A Digital Twin Approach to City Block Renovation Using RES Technologies

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The article RES SOLUTIONS FOR CITY BLOCK RENOVATION USING DIGITAL TWIN CONCEPT is devoted to the innovative ways of various types of energy production. The topic is highly urgent and important. However, there are many comments which should be taken into consideration.

In general, I have an opinion that the authors uploaded not the final version of the article. The numbers of sections are not indicated. The references are not arranged. The formulas are not done according to the rules.

The level of English does not allow to understand all the ideas (for example, sentence “Based on, Lithuania’s annual growth of m3, timber is 2pprox.. 17 mln. And potential timber removals could m3 be approximately 10 mln. Per year.”) For sure, I strictly advise the human proofreading.

·        The level of text similarity is 16%, which is too much. In the attachment you can see the similarity reports. Please try to reformulate the paragraphs where it is possible.

·        I do not understand the goal of the study, and due to this it is difficult to estimate whether the results have been achieved or not.  Perhaps it is because of language problem.

·        You emphasize the creation of digital twin; however, it is only method for achieving other objectives of the study

·        Methodology: the whole section should be rewritten.

o   Model (Fig.1) is not clear. Why do you have an arrow between “Energy consumption” block and DT? You use it for simulation – yes! But how do you use it in DT?

o   Parts of “Energy consumption”: Electricity – as far as I understand, it should be corrected by heat production in parallel with other energy sources. Heat – why do you consider it? You offer to produce heat from absolutely different sources with absolutely different efficiency and productivity, and the same area could be heated with different usage of sources. To know the areas for heating adjusted to the areas heated with electricity is quite enough. Water – the same as with heating – it is enough to know the amount of consumed hot water adjusted to hot water produced with electricity.

o   How do you collect data for simulation? It should be described in methodology. What formulae do you use? They also should be in the methodology. You calculate some financial indicators (estimation of investments, IRR, NPV) – where is grounding? What data do you use? What do you show in Table 5 – costs or investments? So many questions.

Arrange the article – well-determined goal, extensive revision of literature (25 sources is not serious!), normally described methodology, and logically based results and conclusions.

The material of the article is very promising; however, you should work hard to prepare it for publication.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

1. The computation accuracy of the data from the energy production simulation method should be testified via real buildings.

2. Figure 1 should be revised and all numbers in it should be deleted.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

The purpose of the manuscript "RES Solutions for City Block Renovation using Digital Twin Concept" is to evaluate the possibilities of deep renovation and energy production and supply of buildings in an urbanized city block in order to achieve CO2 neutrality by integrating renewable energy source technologies using a digital twin model. A 3D model was created with high geometric accuracy and augmented with the energy parameters of the analysed buildings. The energy balance of the buildings for the entire city block was prepared, and the possibilities of reducing energy consumption (increasing the efficiency of consumption) in buildings during their deep renovation were examined. The possibilities of installing renewable energy source technologies, such as PV modules, heat pumps, and electric heaters, in the buildings of the city block were also evaluated.

I found the paper interesting with very detailed information on different renovations scenarios, which differ in use of renewable energy source technologies. Application of digital twin is clearly presented to provide necessary data for engineers to create holistic renovation solutions. The manuscript is not really scientific; however it presents how digital tools (e.g. digital twin) can benefit to provide the most optimal solutions. From this point of view, the manuscript provides some interesting and useful aspects, which may be interesting for scholars.

Minor reviewer s suggestions:

1. Page 5, lines 231-234

All sections are numbered with 0. Please correct numbering of sections in this paragraph and also throughout the manuscript.

2. Page 5, lines 227

“Therefore, energy consumption perspectives based on real today’s data make it possible to predict future energy needs, select supply and consumption equipment, increase supply reliability more accurately, and do it in an environmentally friendly way.”

Please avoid phrase environmentally friendly, as this phrase is controversial. I suggest to use phrase “in a way, which is relatively less/low harmful for the environment”

3. Figures mentioned in the text.

Please correct words, where Chinese (?) letters appear instead of words Figure 1, Figure 2 etc.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

The introduction is very long and difficult to read. It is suggested to dived it in introduction and theoretical background. The concept of digital twins has to specified better. The aspect of digital twins application on RES at urban scale is very few studies by the literature. Different is the application if RES to building information modelling (BIM), or geographic information system (GIS). Here several studies have been found also on CityGML and this aspect is very as shoved by the recent perspective paper https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/buildings13030631. I the methodology explicate better why do you refer to DT the presence of physical and digital model is not clear. This is the lack part of the paper. Se the history of DT https://digitaltwin1.org/articles/2-8/v1 to show better their description.be carefully that some sentences are written in Chinese. 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 5 Report

Attached

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors,

Thank you for corrections. It seems you have addressed all the comments.

However, the level of text similarity has become even higher - 18%. I realise that the system marks the terminology or common phrases which you cannot change; nevertheless, thare are many paragraphs which can be corrected. I ask you for the secnd time to do this. If you do not see the attachment, please address the editor or assistant for help to download the file with similarity report.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

We have re-edited the paper hoping similarity percentage will be reduced. We also noticed that many references have been marked as similarity which has increased similarity percentage. 

Reviewer 4 Report

-

Author Response

English language has been reviewed.

Reviewer 5 Report

The authors have addressed all my concerns.

Author Response

Thank You for Your review