Current building energy modeling (BEM) tools lack the capability to inherently simulate the impacts of urban microclimates on building energy performance. While efforts have been made to integrate BEM with Urban Microclimate Modeling (UMM) tools, their ability to capture spatial and seasonal microclimate variations remains limited. This review critically evaluates existing urban microclimate-integrated BEM approaches and their effectiveness in modeling the complex interactions between urban form, microclimate, and building energy performance. Through an analysis of 94 research articles, the review first examines the influence of urban form on microclimates, followed by an assessment of how microclimatic conditions impact building energy use. Additionally, it evaluates conventional modeling frameworks employed in BEM tools and their limitations in representing dynamic microclimatic variations. The findings emphasize the non-linear heat exchange relationships between urban form and microclimate, typically modeled using computationally intensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)-based UMM tools. This review introduces a classification of heat exchange types: atmospheric heat exchange, involving air temperature, wind, and humidity, and non-atmospheric heat exchange, driven by radiative interactions with surrounding urban surfaces. The study further highlights that modifying standard weather files and heat transfer coefficients alone is insufficient for BEM tools to accurately capture near-surface microclimate variations. By identifying critical insights and research gaps, this review establishes a foundation for advancing next-generation urban microclimate-integrated BEM approaches, emphasizing the need for computationally efficient and dynamically responsive modeling techniques.

The imperative shift towards ecological consciousness in architectural design, driven by the pressing need to mitigate energy consumption and carbon emissions while fostering user well-being, has propelled the discourse on sustainable architecture to the forefront of contemporary dialogue. Concepts such as ecological architecture, sustainable, green, and regenerative design have emerged as pivotal frameworks aimed at aligning architectural practices with environmental imperatives. In this evolving architectural landscape, the centers for ecological education (CEEs) play an important role, embodying the intersection of architecture and ecological education. These centers, with their diverse educational initiatives, provide dedicated spaces for comprehensive ecological education. However, a gap exists in the literature regarding studies focusing on CEEs and the evaluation criteria for such facilities. This article seeks to bridge this gap by evaluating buildings designated for ecological education, aiming to present ecological content while exemplifying sustainable architectural principles. The study employs a research by design approach, combining a literature review with site investigations and qualitative assessments to elucidate the unique challenges and opportunities inherent in designing CEEs. Criteria for assessing the ecological quality of buildings are formulated. Through a comparative analysis, the article identifies key parameters for evaluating CEEs, considering their dual function as educational spaces and architectural exemplars. The evaluation framework developed in this study provides a valuable tool for architects, designers, and policymakers seeking to promote ecological education and sustainable architectural practices.

This paper addresses the limitations of existing Solar Envelope (SE) methods to explore the trade-offs of solar radiation and urban shading, and to simultaneously account for several different Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). It offers an alternative parametric workflow - the Solar Block Generator (SBG) - which is based on an additive voxelization method by which multiple solar-driven massing alternatives are generated and evaluated for a given site, corresponding to a set of user-defined environmental KPIs. This method is tested here on an urban redevelopment case study in the Mediterranean (Tel Aviv). The results help achieve a more holistic approach for solar driven urban design.