The impacts of different façade types on energy use in residential buildings

Globally, buildings are responsible for a significant share in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions profiles. Various attempts are undertaken to increase the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce their environmental impact. In semi-continental climate conditions with very hot summers and extremely cold winters, buildings should be carefully designed to ensure efficient harnessing of solar energy and reducing energy loss due to poor insulation and inappropriate use of materials. Amidst the fast development of the construction industry, different façade systems are used in Kazakhstan. In several cases, the choice of the façade materials is defined not by performance but rather by economic aspects and physical appearance. This project aimed to investigate various types of façades adopted in the construction of residential buildings and assess their performance in terms of their impact on buildings' energy consumption. The preliminary results indicate that there are five main types of façades widely used. Five different models were therefore built using energy simulation software and the respective energy consumption data were estimated. The results testify that buildings with brickwork (clay bricks) and stonework (travertine) façades were more energy efficient than those with brickwork (silica bricks), aluminum composite panels and decorated plaster façades.