Optimizing the insulation thickness of external wall by a novel 3E (energy, environmental, economic) method

Rad, Ehsan Amiri; Fallahi, Elmira

doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.02.006

Cited by 59 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…A exch,y A liv (32) where EC exis heat,y and EC reno heat,y are the annual heating energy costs per unit of exchange surface of element y of the existing and renovated buildings, respectively, in €/m 2 •year, and are calculated using Equation 28; EC exis cool,y and EC reno cool,y are the annual cooling energy costs per unit of exchange surface of element y of the existing and renovated buildings, respectively, in €/m 2 •year, and are calculated using Equation (29). EC exis cool,y and EC reno cool,y in Equation (32) are zero when the optimum insulation thickness that minimizes the total heating cost is used.…”

Section: Estimation Of the Energy Parameters To Achieve Nzebmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Renovation of Residential Buildings in Hot and Temperate Mediterranean Zones Using Optimized Thermal Envelope Insulation Thicknesses: The Case of Spain

et al. 2021

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One of the greatest challenges facing the European Union is the conversion of the existing residential building stock into nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEBs) by 2050 through energy renovation, given that the residential sector is one of the largest consumers of final energy and that approximately two-thirds of existing dwellings were built before 1980. The objective of this study is to assess the energy, environmental, and economic impacts of the energy renovation of thermal envelopes of existing multi-family buildings in the hot and temperate climate zones of Spain by using life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) to determine the optimal thicknesses of insulation to be added to the walls, roof, and first floor framework of the buildings and replacing existing building openings to achieve NZEBs. Four thermal insulation materials are considered with four different heating and cooling systems and ten different models. With the methodology developed, the best energy renovation solutions are estimated and then thermally simulated. In total, 67 of the 576 proposed energy renovation solutions achieve NZEBs. This study fills in the gap between LCCA estimates and reality.

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Section: Estimation Of the Energy Parameters To Achieve Nzebmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Renovation of Residential Buildings in Hot and Temperate Mediterranean Zones Using Optimized Thermal Envelope Insulation Thicknesses: The Case of Spain

et al. 2021

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“…To calculate the amount of energy required to satisfy the heating and cooling demand in the simulation building, the Energy-Plus software utilized many program modules that operated simultaneously. This software calculates the heat load according to the thermal balance method, which can take into account the climatic characteristics over time, thereby considering the complete thermal balance of the inner and outer surfaces and the transient heat conduction through the building [45,46]. In this study, the time step was set as 30 min.…”

Section: Analysis Methods and Conditions 221 Energy Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal Combination of External Wall Insulation Thickness and Surface Solar Reflectivity of Non-Residential Buildings in the Korean Peninsula

Kim

2021

Sustainability

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To delay fossil energy depletion and implement the Paris Climate Change Accord, the South Korean government is attempting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the establishment of the 2030 Roadmap. The insulation performance of external walls is being continuously enhanced in the architectural domain. However, Korea’s policy and construction market focuses only on the heat resistance of buildings’ external walls to enhance the insulation performance, leading to an increased thickness of the insulation materials. In this study, the relationship between the surface reflectivity and insulation thickness of external walls was examined to formulate an effective insulation strategy for buildings in Korea. Office buildings of 12 regions in the Korean Peninsula were considered. The dynamic energy simulation program EnergyPlus was used to perform the heating and cooling load analyses. The present worth method was adopted to perform the economic analysis. The analysis of the cooling and heating loads indicated that a change occurred not only in terms of the latitude but also between the Eastern and Western regions. The energy consumption could be reduced by increasing the reflectivity in the Southern region and lowering the reflectivity in the Northern region, based on the total load. In addition, a higher latitude corresponded to a higher energy saving effect owing to the increased insulation thickness. In the case of Jeju Island and Busan, regions with a relatively large cooling load and small heating load, the total load is little affected by insulation thickness at high reflectivity. If the external skin was considered to have the optimal reflectivity, the regions for optimal insulation thickness could be divided into three categories: north, central and south.

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“…Many authors considered the optimization of the insulation thickness of the external envelope considering three different aspects: environmental, energy and, economic [44]. The performance of the buildings was compared in terms of the energy demand for heating and cooling respectively (kWh/(m 2 year) and MWh/year), net cost for energy for heating and cooling ($/m 2 ) [45][46][47], the global warming potential (GWP) for the evaluation of CO 2 emissions into the atmosphere, the total cost including energy and environmental cost [48,49], and the payback period [50,51]. For instance, D'Agostino et al [46], through a cost-optimal analysis for the optimization of the insulation layer in an office building, showed that excessive insulation in a Mediterranean climate does not always lead to an advantage in terms of energy savings, mainly due to the increased energy requirements for cooling during the summer season.…”

Section: State Of the Artmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Environmental and Economic Sustainability for the Building Envelope of Low-Carbon Schools

2021

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To achieve a carbon-free economy by 2050, the construction of low-carbon schools in Italy must select the proper structural and technological solutions for the building envelope while ensuring a low economic cost. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare several technological solutions for the building envelope and the related structural solutions in terms of thermo-dynamic properties, energy performance, environmental sustainability parameters, and economic evaluations, to obtain one or more alternatives. After a general study, the binomial load-bearing structure–external wall was investigated given its strong influence on both the environment and the total cost. The solutions were used in a new typological model for the kindergarten. All the solutions are comparable from an energy and environmental point of view, obtaining a primary energy demand of <25 kWh/(m2year) and an environmental impact of <20 kWh/(m2year). However, considering the economic factor and analyzing the binomial load-bearing structure–external wall, the advisable solutions are those that use wooden structures with insulation layer in wood fiber as they have a significantly lower environmental impact, along with the same good energy performance and have an acceptable cost compared to other analyzed solutions.

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Optimizing the insulation thickness of external wall by a novel 3E (energy, environmental, economic) method

Cited by 59 publications

References 56 publications

Energy Renovation of Residential Buildings in Hot and Temperate Mediterranean Zones Using Optimized Thermal Envelope Insulation Thicknesses: The Case of Spain

Energy Renovation of Residential Buildings in Hot and Temperate Mediterranean Zones Using Optimized Thermal Envelope Insulation Thicknesses: The Case of Spain

Optimal Combination of External Wall Insulation Thickness and Surface Solar Reflectivity of Non-Residential Buildings in the Korean Peninsula

Evaluation of Environmental and Economic Sustainability for the Building Envelope of Low-Carbon Schools

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