Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar

This paper presents an environmental, economic and energy (3E) assessment of an energy retrofitting of the external walls of a flat of an average building with the most current characteristics used in Portugal. For this intervention, a cork-based (as recycled lightweight aggregate) TIRM (Thermal Ins...

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Main Authors: José D. Silvestre, André M. P. Castelo, José J. B. C. Silva, Jorge M. C. L. de Brito, Manuel D. Pinheiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-12-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/1/143
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author José D. Silvestre
André M. P. Castelo
José J. B. C. Silva
Jorge M. C. L. de Brito
Manuel D. Pinheiro
author_facet José D. Silvestre
André M. P. Castelo
José J. B. C. Silva
Jorge M. C. L. de Brito
Manuel D. Pinheiro
author_sort José D. Silvestre
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents an environmental, economic and energy (3E) assessment of an energy retrofitting of the external walls of a flat of an average building with the most current characteristics used in Portugal. For this intervention, a cork-based (as recycled lightweight aggregate) TIRM (Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar) was considered. The declared unit was 1 m<sup>2</sup> of an external wall for a 50-year study period and the energy and economic costs and savings, as well as the environmental impacts, were analytically modelled and compared for two main alternatives: the reference wall without any intervention and the energetically rehabilitated solution with the application of TIRM. Walls with improved energy performance (with TIRM) show lower economic and environmental impacts: reductions from 6% to 32% in carbon emissions, non-renewable energy consumption and costs during the use stage, which depends on the thickness and relative place where TIRM layers are applied. A worse energy performance is shown by reference walls (without TIRM) during the use stage (corresponding to energy used for heating and cooling), while the improved walls present economic and environmental impacts due to the application of TIRM (including the production, transport and application into the building) that do not exist in the reference walls. The comparison between reference walls and energy-retrofitted ones revealed that reference wall become be more expensive when more demanding operational energy requirements are analysed over a 50-year period, even if renewable materials are more expensive.
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spelling doaj.art-afc51fb14d414e70ae10a2e0308fc4c42022-12-22T02:52:42ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732019-12-0113114310.3390/en13010143en13010143Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering MortarJosé D. Silvestre0André M. P. Castelo1José J. B. C. Silva2Jorge M. C. L. de Brito3Manuel D. Pinheiro4CERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georresources, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalCERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georresources, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalArchitecture Department, University of Évora, Apartado 94, 7002-554 Évora, PortugalCERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georresources, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalCERIS, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georresources, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, PortugalThis paper presents an environmental, economic and energy (3E) assessment of an energy retrofitting of the external walls of a flat of an average building with the most current characteristics used in Portugal. For this intervention, a cork-based (as recycled lightweight aggregate) TIRM (Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar) was considered. The declared unit was 1 m<sup>2</sup> of an external wall for a 50-year study period and the energy and economic costs and savings, as well as the environmental impacts, were analytically modelled and compared for two main alternatives: the reference wall without any intervention and the energetically rehabilitated solution with the application of TIRM. Walls with improved energy performance (with TIRM) show lower economic and environmental impacts: reductions from 6% to 32% in carbon emissions, non-renewable energy consumption and costs during the use stage, which depends on the thickness and relative place where TIRM layers are applied. A worse energy performance is shown by reference walls (without TIRM) during the use stage (corresponding to energy used for heating and cooling), while the improved walls present economic and environmental impacts due to the application of TIRM (including the production, transport and application into the building) that do not exist in the reference walls. The comparison between reference walls and energy-retrofitted ones revealed that reference wall become be more expensive when more demanding operational energy requirements are analysed over a 50-year period, even if renewable materials are more expensive.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/1/143corkenergy retrofittinglife cycle assessmentlife cycle coststhermal insulating rendering mortar
spellingShingle José D. Silvestre
André M. P. Castelo
José J. B. C. Silva
Jorge M. C. L. de Brito
Manuel D. Pinheiro
Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar
Energies
cork
energy retrofitting
life cycle assessment
life cycle costs
thermal insulating rendering mortar
title Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar
title_full Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar
title_fullStr Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar
title_full_unstemmed Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar
title_short Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar
title_sort energy retrofitting of a buildings envelope assessment of the environmental economic and energy 3e performance of a cork based thermal insulating rendering mortar
topic cork
energy retrofitting
life cycle assessment
life cycle costs
thermal insulating rendering mortar
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/1/143
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