Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Different Wall Materials on Building Energy Performance

Abstract

Based on the 80 kWh/m² annual energy consumption target introduced by the revised TS 825
(2024) standard, this study comparatively examines the performance of five different main wall
materials (wood, perforated brick, autoclaved aerated concrete, sun-dried earth brick, and shear
wall) for residences in six different climate zones of Türkiye using analytical calculation and
dynamic energy simulation methods. Research findings reveal that the static analytical method fails
to fully model solar heat gain and the thermal mass effect of materials in cold climate regions,
leading to impractical thickness predictions such as 341 cm for sun-dried earth brick in provinces
like Van (5th Zone); in contrast, dynamic simulation (OpenStudio/EnergyPlus) provides feasible
solutions such as 42 cm. Furthermore, while it is observed that materials with lower thermal
conductivity, such as autoclaved aerated concrete and wood, reach energy targets with thinner
sections, the study highlights the physical limits of reaching targeted energy levels solely through
opaque surface insulation in extreme climates like Erzurum. Consequently, the critical importance
of integrating dynamic simulation methods into policy and implementation processes for energy
efficiency optimization is emphasized.