Sensitivity energy analysis for the Saudi residential buildings envelope codes under future climate change scenarios: the case for the hot and humid region in Jeddah

Abstract

The residential building sector of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the primary consumer of energy consumption, using around 50% of the total amount of electricity KSA generates. Much of this is caused by the heavy demand for air conditioning due to the extremely high temperatures in the country. On the basis of KSA’s government initiatives, it is compulsory that new residential buildings adhere to strict energy codes. This study places its focus on analysing the ability of KSA’s new residential building envelope codes to successfully function according to the climate at present and in the future. In Jeddah, KSA, two single-family villas were examined with DesignBuilder simulation software and impacts of the new codes that were applied were assessed. Achieving the validation of the energy model requires the measurement of temperature indoors and outdoors. In addition, a long-term financial study was conducted to analyse the economic feasibility of the codes under the current and future climate change periods. Although the study shows the new codes produce a reduction in energy consumption by 14% to 40 % from the current cases, with the inclusion of wall and roof insulation being the most effective features of the new requirements of the codes. However, these codes cannot nullify the effect of future climate change.