 This paper proposes a place-based approach to urban building energy modeling, which takes into account the unique characteristics of different areas within a city. It focuses on the collection of accurate data from the geographic database, correction of errors, and integration of the data. Additionally, it explores the use of spatial autocorrelation to identify and define the three main types of urban energy modeling, process-driven, data-driven, and hybrid in the context of place-based approaches. Finally, the paper concludes that a place-based approach is essential to achieving energy self-sufficiency in districts or cities. This article was authored by Guglielmina Mutani, Pamela Vokal, and Kevan Javanruti.