CO2 Emission and Cost Analysis for Different Building Elements and Insulation Materials Based on Optimum Insulation Thickness

Year 2019, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 87 - 94, 16.12.2019

Ayça Gülten

Abstract

In this study it is aimed to analyze the relation between CO₂
emissions of fuel over insulation materials and insulation thickness. For this
purpose optimum insulation thickness for different building structural elements
such as ground floor, external insulated wall and flat roof have been
determined for four insulation materials (as rockwool, glasswool, extruded
polystrene and expanded polystren) and their CO₂ emissions have also
been presented in comparison with fuel consumption, annual cost and total cost
savings. Calculations were made for five chosen (Antalya, İstanbul, Ankara,
Sivas, Erzurum) cities that represent the different climatic regions of Turkey.
Degree-Day Method has been used for optimum insulation calculations including
heating and cooling periods while present worth factor has been calculated over
10 years. Lowest CO₂ emission results were obtained with rockwool considering
external walls for the insulation thicknesses calculated due to both of
heating+cooling loads while worst results were obtained for XPS. Glasswool and
EPS also followed rockwool in terms of their lower CO₂ emission
values. Erzurum presented the highest CO₂ emission values caused by
it’s amount of fuel consumption while CO₂ emission values decreased
with incresing insulation thickness for provinces.

Keywords

Optimum insulation thickness, CO2 emission, insulation material, energy saving

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