Energy Simulation in Residential Buildings in Cold Climates and Investigation of Strategies to Reduce Energy Consumption (Case Study: Kermanshah City)

چکیده مقاله

Abstract— Considering the significant share of the building sector in national energy consumption and the necessity of energy demand management under imbalance conditions, optimizing the thermal performance of buildings has become a fundamental priority. The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of climatic conditions on the energy consumption of a four-story residential building in the city of Kermanshah, Iran. Climatic data, including temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind patterns, were analyzed using Climate Consultant software. The results revealed that only 7.5% of annual hours fall within natural comfort conditions, whereas previous data (up to 2005) indicated approximately 20%. Subsequently, the energy performance of the building was simulated in Design Builder software under three scenarios: (1) using conventional materials without compliance with the requirements of Topic 19 (Chapter 19 of the National Building Regulations), (2) implementing mandatory regulations and the EC energy class according to the National Building Regulations, and (3) applying climatic design strategies, including building orientation, double-glazed low-emissivity (Low-E) windows, temperature set points, earth sheltering, roof emissivity, and shading. The findings demonstrated that compliance with regulatory requirements and the use of materials with the EC energy class reduce annual energy consumption per square meter by 12.8% and 24.2%, respectively. The research results confirm the decisive role of climate-responsive design and efficient materials in improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings.

Keywords—Building energy simulation , Design Builder , Cold Climatic , Residential building , Thermal comfort