IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i20p5336-d1768108.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Energy Simulation-Based Assessment of Traditional and Modern Wall Materials for Thermal Performance: A Case Study of a Traditional House in Jordan

Author

Listed:
  • Eman N. Shaqour

    (Architectural Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Al-Zaytonah University of Science and Technology, Salfit P390, Palestine)

  • Islam A. Alshafei

    (Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Jerash University, Jerash 26150, Jordan)

  • Ala Abu Taqa

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Munib and Angela Masri Faculty of Engineering, Aqaba University of Technology, Aqaba 11947, Jordan)

  • Ahmed Senouci

    (Department of Construction Management, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA)

  • Ahmed M. Seddik Hassan

    (Department of Architectural Construction Technology, Faculty of Technology and Education, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt)

Abstract

In this study, the energy performance of traditional, modern, and insulated wall assemblies in a heritage residential building in Al Salt city, Jordan, is evaluated using the simulation software DesignBuilder version 7.0.2.004. The case study compares the thermal behavior of traditional thick limestone walls, modern reinforced concrete and block-based walls, and contemporary insulated systems under local climatic conditions. The results show that traditional stone walls exhibit limited energy efficiency and require insulation to meet contemporary standards. However, they perform better than modern concrete walls based on their thermal mass. While concrete walls with inadequate insulation exhibit the poorest performance and are associated with significantly higher energy demand and CO 2 emissions, insulated wall systems that combine stone with insulation layers demonstrate the best thermal performance and achieve substantial reductions in energy use and environmental impact. These findings emphasize the feasibility of upgrading heritage buildings through the integration of modern insulated wall assemblies, which can lead to considerable energy savings and a lowered carbon footprint while simultaneously keeping the architectural identity and cultural value.

