Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs) occupy a critical place in Canada’s urban decarbonization strategy. These high-density residential forms are growing rapidly in every major city and represent a large share of new construction floor area. They also embody a paradox: MURBs can be more energy-efficient per capita than low-rise housing, yet their dependence on centralized heating and cooling systems, complex envelope geometries, and dense electrical loads present substantial challenges to achieving net-zero performance.

Against this backdrop, energy simulation is evolving from a compliance exercise into a design intelligence tool. For decades, simulations were deployed at the end of design – largely to demonstrate NECB or ASHRAE 90.1 compliance to regulators. Today, forward-looking design teams are integrating simulation from the earliest concept stages. This transition is enabling more robust decision-making around electrification, heat pump system selection, code compliance, and carbon reduction strategies.