Internal document Oct.2021
x Final Task evaluation Internal document Oct.2023
x x x x x x x x x x Solar Academy webinar Webinar t.b.d.

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