Thermal analysis of insulations used in the building shell with the optimization approach and reduction of energy consumption

Abstract

Energy is one of the most important and basic needs in human life. Due to the high share of energy consumption in residential buildings, an important need to optimize energy consumption in this field is felt. In between, the role of building shell is very important, because it can play a pivotal role in this field and reduce energy consumption. In this research, initially different types of insulations used in various buildings were examined and classified. Determination of the physical and thermal characteristics of each material lead to the selection of the appropriate options. Finally, a simulation is performed using the EnergyPlus software to measure the efficiency of said materials in different roles. The work method is that first a building with all the standard specifications is designed in the software environment. The simulation is then done using the EnergyPlus software for different time periods and climate conditions in Tehran and the results are obtained. Moreover, by adding effective insulations to reduce energy consumption and re-simulation, the effect of each of them is analyzed. The results of this research show the reduction of energy consumption by up to 30%.