Energy-Saving Potential of Building Envelope Designs in Residential Houses in Taiwan

Chi-Ming Lai and Yao-Hong Wang
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Chi-Ming Lai: Department of Civil Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan/1, University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan
Yao-Hong Wang: Department of Civil Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan/1, University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan

Energies, 2011, vol. 4, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: The key factors in the energy-saving design of a building’s exterior in Taiwan are the thermal performance of the roof and window glazing. This study used the eQUEST software to investigate how different types of roof construction, window glasses and sunshield types affect the energy consumption in residential buildings under common scenarios. The simulation results showed that the use of an appropriate window glass significantly reduced the annual energy consumption, followed by the shading device, whereas the roof construction produced less of an energy-efficiency benefit. By using a low-E glass and a 1.5 × 1.5 m box shading (e.g., balcony), this could save approximately 15.1 and 13.6% of the annual electricity consumption of air conditioners, respectively. Therefore, having control over the dominant factors in the building envelope is indeed an important step in the path to achieving energy savings and carbon reduction in residential houses.

Keywords: energy; building; thermal performance (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: 2011
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

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