Energy Efficient Optimization in a Typical School Building: Kurdistan Typical School Buildings as a Case Study

Authors: Chro Hama Radha¹ & Husein Ali Husein^2&3
1Breuer Marcell Doctoral School, Institute of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Pécs, Hungary
²Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University, Iraq
³Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Ishik University, Erbil, Iraq

Abstract:  High energy consumption is one of the most serious problems globally faced today. The building sector is known to be the largest energy consumer. Energy performance in school buildings is very significant, for ascertaining the health and productivity of students and teachers. Analysis of previous studies shows that school buildings present a poor indoor air quality due to the high occupant density of school buildings, especially in classrooms, with approximately four times the occupant density of office buildings, if compared. School buildings also consume a large amount of energy due to the lack of energy saving measures applied to the buildings in Kurdistan. The purpose of this study is to improve the indoor environment and energy performance of school buildings, through analysing, evaluating and improving the indoor environment and energy efficiency of a secondary school typology in Sulaimani city in northern Iraq. Based on the measurements in the school building and the simulation model (using Indoor Climate and Energy (IDA ICE) software 4.7.1) several improvement options were investigated, including window to wall ratio, thermal insulation, and infiltration. As a result an optimal solution model in terms of thermal comfort and energy efficiency was proposed. The optimum model was also simulated and the results were compared with the reference model. The results revealed that the optimum model performed better in both indoor environment and energy consumption than the existing school model.

Keywords: Energy Efficiency, Indoor Environment, IDA ICE Energy Simulation, Building Improvement

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doi: 10.23918/eajse.v3i3p83

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