Towards a positive energy balance: A comparative analysis of the planning and design of four positive energy districts and neighbourhoods in Norway and Sweden

Journal article, 2024

Positive energy districts and sustainable plus energy neighbourhoods are developed in the European context to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. The planning and development of positive energy districts and sustainable plus energy neighbourhoods is complex and requires collaboration between stakeholders and new measures to achieve high energy efficiency, local renewable energy generation, energy storage and flexibility, and energy sufficiency. This paper examines the implementation of energy measures in the planning and design of four positive energy district and neighbourhood development projects in Norway and Sweden. The paper compares the two different institutional and energy system contexts and how these affect the development of positive energy districts, focusing on the perspectives of the municipality and developers. Existing academic literature and positive energy district guidelines are used to develop an analytical framework for the planning and design of positive energy districts and sustainable plus energy neighbourhoods. Results highlight an early focus on energy ambitions, wide stakeholder involvement, and the importance of aligning interests between stakeholders and working interdisciplinary in the planning and design phases to find optimal energy measures. Both the building and the neighbourhood/district level are important to increase energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, and energy flexibility, and consequently lower the environmental impact of the whole development project.