Today, with the rapid depletion of fossil energy sources and the increasing environmental problems caused by fossil fuels, supervision and management of energy consumption becomes more important. Looking at the breakdown of energy consumption by sectors, the buildings sector is seen as one of the priority areas for energy efficiency after industry and transportation. 80% of the total energy used from the production of a building till its demolition is consumed during utilization of the building. Therefore, priority is given to applications that reduce the amount of energy consumed during the utilization phase throughout the lifetimes of buildings. There are several ecological retrofitting done so as to reduce the amount of energy consumed during utilization in buildings that have not yet completed their lifetimes. In Turkey, energy consumption is increasing every year, mostly in the industry and building sector; a large portion of the energy used in residential buildings is consumed for heating and cooling purposes. Most effective energy saving in residential buildings can be achieved by using heat insulation, an easy-to-use energy efficiency technology. In the recent years, insulation jacketing on the external walls of existing buildings has become very common in Turkey, and the energy saving gained from this practice is the subject of this paper. In line with the purpose of the study, the energy gain from various insulation alternatives on the external walls and roof of a residential building selected for this study will be evaluated. In the external insulation system, the insulation wraps the building like a jacket, without creating a heat bridge. Although the cost of external insulation system is higher compared to other systems, it is the most suitable system for buildings built for long- time use, such as residential buildings, that is why it is preferred to insulate the outer surfaces of the walls in such buildings. It was considered that the insulation materials and insulation thicknesses would differ for each of the various insulation alternatives applied on the outer surfaces of walls. Annual energy costs of various alternative insulation applications were calculated and evaluated against the energy saving occurring in a non-insulated building. The study will help investors and users in assessing in economic terms the various options for insulation before engaging in any ecological retrofitting works on existing buildings, and in selecting the right insulation application. For the national economy, the study will provide the energy saving gained from various retrofitting applications.

Author Name: Esra BOSTANCIOGLU

URL: View PDF

Keywords: energy saving, energy costs, ecological retrofitting, coating

ISSN:

EISSN: 2146-5193

EOI/DOI: 10.7456/10102100/003

Add Citation Views: 1

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