State-of-the-art research of performance-driven architectural design for low-carbon urban underground space: Systematic review and proposed design strategies

Although Urban Underground Space (UUS), regarded as a new dimension of cities, is one of the efficient responses to urbanisation issues and the overall sustainability agenda, many sustainable issues remain, such as high energy consumption. To maximise the prospects for the sustainable development of UUS, numerous scholars are devoted to exploring the energy-saving potential of UUS and the feasibility of utilising clean underground energy while preserving a pleasant environment. However, most of these studies are from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning perspectives, with an emphasis on improving the energy efficiency of the active system. Given the potential for energy savings at the early planning and design stages, it is significant for architects and planners to further research on green building design strategies and technologies to reduce energy consumption and realise sustainable development. Hence, a comprehensive study that collects and analyses the relevant literature based on a set of precisely defined criteria to comprehend the development and present status of the design considerations for low-carbon UUS would make a timely and valuable contribution to advancing the understanding of this topic. Through exploring the rationale behind the high energy consumption in UUS, metrics for evaluating the performance and the relationship between the form and performance, this study seeks to provide researchers and practitioners with an up-to-date understanding of the sustainability framework of low-carbon UUS and the critical messages regarding the challenges and successes associated with its contribution to global sustainable development.