IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i4p1574-d322778.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimization of Insulation Thickness of External Walls of Residential Buildings in Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone of China

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaojun Liu

    (Department of Management, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China)

  • Xin Chen

    (Department of Management, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China)

  • Mehdi Shahrestani

    (School of the Built Environment, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DF, UK)

Abstract

It is important to reduce primary energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with residential buildings in the hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) zone of China. Changing the insulation thickness of the external walls of residential buildings (ITEWB) is regarded as an effective way to manage such problems within a budget. This paper aims at developing an innovative way to select the optimal insulation thickness of external walls for residential buildings (OTWRB) in the HSCW zone of China, considering economic, energy and greenhouse gas emissions issues associated with the ITEWB. Four different cities and two different operation modes of the air conditioners (continuous and intermittent) are considered in this study. To explain the selection process, typical hypothetical buildings are simulated in Wuhan, Changsha, Hangzhou and Chengdu. Expanded polystyrene is chosen as the material of the insulation layer while split air conditioners are selected as the equipment for space heating and cooling. Integrated Environmental Solutions-Virtual Environment is used for the dynamic operational energy consumption of buildings. Life cycle cost method is adopted to calculate the economic impact of ITEWB on building performance. The Chinese life cycle database is used to quantize the impacts of ITEWB on building performance in the aspect of energy and greenhouse gas emissions based on the life cycle theory. The most appreciated insulation thickness is chosen from the thickness range of 30 mm to 150 mm. We find that for continuous operation mode of air conditioners in Wuhan, the optimal economic insulation thickness is 70 mm, whereas when considering only energy and environmental aspects, the OTWRB is 150 mm. These are all larger than the current insulation thickness which is 30 mm. When the weighting efficiencies of the economy, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions are different, the OTWRB varies from 70 mm to 150 mm for continuous operation mode. The different cities have little influence on the OTWRB while the different operation modes of air conditioners have some influence on the OTWRB.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaojun Liu & Xin Chen & Mehdi Shahrestani, 2020. "Optimization of Insulation Thickness of External Walls of Residential Buildings in Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:4:p:1574-:d:322778
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/4/1574/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/4/1574/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jihui Yuan, 2018. "Impact of Insulation Type and Thickness on the Dynamic Thermal Characteristics of an External Wall Structure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Hu, Shan & Yan, Da & Cui, Ying & Guo, Siyue, 2016. "Urban residential heating in hot summer and cold winter zones of China—Status, modeling, and scenarios to 2030," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 158-170.
    3. DombaycI, Ö. Altan & Gölcü, Mustafa & Pancar, Yasar, 2006. "Optimization of insulation thickness for external walls using different energy-sources," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(9), pages 921-928, September.
    4. Du, Chenqiu & Li, Baizhan & Yu, Wei & Liu, Hong & Yao, Runming, 2019. "Energy flexibility for heating and cooling based on seasonal occupant thermal adaptation in mixed-mode residential buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    5. Nematchoua, Modeste Kameni & Raminosoa, Chrysostôme R.R. & Mamiharijaona, Ramaroson & René, Tchinda & Orosa, José A. & Elvis, Watis & Meukam, Pierre, 2015. "Study of the economical and optimum thermal insulation thickness for buildings in a wet and hot tropical climate: Case of Cameroon," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1192-1202.
    6. Yu, Jinghua & Yang, Changzhi & Tian, Liwei & Liao, Dan, 2009. "Evaluation on energy and thermal performance for residential envelopes in hot summer and cold winter zone of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(10), pages 1970-1985, October.
    7. Jie, Pengfei & Zhang, Fenghe & Fang, Zhou & Wang, Hongbo & Zhao, Yunfeng, 2018. "Optimizing the insulation thickness of walls and roofs of existing buildings based on primary energy consumption, global cost and pollutant emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 1132-1147.
    8. Kheiri, Farshad, 2018. "A review on optimization methods applied in energy-efficient building geometry and envelope design," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 897-920.
    9. Xin Fu & Xiaoqian Qian & Lina Wang, 2017. "Energy Efficiency for Airtightness and Exterior Wall Insulation of Passive Houses in Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-14, June.
    10. Yu, Jinghua & Yang, Changzhi & Tian, Liwei & Liao, Dan, 2009. "A study on optimum insulation thicknesses of external walls in hot summer and cold winter zone of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(11), pages 2520-2529, November.
    11. Zhi-Fu Mi & Yi-Ming Wei & Bing Wang & Jing Meng & Zhu Liu & Yuli Shan & Jingru Liu & Dabo Guan, 2017. "Socioeconomic impact assessment of China's CO2 emissions peak prior to 2030," CEEP-BIT Working Papers 103, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEP), Beijing Institute of Technology.
