District energy choices: More than a monetary problem. a SDSS approach to define urban energy scenarios

The article illustrates a piece of research concerning the development and application of display platforms (Spatial Decision Support System - SDSS) able to integrate assessment methods of financial and economic nature. The aim of the proposed SDSS platform is to support the development of urban scenarios focusing attention on improving energy conditions at district level in service of public and private policies. The platform, known as the Dashboard, was developed as part of the European DIMMER project (2013-2016) with the aim of obtaining real time data on user attitudes towards the use of energy through sensors and direct feedback from users. In this specific context, the choice of a methodological approach able to compare different heating options of buildings is complex, considering, above all, a district vision. The article therefore proposes a framework based upon a Cost Analysis (CA) and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) integrated in a SDSS display platform. To test the tool, we used a case study located in Turin (Italy)