The energy budgets of simple urban landscapes are simulated using a numerical model which evaluates exchange processes for building roofs, urban canyons and street intersections. These budgets are calculated on the basis of urban landscape geometry, urban fabric thermal, radiative and aerodynamic properties, the greenspace fraction, and prevailing meteorological and solar geometry conditions. Energy budget components for the canyon tops are determined using the Arnfield (2000) model (Physical Geography 21, 305-326), while roofs and intersections are handled in a conceptually similar, but more straightforward, fashion. The contributions of each to the total landscape exchange is evaluated on the basis of the horizontal fractions occupied by each. The model is used to explore the dependence of urban landscape energy budgets on city surface characteristics and ambient meteorological conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on controls (especially wet fraction) on urban landscape Bowen ratio.