Unveiling the Critical Role of Thermal Insulation: The Diminishing Marginal Benefit Effect of Insulation Thickness
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14757651Keywords:
Wall thickness, thermal insulation, building energy performance, heat loss through walls, insulation effect, Zero Energy BuildingsAbstract
This study investigates the effects of thickness variations in different layers of building walls on heat transfer. A four-layered wall model, consisting of interior plaster, perforated brick, expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation material, and cement-based exterior plaster, was analyzed in compliance with the TS825 standard. By increasing the thickness of each layer, the impact of these changes on the total heat loss of the wall was evaluated. The results indicate that increasing the thickness of the EPS layer significantly reduces the total heat loss of the wall, with a required thickness of 0.25 m to achieve a 95% reduction. Additionally, while the thickness of the plaster layers had a limited effect on heat loss, increasing the brick thickness resulted in an improvement of up to 11.2%. The study highlights the importance of determining the optimal thickness of wall components to enhance energy efficiency.
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