Land Use and Energy Demand of Low-Rise Residential Neighborhoods in Oklahoma City, USA

This paper is an introductory study on the energy and land consumption of low-rise urban residential typologies in Oklahoma City (OKC), USA. The paper investigates the relationships between different low-rise housing types and their environmental impact, to identify the amount of urban space and site energy needed to support them. Spatial analysis through QGIS and energy analysis through Rhinoceros 3D and Pollination were conducted to quantify the impact of hypothetical low-rise developments in the OKC’s urban core. Five different residential communities, each one characterized by a single building type, have been modeled according to recurring urban, real estate, and construction parameters characterizing most of the OKC’s housing stock today. This work is part of the ongoing research of faculty and graduate research assistants at the Gibbs College of Architecture, University of Oklahoma, focused on drafting guidelines for the design of infill low-rise housing in OKC.