Exploring the impact of additional sunspace on the total annual energy consumption of rural residences in cold region of China: a Case study in the Xuzhou region

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sunspace is a popular strategy for enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings. This study aims to investigate the impact of sunspace on a rural residence located in a cold region of China on its total annual energy consumption. To do so, the researchers developed a benchmark model of a rural residence in Xuzhou and simulated six types of additional sunspaces using Honeybee to estimate energy consumption. The results clearly demonstrated that incorporating sunspaces into rural residences had a significant impact on reducing annual energy consumption, leading to energy savings ranging from 4.7% to 10.8% compared to the benchmark rural residence. Additionally, the study analyzed the relationship between the energy consumption of the rural residence and the location and depth of the sunspace. The findings revealed that the location of the sunspace had a greater impact on annual energy consumption than its depth. Lastly, the study also analyzed the economic viability of sunspace application in XuZhou rural residences, demonstrating that the utilization of sunspaces in XuZhou rural residences is economically feasible. The study provides valuable empirical and theoretical support for the design of sunspaces in rural residences located in cold regions of China and underscores the potential benefits of incorporating sunspaces to improve building energy efficiency.