Suggested Citation

  • Eman N. Shaqour & Islam A. Alshafei & Ala Abu Taqa & Ahmed Senouci & Ahmed M. Seddik Hassan, 2025. "Energy Simulation-Based Assessment of Traditional and Modern Wall Materials for Thermal Performance: A Case Study of a Traditional House in Jordan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-23, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:20:p:5336-:d:1768108
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/20/5336/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/20/5336/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hanan S. S. Ibrahim & Ahmed Z. Khan & Yehya Serag & Shady Attia, 2021. "Towards Nearly-Zero Energy in Heritage Residential Buildings Retrofitting in Hot, Dry Climates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-36, December.
    2. Yasmine Sabry Hegazi & Heidi Ahmed Shalaby & Mady A. A. Mohamed, 2021. "Adaptive Reuse Decisions for Historic Buildings in Relation to Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort—Cairo Citadel, a Case Study from Egypt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-26, September.
    3. Buonomano, Annamaria & Palombo, Adolfo, 2014. "Building energy performance analysis by an in-house developed dynamic simulation code: An investigation for different case studies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 788-807.
    4. Gireesh Nair & Leo Verde & Thomas Olofsson, 2022. "A Review on Technical Challenges and Possibilities on Energy Efficient Retrofit Measures in Heritage Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-20, October.
    5. Florides, G. A. & Tassou, S. A. & Kalogirou, S. A. & Wrobel, L. C., 2002. "Measures used to lower building energy consumption and their cost effectiveness," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(3-4), pages 299-328, November.
    6. Lin, Yaxue & Jia, Yuting & Alva, Guruprasad & Fang, Guiyin, 2018. "Review on thermal conductivity enhancement, thermal properties and applications of phase change materials in thermal energy storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2730-2742.
    7. Attia, Shady & Evrard, Arnaud & Gratia, Elisabeth, 2012. "Development of benchmark models for the Egyptian residential buildings sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 270-284.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Villa-Arrieta, Manuel & Sumper, Andreas, 2018. "A model for an economic evaluation of energy systems using TRNSYS," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 765-777.
    2. Fei, Wenbin & Bandeira Neto, Luis A. & Dai, Sheng & Cortes, Douglas D. & Narsilio, Guillermo A., 2023. "Numerical analyses of energy screw pile filled with phase change materials," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 865-879.
    3. Du, Kun & Calautit, John & Eames, Philip & Wu, Yupeng, 2021. "A state-of-the-art review of the application of phase change materials (PCM) in Mobilized-Thermal Energy Storage (M-TES) for recovering low-temperature industrial waste heat (IWH) for distributed heat," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 1040-1057.
    4. Jian Yao, 2014. "A Multi-Objective (Energy, Economic and Environmental Performance) Life Cycle Analysis for Better Building Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Leccese, Francesco & Salvadori, Giacomo & Asdrubali, Francesco & Gori, Paola, 2018. "Passive thermal behaviour of buildings: Performance of external multi-layered walls and influence of internal walls," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 1078-1089.
    6. Tulio R. N. Porto & João A. Lima & Tony H. F. Andrade & João M. P. Q. Delgado & António G. B. Lima, 2023. "3D Numerical Analysis of a Phase Change Material Solidification Process Applied to a Latent Thermal Energy Storage System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-28, March.
    7. Tian, Wei & Song, Jitian & Li, Zhanyong & de Wilde, Pieter, 2014. "Bootstrap techniques for sensitivity analysis and model selection in building thermal performance analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 320-328.
    8. Zhang, Yi & Tao, Wen & Wang, Kehan & Li, Dongxu, 2020. "Analysis of thermal properties of gypsum materials incorporated with microencapsulated phase change materials based on silica," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 400-408.
    9. Liang, Yuntao & Wang, Ting & He, Zhenglong & Sun, Yong & Song, Shuanglin & Cui, Xinfeng & Cao, Yingjiazi, 2023. "High thermal storage capacity phase change microcapsules for heat transfer enhancement through hydroxylated-silanized nano-silicon carbide," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    10. Sadineni, Suresh B. & France, Todd M. & Boehm, Robert F., 2011. "Economic feasibility of energy efficiency measures in residential buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 2925-2931.
    11. Wang, Hanxi & Xu, Jianling & Sheng, Lianxi, 2019. "Study on the comprehensive utilization of city kitchen waste as a resource in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 263-277.
    12. Giovanni Salvatore Sau & Valerio Tripi & Anna Chiara Tizzoni & Raffaele Liberatore & Emiliana Mansi & Annarita Spadoni & Natale Corsaro & Mauro Capocelli & Tiziano Delise & Anna Della Libera, 2021. "High-Temperature Chloride-Carbonate Phase Change Material: Thermal Performances and Modelling of a Packed Bed Storage System for Concentrating Solar Power Plants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-17, August.
    13. Radhi, Hassan & Sharples, Stephen, 2013. "Quantifying the domestic electricity consumption for air-conditioning due to urban heat islands in hot arid regions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 371-380.
    14. Brandão de Vasconcelos, Ana & Pinheiro, Manuel Duarte & Manso, Armando & Cabaço, António, 2015. "A Portuguese approach to define reference buildings for cost-optimal methodologies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 316-328.
    15. Bessa, Vanessa M.T. & Prado, Racine T.A., 2015. "Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by solar water heating systems and passive technologies in social housing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 138-150.
    16. Konstantinos Sofias & Zoe Kanetaki & Constantinos Stergiou & Sébastien Jacques, 2023. "Combining CAD Modeling and Simulation of Energy Performance Data for the Retrofit of Public Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, January.
    17. Li, Han & Li, Jinchao & Kong, Xiangfei & Long, Hao & Yang, Hua & Yao, Chengqiang, 2020. "A novel solar thermal system combining with active phase-change material heat storage wall (STS-APHSW): Dynamic model, validation and thermal performance," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    18. Grzegorz Czerwiński & Jerzy Wołoszyn, 2022. "Influence of the Longitudinal and Tree-Shaped Fin Parameters on the Shell-and-Tube LHTES Energy Efficiency," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-24, December.
    19. Kontoleon, K.J., 2015. "Glazing solar heat gain analysis and optimization at varying orientations and placements in aspect of distributed radiation at the interior surfaces," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 152-164.
    20. Buonomano, A. & Forzano, C. & Mongibello, L. & Palombo, A. & Russo, G., 2024. "Optimising low-temperature district heating networks: A simulation-based approach with experimental verification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:20:p:5336-:d:1768108. 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.