Integrating multiple data sources, domains and tools in urban energy models using semantic technologies

Semantic-based interoperability based on ontologies provide an alternative to centralized standard data models. They help to integrate heterogeneous data produced by loose coupled information systems and to interlink these data with different tools in ad hoc situations. In theSEMANCOprojectwe have used semantic technologies to create energy models of urban areas encompassing a variety of data sources and domains (building, geospatial, energy, climate, socioeconomic). The semantically modelled data has been made accessible to a set of simulation and analysis tools. The interoperability among the data sources and between these and the tools that interact with them is assured by a Semantic Energy Information Framework (SEIF) developed in the project. The access to the data and tools takes place in the SEMANCO integrated platform. In this paper we describe the work carried out to integrate an existing simulation software - URSOS - with the semantic data model. The functionalities of the tool and the integrated platform have been demonstrated in an application case carried out in the city of Manresa, in Spain.