<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Building energy demand for heating and cooling has a complicated relationship with different environmental conditions surrounding the building sector. Many projects aiming to improve thermal performance in existing buildings in Jordan suggest that roof insulation will improve thermal performance. In this study we try to prove that minimizing building infiltration is more effective and provides a lower cost solution in low-income houses in Jordan. This work introduces a comparative analysis of the infiltration rate and insulation techniques applied to standalone low-income houses in Jordan to identify the energy efficiency of those techniques for different climate zones in the country. A building simulation presenting the common building configuration used in was developed to test the effectiveness of various insulation scenarios (Roof, Wall, Roof and wall together) and infiltration rate scenarios. The results show that in different climates the reduction of infiltration to half (0.75 air changes per hour (ACH)) shows a similar potential to reduce energy demand as 10 or 12.5 cm roof or wall insulation. Also, the reduction of infiltration rate to a low level (0.25 ACH) can decrease energy demand more effectively than 12.5 cm insulation in the roof or walls.</p></abstract>

Building energy demand for heating and cooling has a complicated relationship with different environmental conditions surrounding the building sector. Many projects aiming to improve thermal performance in existing buildings in Jordan suggest that roof insulation will improve thermal performance. In this study we try to prove that minimizing building infiltration is more effective and provides a lower cost solution in low-income houses in Jordan. This work introduces a comparative analysis of the infiltration rate and insulation techniques applied to standalone low-income houses in Jordan to identify the energy efficiency of those techniques for different climate zones in the country. A building simulation presenting the common building configuration used in was developed to test the effectiveness of various insulation scenarios (Roof, Wall, Roof and wall together) and infiltration rate scenarios. The results show that in different climates the reduction of infiltration to half (0.75 air changes per hour (ACH)) shows a similar potential to reduce energy demand as 10 or 12.5 cm roof or wall insulation. Also, the reduction of infiltration rate to a low level (0.25 ACH) can decrease energy demand more effectively than 12.5 cm insulation in the roof or walls.

The Effectiveness of Infiltration against Roof Insulation aimed at Low Income Housing Retrofits for Different Climate Zones in Jordan

Environmental and Climate Technologies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Building energy demand for heating and cooling has a complicated relationship with different environmental conditions surrounding the building sector. Many...

The Effectiveness of Infiltration against Roof Insulation aimed at Low Income Housing Retrofits for Different Climate Zones in Jordan

Published Online: Dec 14, 2020

Page range: 11 - 22

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2020-0082

Keywords
Buildings retrofits, infiltration rate, low energy building, thermal insulation

© 2020 Aiman Albatayneh et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The Effectiveness of Infiltration against Roof Insulation aimed at Low Income Housing Retrofits for Different Climate Zones in Jordan

Published Online: Dec 14, 2020

Page range: 11 - 22

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2020-0082

KeywordsBuildings retrofits, infiltration rate, low energy building, thermal insulation

© 2020 Aiman Albatayneh et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Buildings retrofits, infiltration rate, low energy building, thermal insulation