Volume 5, Issue 1 ((Spring and Summer) 2024)
jste 2024, 5(1): 1-18 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Nejatolahi M, Ghobadpouri S, Adnani A. (2024). Energy auditing and techno-economic assessment of building envelope retrofits with emphasis on peak electricity demand reduction in a hot climate: A residential case study in Gachsaran. jste. 5(1), : 1
URL: http://yujs.yu.ac.ir/jste/article-1-142-en.html
URL: http://yujs.yu.ac.ir/jste/article-1-142-en.html
Yasouj University , nejatolahi@yu.ac.ir
Abstract: (14 Views)
The simultaneous use of a large number of air-conditioning units in hot regions has driven Iran’s summer peak electricity demand beyond the capacity of the national grid, resulting in scheduled hourly power outages in buildings and industries. In response, the government is pursuing an increase in electricity-generation capacity through the construction of new gas-fired, nuclear, and solar power plants. Alongside this supply-side approach, reducing building cooling loads can reduce electricity demand during peak hours and thereby help alleviate pressure on the grid. Wall insulation and the installation of double-glazed windows are among the most important measures for improving the thermal performance of building envelopes, as they reduce heat transfer through the envelope and, consequently, cooling loads and summer electricity demand. However, low energy tariffs reduce building owners’ economic incentive to implement these measures. Therefore, this study evaluated their effects on the energy consumption of a residential building in Gachsaran, a city in a hot climate, using actual utility bills and hourly simulation in DesignBuilder. Polystyrene insulation thicknesses ranging from 1 to 20 cm were evaluated. The 3-cm-thick insulation layer had the shortest payback period and was therefore selected for comparison with double-glazed windows. The simulation results showed that the building’s annual peak cooling load occurred at 13:00 on 4 July. At this time, both measures reduced peak electrical demand by approximately 9%. However, wall insulation reduced annual cooling electricity consumption by 9.1%, compared with 7.45% for double-glazed windows. In addition, the initial cost of insulation was 36.6% lower, while its annual financial savings were 25.3% higher than those of double-glazed windows. Furthermore, by reducing winter heating loads, wall insulation can reduce natural-gas consumption, help maintain gas supply to gas-intensive industries such as cement plants, and reduce the use of mazut in power plants.
Article number: 1
Keywords: Energy auditing, DesignBuilder, peak electricity demand, hot climate, building-envelope retrofit.
References
1. [1] United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024/2025. Nairobi, Kenya: UNEP. 2025.
2. [2] International Energy Agency (IEA). The Future of Cooling. Paris, France: OECD/IEA. 2018. [DOI:10.1787/9789264301993-en] [DOI:10.1787/9789264301993-en]
3. ]3[ خبرگزاری جمهوری اسلامی ایران (ایرنا). (۱۴۰۲، ۱۴ مرداد). مصرف برق با هر یک درجه افزایش دمای هوا چقدر افزایش مییابد.
4. [4] Associated Press. Iran orders a day of business and office closures to relieve electric grid in heat wave. 2025.
5. [5] Le Monde. In Iran, regular power and water outages disrupt daily life and economic activity. 2025 Aug 7.
6. [6] Ma Z, Cooper P, Daly D, Ledo L. Existing building retrofits-Methodology and state-of-the-art. Energy and Buildings. 2012; 55:889-902. [DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2012.08.018] [DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2012.08.018]
7. [7] U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Iran Country Analysis Brief. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Energy; 2024 Oct 10.
8. ]8[ ماین نیوز. (۱۴۰۱، ۶ دی). صنعت سیمان حمایت میخواهد نه تهدید. کد خبر ۶۳۸۶۳.
9. [9] Asadi E, da Silva MG, Antunes CH, Dias L. Multi-objective optimization for building retrofit strategies-A model and an application. Energy and Buildings. 2012; 44:81-87. [DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2011.10.016] [DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2011.10.016]
10. [10] Fernandes J, Santos MC, Castro R. Introductory review of energy efficiency in buildings retrofits. Energies. 2021; 14(23):8100. [DOI:10.3390/en14238100] [DOI:10.3390/en14238100]
11. [11] Krarti M, Aldubyan M. Peak demand-based optimization approach for building retrofits-Case study of Saudi residential buildings. Energy Efficiency. 2022; 15:69. [DOI:10.1007/s12053-022-10077-2] [DOI:10.1007/s12053-022-10077-2]
12. [12] Heravi G, Qaemi M. Energy performance of buildings-The evaluation of design and construction measures concerning building energy efficiency in Iran. Energy and Buildings. 2014; 75:456-464. [DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.02.035] [DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.02.035]
13. [13] Solgi E, Hamedani Z, Sherafat S, Fernando R, Aram F. The viability of energy auditing in countries with low energy cost-A case study of a residential building in cold climates. Designs. 2019; 3(3):42. [DOI:10.3390/designs3030042] [DOI:10.3390/designs3030042]
14. [14] Mohammadi A, Daraio JA. Improving the energy efficiency of existing residential buildings by applying passive and cost-effective solutions in the hot and humid region of Iran. Space Ontology International Journal. 2021; 9(4):77-96. [DOI:10.22094/soij.2020.680277]
15. [15] Hajizadeh S, Seyis S, Ashrafian T. Sustainable retrofit solutions for decreasing energy consumption and CO2 emission of a residential building in Tabriz, Iran. Proceedings of the Sixth Building Simulation and Optimisation Conference (BSO 2022). International Building Performance Simulation Association; 2022.
16. ]16[ وزارت راه و شهرسازی، دفتر مقررات ملی و کنترل ساختمان. (۱۳۹۲). مبحث نوزدهم مقررات ملی ساختمان، ویرایش پنجم، پیوست سوم. تهران: وزارت راه و شهرسازی.
17. [17] Liu J, Heidarinejad M, Khoshdel Nikkho S, Mattise NW, Srebric J. Quantifying impacts of urban microclimate on a building energy consumption-A case study. Sustainability. 2019; 11(18):4921. [DOI:10.3390/su11184921] [DOI:10.3390/su11184921]
18. ]18 [یوپیویسی کالا. (۱۴۰۲). قیمت پنجره وینتک ۱۴۰۲، جزئیات هزینه تولید و نصب پنجره دوجداره UPVC.
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
