Starting with mapgen:
Layout:
The basic structure of a city should have an area of clear land on the outside, then a layer of traps and turrets, then a wall, then a city on the inside.
Each zone has its own set of allowed objects. For example, fields and graves should be in the Outside area, Slug and Autocannon turrets should only be in the traps and turrets area, and mini-turrets can be anywhere but the Outside area.

General:
First: Before doing anything, get the current climate information for the world tile. You can bin these as Cold, Comfy, and Hot for below 5c, 5c-25c, and over 25c.
Second: On Hot and Cold maps, make all exterior walls two cells thick.
Third: Everywhere on the map that is a wall, place a power conduit. Power conduits don't get placed under roofs.
Fourth: When attempting to place a battery only place it in locations that are adjacent to a wall and under a roof. Generators get the same, except are not placed under roofs on Hot maps.
Fifth: On "Hot" maps, place coolers in every room. On "Cold" maps, place heaters in every room.
Sixth: Place batteries and generators last. Add up all the power consumption of the buildings on the map, and put down enough batteries to keep that running for one day. (A battery building might make sense). Then put down enough solar panels and generators to keep everything running plus a little extra.
Seventh: Start all workbenches as toggled-off.

Does this seem reasonable?