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Determining Optimum Insulation Thickness of a Building Wall Using an Environmental Impact Approach

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Exergy for A Better Environment and Improved Sustainability 2

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

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Abstract

This study investigates optimum insulation thickness of a building wall in the city of Bilecik, Turkey. The optimum insulation thicknesses are determined using life cycle cost analyses and a novel method based on the environmental impact analysis. Two different insulation materials, rockwool and polystyrene, are considered in the analyses. In this regard, the fuel consumption, the CO2 emission, and the environmental impacts of the system related to energy loss are determined first. Next, within the life cycle cost (LCC) analysis, insulation cost, fuel cost, and the total cost are calculated. The results for the environmental impact of the system, the net environmental saving, the fuel consumption, the CO2 emission, and the total cost according to the insulation thickness are then given. The optimum insulation thicknesses calculated by environmental impact analysis and LCC analysis are compared. Finally, the main concluding remarks are listed while the recommendations are made.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bilecik S.E. University, Engineering Faculty, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Bilecik, Turkey

    Özel Gülcan & Açıkkalp Emin

  2. Anadolu University, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Department of Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance, Eskisehir, Turkey

    Karakoc T. Hikmet

  3. Yasar University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Izmir, Turkey

    Hepbasli Arif

  4. Sakarya University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sakarya, Turkey

    Aydın Ahmet

Authors
  1. Özel Gülcan
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  2. Açıkkalp Emin
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  3. Karakoc T. Hikmet
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  4. Hepbasli Arif
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  5. Aydın Ahmet
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Özel Gülcan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. LAMIH UMR CNRS 8201, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Valenciennes (UVHC), High Engineering School (ENSIAME), Valenciennes Cedex, France

    Fethi Aloui

  2. Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

    Ibrahim Dincer

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Gülcan, Ö., Emin, A., Hikmet, K.T., Arif, H., Ahmet, A. (2018). Determining Optimum Insulation Thickness of a Building Wall Using an Environmental Impact Approach. In: Aloui, F., Dincer, I. (eds) Exergy for A Better Environment and Improved Sustainability 2. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62575-1_36

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62575-1_36

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62574-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62575-1

  • eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)

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