As global warming intensifies and urbanisation accelerates,\nunsustainable urban growth and excessive energy use are heightening the risks\nof extreme climate events and energy insecurity in cities, creating a harmful\ncycle of environmental degradation and increasing energy demands. To break this\ncycle and foster the development of efficient, resilient, and sustainable smart\ncities, interdisciplinary collaboration is essential.<\/p>\n\n
Challenges in Urban System Interconnections<\/p>\n\n
Urban microclimates, energy systems, and building sectors are crucial for\nmaintaining economic and social activities in cities. However, shortcomings in\nthe design, operation, or management of any one of these areas can ripple\nthrough interconnected urban networks, causing widespread disruptions.<\/p>\n\n
This problem can significantly increase a city\u2019s energy consumption and\ncarbon emissions. For example, dense clusters of urban buildings can intensify\nthe urban heat island effect, driving up cooling demands. The waste heat\nreleased from air conditioning systems further raises temperatures. Moreover,\nworsening urban microclimates\u2014characterised by changes in temperature,\nhumidity, pollution, and precipitation\u2014along with inefficient building designs\nand operations, place even greater strain on energy systems.<\/p>\n\n
These dynamics also pose bigger challenges to urban health and\nsustainability. The lifecycles of urban energy systems and building\nsectors\u2014from construction to operation, maintenance, and recycling\u2014affect urban\nmeteorology directly and indirectly. Poorly designed building clusters and\nemissions intensify phenomena such as urban heat islands, rain islands, wind\nislands, and pollution islands, leading to distinct and increasingly\nproblematic microclimates in a city.<\/p>\n\n
These harmful interactions further challenge urban resilience and\nreliability. The close interdependence between urban meteorological systems,\nenergy networks, and the building sector means that risks or failures in one\narea can cascade into the others. In particular, in areas with dense building\nclusters and a reliance on centralised energy systems, extreme weather events\nlike heatwaves, urban flooding, or typhoons can severely compromise energy\nsecurity and may trigger widespread failures across the closely packed building\nclusters.<\/p>\n\n
Cross-District\nCollaboration<\/p>\n\n
Based on the distribution of building clusters, the zoning patterns of\nmicroclimates and energy systems in a city can vary distinctively. Variations\nin building functions, energy usage, and microclimate characteristics across\ndifferent districts create opportunities for collaboration to address common\nchallenges. Leveraging the complementary strengths of the energy supply types,\ngrid structures, and load profiles from different districts can enhance the\nflexibility and resilience of the energy systems.<\/p>\n\n
Emerging\nTechnologies and Methods<\/p>\n\n
Advancements in technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big\ndata, and artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionising interdisciplinary\ncollaboration. For example, digital twin systems, powered by sensor and\ncommunication technologies, enable smarter and more transparent management\nplatforms for energy systems and building sectors. Meanwhile, advancements in\nmaterials science and new energy sources are helping to address challenges in\ncross-disciplinary efforts. For instance, using green phase-change materials\nand sustainable cooling technologies in building designs can help mitigate\nurban microclimate deterioration.<\/p>\n\n
Effective\nPolicy Guidance<\/p>\n\n
Policy initiatives are key to promoting interdisciplinary collaboration\namong urban researchers. They play a vital role in resolving conflicts of\ninterest, bridging knowledge gaps between disciplines, establishing unified\ninformation-sharing platforms, and building guidance and regulatory frameworks\nto support long-term sustainable development goals. Moreover, well-designed\npolicies can help reduce social and economic inequalities as well as health\nrisks that can arise from interdisciplinary initiatives.<\/p>\n\n
Long-Term\nPlanning<\/p>\n\n
As global climate change accelerates, it is necessary to adopt more\nforward-thinking strategies in urban planning, construction, and management.\nThe next generation of smart buildings will emphasise modularity, flexibility,\nand intelligence, aiming to build living environments that are not only\nefficient but also comfortable and sustainable. At the same time, smart energy\nsystems will place more emphasis on decentralised regional autonomy, hybrid\nAC\/DC networks, renewable energy integration, and demand-side efficiency,\ntogether paving the way for a low-carbon and reliable energy future.<\/p>\n\n
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About the author(s)<\/p>
Yonghua Song is the rector of the University of Macau (UM), director of\nthe State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City, and a chair\nprofessor in electrical engineering at UM. He is also a Fellow of the Royal\nAcademy of Engineering in the UK, a member of Academia Europaea and a Fellow of\nthe Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Rector Song\nobtained his PhD from the China Electric Power Research Institute in 1989. As\nan internationally renowned scholar, he has dedicated his career to research on\npower system analysis and control, making systematic and innovative\ncontributions to the safe, efficient, and low-carbon operation of power systems.<\/p>\n\n
Zhang Zhenwei is a doctoral student in electrical and computer\nengineering at the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City at\nUM. He earned his master\u2019s degree in electrical engineering from Shandong\nUniversity in 2022. His research focuses on the optimisation of urban\nintegrated energy systems, with a focus on distributed resources, flexible\nloads, and microclimates.<\/p>\n\n
Hui Hongxun is an assistant professor at the State Key Laboratory of\nInternet of Things for Smart City at UM. He obtained his PhD in electrical\nengineering from Zhejiang University in 2020. His research focuses on the\noptimal operation of energy systems, Internet of Things technologies for smart\nenergy, power system economics and\ncarbon markets, and interdisciplinary studies on energy and the environment.<\/p>
<\/p>
Text & Photo: Yonghua Song, Zhang Zhenwei, Hui Hongxun<\/p>
English Translation: Davis Ip<\/p>