Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Office Building Typologies in Temperate Zones Based on Dynamic Simulations

Twana Rasool Fattah (), Tamás János Katona, Bálint Bachmann and Bálint Baranyai
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Twana Rasool Fattah: Marcel Breuer Doctoral School, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Boszorkány Street 2-E81, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
Tamás János Katona: Marcel Breuer Doctoral School, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Boszorkány Street 2-E81, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
Bálint Bachmann: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Pecs, Boszorkany u. 2, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
Bálint Baranyai: Department of Building Structures and Energy Design, Institute of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Boszorkány Street 2, 7624 Pécs, Hungary

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: Annual energy consumption has surged due to suboptimal energy efficiency, resulting in an electricity supply shortage in Sulaimani, an Iraqi city in a temperate climate zone. This mixed-methods study aims to optimise energy efficiency in Sulaimani’s office buildings using IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (IDA ICE) dynamic simulation software v4.8. First, we collected data and developed 204 scenarios based on three prevalent plan typologies, linear (T 1 ), concentric (T 2 ), and courtyard (T 3 ), utilising common materials such as Alucobond (M 1 ), cement plaster (M 2 ), Styropor (M 3 ), and a curtain wall (M 4 ). Afterwards, we performed relevant analyses employing External Venetian Blinds (EVBs) to reduce cooling load and/or Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) to reduce heating load. Notably, the results proved that EPS was more effective than EVBs in reducing both heating and cooling loads in the temperate climate zone, achieving reductions of up to 38% for T 1 . Meanwhile, EPS contributed to a heating load reduction of up to 52% for T 3 , and this adversely impacted overall energy consumption. Both EVBs and EPS could reduce total energy consumption by up to 30% in T 2 . In conclusion, the total energy consumption increased in temperate climate zones when EVBs were utilised, but this effect varied based on the various typologies of office buildings.

Keywords: energy efficiency; energy consumption; External Venetian Blinds; insulation layer; IDA Indoor Climate and Energy software; temperate zone (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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