Evaluation of the Impact of Window Parameters on Energy Demand and CO2 Emission Reduction for a Single-Family House

Abstract

This article deals with the determination of the impact of selected parameters on energy consumption for heating and cooling purposes and CO2 emissions. Mathematical modelling combined with planning a computational experiment was adopted as the research method. The database for creating the models was developed using building energy simulations performed with DesignBuilder software. A single-family house with an area of 101 m2 was the subject of this study. Four deterministic mathematical models for the estimation of annual energy demand for heating, cooling, total final energy demand, and CO2 emissions were developed. Four parameters affecting the energy balance of the house: the area of the glazing system (three levels), U-value of windows (two-, three- and four-pane), U-value of external walls (0.1, 0.15, 0.2 W/m2K) and location (Warsaw, Berlin, Paris) were considered. The article discusses in detail the influence of individual factors on the energy demand and their common interactions. It was found that the level of thermal insulation of the glazing system plays the most important role in saving energy. This factor was the only one to show a stable and significant reduction in house energy demand, and thus a reduction in CO2 emissions for all four objective functions.