Results in Engineering (Sep 2024)
The influence of the climate, the materials of the walls, and the gas effects of double and triple-glazed windows in terms of energy evaluation and economic expenses
Abstract
The computation of heating and cooling loads for office buildings is influenced by the significant population and diverse occupations of the users throughout various time durations. The first step in this investigation involves using specialized software to simulate a model office structure. To improve the thermal insulation of the building's outside covering and the arrangement of the windows, modifications are performed by considering the appropriate assumptions. Furthermore, this study examined samples of double- and triple-glazed windows using argon, xenon, krypton, air, and vacuum as insulating materials. In addition, the thermal efficiency of this construction was evaluated using common wall materials such as Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC), Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), and Cellular Lightweight Concrete (CLC) blocks. This research conducted a comparison and analysis of four different climates, including Canada, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Sweden, and Iran, with the climate of the study location. The aim of this study is to enhance thermal loads and energy efficiency in a simulated construction. The research demonstrates that arranging windows correctly, implementing efficient wall insulation, and ensuring appropriate climatic conditions may result in a reduction in cooling and heating loads by around 4–8 %. Finally, the economic study demonstrates that the time it takes to recoup the investment for different configurations ranges from 2.4 to 9.3 years. In summary, this research provides significant insights on how to decrease energy consumption in buildings and highlights different approaches that architects and engineers could use to build energy-efficient and sustainable structures.
