(573f) Optimizing Building Envelope Design for Sustainable Energy Performance

This study investigates the impact of various building envelope design parameters on the embodied and operational energy consumption of a residential building. The key parameters examined include the glazing ratio of the southern and northern walls, glazing type, and wall assembly composition. The wall assembly variables encompass the thickness and material of the interior and exterior insulation layers, as well as the outermost layer material. Simulation results indicate that increasing the glazing ratio in the southern and northern walls from 0 to 80% leads to a 12.7% and 15.7% increase in total energy consumption, respectively. Additionally, using triple-pane windows instead of double-pane windows increases the embodied energy by 27.5%, but results in a 4.44% reduction in total energy consumption due to their superior thermal insulation properties. The simultaneous variation of glazing ratio and wall assembly revealed that the minimum possible total energy consumption over the building's life cycle can be achieved by using aerogel insulation with a thickness of 100 mm in the interior layer and 60 mm in the exterior layer, fiber cement panels as the outermost layer, and triple-pane windows. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing building envelope design to balance embodied and operational energy for sustainable building performance.