The public and private sectors are currently focusing on new solutions to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Due to global demographic development, cities produce 70% of global CO2 emissions and consume two-thirds of the total available energy supply. Therefore, energy consumption in buildings requires special attention. A promising approach is to shift energy targets from individual buildings to urban districts with zero or even positive energy balances. This solution must be investable while offering benefits to citizens and local authorities.

The concept of a Positive Energy District (PED) emphasizes the importance of all these features. A PED integrates sustainable mobility, energy production, and consumption to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, creating added value for citizens and the community. Additionally, a PED requires the integration of buildings, users, the energy grid, mobility, and IT systems.

This new urban development shifts the focus from single buildings to energy districts, leading to a new level of sustainable urban development and energy transition in smart cities. Therefore, achieving a PED requires improving building efficiency to reduce energy demand and the amount of energy production needed to cover it. PEDs have become an integral part of sustainable urbanization strategies. This work aims to provide a method for quantitative, qualitative, and cost-benefit analysis for developing a Positive Energy District with renewable energy solutions and energy efficiency.

As a case study, a realistic neighborhood in Milan was designed using Building Information Modeling software to simulate the energy consumption profiles of buildings and the impacts of efficiency measures, resulting in energy savings of 15 GWh and 2,209 tons of CO2 emissions avoided. Two economic scenarios were developed.