First Step Towards a System Dynamic Sustainability Assessment Model for Urban Energy Transition

Abstract

This paper presents a conceptual model that describes the correlation between an urban energy system and sustainability. The model captures the complexity of the urban energy transition, and the task of achieving sustainable development needs to embrace all aspects of sustainability. This paper portrays the aspects of sustainability as four-dimensional—Environment, Economic, Society, and Technology. The relationship between these four dimensions and the urban energy system is presented in a simplified and aggregated-qualitative based causal-loop diagram. The causal-loop diagram illustrates the causal and interconnective relationships between the four dimensions and their different variables. The causal-loop diagram describes the complex dynamic relationships within a simple urban energy system. The paper also provides a brief description of balancing and reinforcing loops, with the causal-loop diagram present. The conceptual model along with the causal-loop diagrams visually illustrate the dynamic relationship between the four dimensions as well as highlights the complexity and challenging problems that decision-makers are facing today when it comes energy planning and energy system development.