    12. Saafi, Khawla & Daouas, Naouel, 2018. "A life-cycle cost analysis for an optimum combination of cool coating and thermal insulation of residential building roofs in Tunisia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 925-938.
    13. Shilei Lu & Xiaolei Tang & Liran Ji & Daixin Tu, 2017. "Research on Energy-Saving Optimization for the Performance Parameters of Rural-Building Shape and Envelope by TRNSYS-GenOpt in Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-18, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Qiurui Liu & Juntian Huang & Ting Ni & Lin Chen, 2022. "Measurement of China’s Building Energy Consumption from the Perspective of a Comprehensive Modified Life Cycle Assessment Statistics Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Li, X. & Densley Tingley, D., 2023. "A whole life, national approach to optimize the thickness of wall insulation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jung Ho Kim & Young Il Kim, 2021. "Optimal Combination of External Wall Insulation Thickness and Surface Solar Reflectivity of Non-Residential Buildings in the Korean Peninsula," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-24, March.
    2. Xin Ye & Jun Lu & Tao Zhang & Yupeng Wang & Hiroatsu Fukuda, 2021. "Improvements in Energy Saving and Thermal Environment after Retrofitting with Interior Insulation in Intermittently Cooled Residences in Hot-Summer/Cold-Winter Zone of China: A Case Study in Chengdu," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-20, May.
    3. Axaopoulos, Ioannis & Axaopoulos, Petros & Gelegenis, John, 2014. "Optimum insulation thickness for external walls on different orientations considering the speed and direction of the wind," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 167-175.
    4. Omer Kaynakli, 2011. "Parametric Investigation of Optimum Thermal Insulation Thickness for External Walls," Energies, MDPI, vol. 4(6), pages 1-15, June.
    5. Jie, Pengfei & Yan, Fuchun & Li, Jing & Zhang, Yumei & Wen, Zhimei, 2019. "Optimizing the insulation thickness of walls of existing buildings with CHP-based district heating systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    6. De Boeck, L. & Verbeke, S. & Audenaert, A. & De Mesmaeker, L., 2015. "Improving the energy performance of residential buildings: A literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 960-975.
    7. Aditya, L. & Mahlia, T.M.I. & Rismanchi, B. & Ng, H.M. & Hasan, M.H. & Metselaar, H.S.C. & Muraza, Oki & Aditiya, H.B., 2017. "A review on insulation materials for energy conservation in buildings," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 1352-1365.
    8. Pan, Dongmei & Chan, Mingyin & Deng, Shiming & Lin, Zhongping, 2012. "The effects of external wall insulation thickness on annual cooling and heating energy uses under different climates," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 313-318.
    9. Daouas, Naouel, 2011. "A study on optimum insulation thickness in walls and energy savings in Tunisian buildings based on analytical calculation of cooling and heating transmission loads," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 156-164, January.
    10. Kaynakli, Omer, 2014. "Economic thermal insulation thickness for pipes and ducts: A review study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 184-194.
    11. Freire, Roberto Zanetti & Mazuroski, Walter & Abadie, Marc Olivier & Mendes, Nathan, 2011. "Capacitive effect on the heat transfer through building glazing systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4310-4319.
    12. Jihui Yuan & Craig Farnham & Kazuo Emura, 2017. "Optimum Insulation Thickness for Building Exterior Walls in 32 Regions of China to Save Energy and Reduce CO 2 Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-13, September.
    13. Yao, Jian, 2012. "Energy optimization of building design for different housing units in apartment buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 330-337.
    14. Wan, Kevin K.W. & Li, Danny H.W. & Pan, Wenyan & Lam, Joseph C., 2012. "Impact of climate change on building energy use in different climate zones and mitigation and adaptation implications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 274-282.
    15. Kumar, Dileep & Alam, Morshed & Zou, Patrick X.W. & Sanjayan, Jay G. & Memon, Rizwan Ahmed, 2020. "Comparative analysis of building insulation material properties and performance," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    16. Ozel, Meral, 2011. "Effect of wall orientation on the optimum insulation thickness by using a dynamic method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(7), pages 2429-2435, July.
    17. Frida Bazzocchi & Cecilia Ciacci & Vincenzo Di Naso, 2021. "Evaluation of Environmental and Economic Sustainability for the Building Envelope of Low-Carbon Schools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-22, February.
    18. Zheng, Guozhong & Jing, Youyin & Huang, Hongxia & Gao, Yuefen, 2010. "Application of improved grey relational projection method to evaluate sustainable building envelope performance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 710-720, February.
    19. Bahadori, Alireza & Vuthaluru, Hari B., 2010. "A simple method for the estimation of thermal insulation thickness," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 613-619, February.
    20. Yu, Jinghua & Yang, Changzhi & Tian, Liwei & Liao, Dan, 2009. "A study on optimum insulation thicknesses of external walls in hot summer and cold winter zone of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(11), pages 2520-2529, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:4:p:1574-:d:322778. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.