Simulating Heat Transfer Performance for Double-Walls Concrete Residential Building Envelope in Mediterranean Climate

Factually, carbon dioxide or CO2 is the main global warming agent. In Europe, 36% to 40%, of CO2 emanate from buildings. In cold climate, decreasing heating loads, would reduce related CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Adequately designed/constructed building envelope minimizes heat transfer between the heated-to-comfort inner space and the naturally-cold outer environment. Through simulating a case study, this research investigates the construct, comparing the heat transfer performance of the single to the double-wall concrete residential building envelope. First, a virtual laboratory is set in COMSOL Multiphysics® version 6.0 simulation software: parameters related to the internal and external temperature are initially set as well as those related to proposed materials properties. Second, a prototype residential apartment plan is drawn, first, with a single-concrete-wall construction and then, with a double-wall concrete. Third, the heat transfer performance, through both layouts, is simulated. Within the wall space, the first simulation shows interference of the internal temperature with the external one while the second simulation shows non-interference, except at structural jointing continuous elements. Hence, a double-wall concrete envelope would insulate the inner heated space from the external cold environment. This would, eventually, require less internal heat to reach/stabilize internal comfort temperature due to adequate separation of the heated wall layer from the cold one. This phenomenon would imply reduced heating energy loads and, consequently, effective decrease of emitted CO2 and other GHG amounts. In conclusion, wise construction assessment, together with the adoption of advanced simulation tools, may effectively minimize CO2 and other GHG emissions from residential buildings in cold climate. Collected in a dedicated database, future research would simulate various other possible climatic conditions adopting different building envelope materials.