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The impact of thermal insulation investments on sustainability in the construction sector

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  • Adamczyk, Janusz
  • Dylewski, Robert

Abstract

Sustainable construction is the only way to ensure the implementation of the principles of sustainable development. The paper presents the importance of the thermal insulating investment of the building in three areas: economic, environmental and social. It shows the influence of the existence of the building on the environment, with a particular focus on the investment process involving thermal insulating of external vertical walls of the building. The paper proposes a methodology for assessing the environmental and economic benefits. The analyses for various combinations were performed, including the condition of the building before thermal insulation, type of construction material of the building, the heat source used, type of thermal insulation and climate zone, in which the building is located. The obtained results indicate that the thermal insulation investment is, for all examined variants, beneficial for ecological reasons and for almost all economic reasons. The highest values of economic benefits were obtained for the variant of the coldest climate, and the variant in which the building before thermal insulation has the worst thermal performance, the most expensive type of heat source (i.e. the biggest costs of obtaining 1kWh of thermal energy) and the least expensive material used for thermal insulation. The highest values of environmental benefits were obtained for the variant of the coldest climate, which is obvious, but also for the variant, in which the building before thermal insulation has the worst thermal insulation, the least environmentally friendly type of heat source and the most eco-friendly insulation material applied. The paper also articulates social benefits resulting from such an investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Adamczyk, Janusz & Dylewski, Robert, 2017. "The impact of thermal insulation investments on sustainability in the construction sector," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 421-429.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:80:y:2017:i:c:p:421-429
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.173
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    2. Janusz Adamczyk & Robert Dylewski, 2020. "Ecological and Economic Benefits of the “Medium” Level of the Building Thermo-Modernization: A Case Study in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Gonçalves, Márcio & Simões, Nuno & Serra, Catarina & Flores-Colen, Inês, 2020. "A review of the challenges posed by the use of vacuum panels in external insulation finishing systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    4. Shilei Lu & Zichen Wang & Tianshuai Zhang, 2020. "Quantitative Analysis and Multi-Index Evaluation of the Green Building Envelope Performance in the Cold Area of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-38, January.
    5. Dehwah, Ammar H.A. & Krarti, Moncef, 2021. "Cost-benefit analysis of retrofitting attic-integrated switchable insulation systems of existing US residential buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    6. Avendaño-Vera, Constanza & Martinez-Soto, Aner & Marincioni, Valentina, 2020. "Determination of optimal thermal inertia of building materials for housing in different Chilean climate zones," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    7. Rosa Agliata & Alfonso Marino & Luigi Mollo & Paolo Pariso, 2020. "Historic Building Energy Audit and Retrofit Simulation with Hemp-Lime Plaster—A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-15, June.

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