The Effects of Roof and Wall Insulation on the Energy Costs of Low Income Housing in Mexico

Jorge Lucero-Álvarez, Norma A. Rodríguez-Muñoz and Ignacio R. Martín-Domínguez
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Jorge Lucero-Álvarez: Advanced Materials Research Center (CIMAV-Chihuahua), Miguel de Cervantes 120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31109, México
Norma A. Rodríguez-Muñoz: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT), Av. Insurgentes Sur 1582, Ciudad de México 03940, México
Ignacio R. Martín-Domínguez: Advanced Materials Research Center (CIMAV-Durango), Victoria 147 Norte, Zona Centro, Durango 34000, México

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: Environmental conditions, such as air temperature and solar radiation, have a complex relationship with the energy requirements for heating and cooling of residential buildings. In this work, a comparative analysis of the insulation methods most commonly applied to low income single-family houses in Mexico is presented, in order to find the most energy-efficient combinations of methods for the various climates in this country. A common kind of building, small houses built with hollow cinder block walls and concrete slab roofs, was analyzed considering three insulation scenarios: walls only, roof only and both. We used dynamic simulation to evaluate energy consumption under the climate conditions found in several Mexican cities. From the energy consumption data and the cost of electricity in Mexico, we calculated net annual energy costs, including both annual energy savings and the annualized cost of the initial investment in better insulation. Results of this analysis show that insulating both roof and walls is most effective in cities with cold winters; insulating just the roof is best for temperate climates; and insulating walls (combined with high-albedo roofs) is most effective for cities with year-long warm weather.

Keywords: thermal insulation; wall; roof; residential building; energy cost; PACS; J0101 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:7:p:590-:d:72630

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