DOI: 10.29130/dubited.1918902 ISSN: 2148-2446

Simulation-Based Energy Performance Assessment of Aerogel-Enhanced Exterior Wall Materials in an Office Building in Afyonkarahisar

Berfin Ceren Akın, Kübra Sümer Haydaraslan
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The twin forces of industrialization and rapid population growth have drastically pushed up global energy demands. Today, buildings consume a massive share of this energy, mostly for space heating. To tackle this issue and boost efficiency, integrating insulation materials into building designs has become a critical strategy. Aerogels stand out among modern alternatives because of their remarkable thermal resistance. Even though their manufacturing remains expensive, their top-tier performance makes them a very viable option for cutting building energy use. This paper examines how aerogel-enhanced materials affect energy consumption by comparing them directly against to standard, conventional building setups. To this end, an office building model was developed using a building energy simulation program. The aerogel material was sequentially applied to the reinforced concrete walls, exterior plaster, and insulation panels, followed by the combination of all materials. When evaluated individually, insulation panels provided the best performance. Simulation results indicate that aerogel integration in the D4 scenario reduces annual heating energy consumption by 34.60%. Although the building's physical heating load (thermal demand) is reduced by 16.40%, the combined effect of envelope optimization and high-efficiency HVAC operations (COP 3.0) amplifies these energy savings, demonstrating a significant improvement in overall operational efficiency. Regarding cooling requirements, the D4 scenario resulted in an 18.24% increase in annual energy consumption compared to the reference case. In terms of primary energy consumption, it was reduced by 9.92% in the D4 scenario compared to the reference building. Additionally, the D4 scenario reduced total CO₂ emissions by 8.25% compared to the reference building. These results indicate that the reference building performs the worst in terms of sustainability. The study suggests that aerogel-reinforced building materials may provide greater benefits in cold climate regions. When used appropriately, these materials have the potential to serve as an effective alternative to conventional insulation materials.

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