Abstract
Buildings consume huge amounts of electrical energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, particularly during the summer months, due to the enormous air conditioning demands created by very hot outdoor temperatures. Residential buildings consume more than half of the electricity used in Saudi Arabia, with the air conditioning load making up 70% of this use. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the thermal performance of two mid-rise residential buildings in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. These buildings are five floors in height and have the same orientation, but the first building is thermally insulated, while the second building is not. To investigate the indoor thermal performance of the two buildings, physical measurements were taken during May 2019. The data gathered included indoor air temperature values as recorded every fifteen minutes for a period of sixty-eight hours in two equivalent rooms in each building. Analysis of site monitoring data was conducted, and the results obtained offer a better idea of the effectiveness of the existing building fabric characteristics, in particular external walls and rooves, in relation to indoor thermal performance. These data were calibrated with simulated results taken from thermal analysis software (TAS) to validate them and to thus quantify the cooling load in the case study buildings. The outcomes illustrate the similarity between the measured and simulated results and as well as indicating that thermal insulation can decrease cooling loads by to up to 50%.
Highlights
Buildings in Saudi Arabia are characterised by a severe excess of electrical usage; buildings consume 80% of the electricity produced in Saudi Arabia, with air conditioning representing 50% of this consumption
According to Alaidroos and Krarti (2015) maximum energy savings of up to 35% can be achieved by adding thermal insulation to both walls and roof, while according to SEEC figures thermal insulation decreases the electrical energy consumed by AC systems by 30 to 40% (2018)
The analysis of indoor air temperatures is given in terms of the indoor thermal performance of the case study buildings (Figures 5 and 6)
Summary
Buildings in Saudi Arabia are characterised by a severe excess of electrical usage; buildings consume 80% of the electricity produced in Saudi Arabia, with air conditioning representing 50% of this consumption. The residential sector consumes more than half of the electrical energy used in Saudi Arabia, with air conditioning loads representing 70% of this consumption (SEEC, 2018). Kharseh and Al-Khawaja (2016) investigated the impact of various retrofitting measures in terms of reducing the cooling requirements of buildings in Qatar, using an hourly analysis program (HAP) model to simulate the cooling load for a residential house chosen as a case study. Their results show that adding less than 2 cm of polyurethane to the external walls reduced the cooling requirements of the building by 27%. According to Alaidroos and Krarti (2015) maximum energy savings of up to 35% can be achieved by adding thermal insulation to both walls and roof, while according to SEEC figures thermal insulation decreases the electrical energy consumed by AC systems by 30 to 40% (2018)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
