Harnessing the Synergy of Diverse Urban Building Clusters: Redefining DER Integration for Resilient Cities

ABSTRACT

The growing complexity of urban energy systems presents both a challenge and an opportunity in the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs). This seminar draws on an extensive study of over 15,000 unique five-building clusters across 16 distinct building types, each incorporating solar photovoltaics (PV) and energy storage, to explore how building diversity can transform urban energy systems. Our research moves beyond the conventional "one-size-fits-all" approach, offering a new perspective on how building clusters with complementary load profiles can optimize energy performance and foster grid independence. By introducing a novel multi-metric ranking framework, we reveal how thoughtfully diversified building clusters outperform traditional homogeneous designs, unlocking superior efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. Using the New York City region as a detailed case study, we will discuss the policy implications of these findings, offering scalable solutions for energy system designers, urban planners, and policymakers aiming to build more adaptable and self-sufficient cities. This work has far-reaching implications, providing a roadmap for leveraging building diversity to achieve smarter, more resilient energy infrastructures, both locally and globally.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Philip Odonkor is the Director of the Design Informatics Lab and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens. In 2024, he was awarded an NSF CAREER award to investigate how groups of buildings can cooperate to advance energy sustainability and equity in cities. His research and teaching centers on urban informatics, smart cities, socio-technical modeling, simulation, and control. Dr. Odonkor is a member of several professional organizations including IEEE, ASME, and ACM. He also co-founded Grid Discovery, an energy tech start-up building data-driven solutions for microgrid feasibility assessments. Dr. Odonkor's research has appeared in several journals, his ideas have been featured on the TEDx stage as well as in Time Magazine. He aims to not only advance urban sustainability through his research but also equip the next generation of urban scientists and planners to create smarter, more livable cities.