par Bettignies Cari, Yves 
Président du jury Devos, Rika
Promoteur Bouillard, Philippe
Co-Promoteur Athanassiadis, Aristide
Publication Non publié, 2026-02-06
Président du jury Devos, Rika
Promoteur Bouillard, Philippe
Co-Promoteur Athanassiadis, Aristide
Publication Non publié, 2026-02-06
Thèse de doctorat
| Résumé : | The global imperative to address climate change necessitates a significant transformation in energy consumption, particularly within urban areas, which account for approximately 71% of worldwide energy use and 73% of related CO₂ emissions. Despite their diversity, cities show common patterns in their structure and function, indicating the possibility of universal models for urban energy dynamics. This research fills important gaps in the literature on urban energy scaling by exploring whether energy use grows faster than, at, or slower than the population size, and whether these patterns hold across different settlement sizes, energy sources, and spatial scales. Using two large datasets — one with over 23,000 US cities and another with data from ten international cities covering both intra- and inter-urban levels — a log-log linear regression was performed to study how electricity, natural gas, and fuel consumption scale. Our results demonstrate consistent scaling laws from small towns to megacities, and from national to local urban contexts, with population, density, and income identified as key factors influencing energy intensity. These findings particularly challenge the reliance on supply-side measures, highlighting the importance of demand-side strategies in meeting climate goals. By framing urban energy use within the concepts of urban metabolism and scaling theory, this study provides a quantitative basis for policy actions aimed at lowering urban energy demand and promoting systemic sustainability. |
