Abstract:
Buildings consume up to 50% of the total energy demand in Pakistan. Due to an increase in lifestyle, this consumption continues to grow, further fueling the energy crisis, which is not only a source of discomfort for the nation but is costing the country billions annually. Almost 30% of energy can be conserved through energy efficient housing, but unfortunately for Pakistan, there is no housing policy regarding energy efficiency in effect today. There has been a renewed interest in building efficiency energy throughout the world, and this research aims to bring it to Pakistan as well. Instead of targeting new buildings, this research seeks to improve the envelope thermal performance of the 99% of existing buildings to bring about a significant change in the energy consumption. An educational institute in NUST was chosen, and the methodology used involves simple passive retrofitting techniques such as double glazed windows and thermal insulation sheets, easily available to the general income quintile population of Pakistan. The results were simulated using the robust engine of DesignBuilder. The methodology helped achieve a 20.2% reduction in annual energy consumption with an economic payback period of 2.3 years. The research also aimed to reduce GHG emissions to some extent.
