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

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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