Urban energy management in historic cities: a critical review of research pathways, technological trends, and future directions

The acceleration of urbanisation and the escalating impacts of climate change have elevated urban energy management (UEM) to a critical priority of sustainable development agendas. Historic cities, with their dense concentration of cultural heritage assets and often thermally inefficient building stocks, offer significant opportunities for energy efficiency improvements. Yet, UEM in historic urban environments remains under-investigated. This study provides a critical review of UEM in historic cities, combining bibliometric analyses to trace the field’s developmental trajectory, scientometric analyses to identify key research areas and thematic clusters, and thematic analyses of influential studies within these clusters. It identifies five dominant thematic areas (sustainable development, climate change, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and circular economy) and reveals a growing convergence around digital transformation and multi-sensor diagnostic systems. It also outlines three strategic pathways for future research and practice related to: (i) the transition from isolated pilot projects to interoperable, scalable infrastructures, (ii) the evolution from technical-centric approaches to integrated frameworks that embed ethics, governance, and social equity; and (iii) the shift from top-down planning to community-informed implementation models. The integration of Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and advanced sensing technologies with heritage conservation principles is identified as a transformative frontier for achieving energy resilience without compromising cultural value. By articulating these trajectories, the paper establishes a research agenda to guide the next generation of UEM strategies for historic cities.