Open Access

ARTICLE

Impact of Building Materials for the Facade on Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions (Case Study of Residential Buildings in Tehran)

Amir Sina Darabi^*, Mehdi Ravanshadnia

Department of Engineering and Construction Management, Science and Research, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, 1477893855, Iran

* Corresponding Author: Amir Sina Darabi. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Innovative Strategies for Energy-Efficient Buildings in a Sustainable Future)

Energy Engineering 2025, 122(9), 3753-3792. https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2025.065241

Received 07 March 2025; Accepted 14 July 2025; Issue published 26 August 2025

Abstract

Although currently, a large part of the existing buildings is considered inefficient in terms of energy, the ability to save energy consumption up to 80% has been proven in residential and commercial buildings. Also, carbon dioxide is one of the most important greenhouse gases contributing to climate change and is responsible for 60% of global warming. The facade of the building, as the main intermediary between the interior and exterior spaces, plays a significant role in adjusting the weather conditions and providing thermal comfort to the residents. In this research, 715 different scenarios were defined with the combination of various types of construction materials, and the effect of each of these scenarios on the process of energy loss from the surface of the external walls of the building during the operation period was determined. In the end, these scenarios were compared during a one-year operation period, and the amount of energy consumption in each of these scenarios was calculated. Also, by measuring the amount of carbon emissions in buildings during the operation period and before that, let’s look at practical methods to reduce the effects of the construction industry on the environment. By comparing the research findings, it can be seen that the ranking of each scenario in terms of total energy consumption is not necessarily the same as the ranking of energy consumption for gas consumption or electricity consumption for the same scenario. That is, choosing the optimal scenario depends on the type of energy consumed in the building. Finally, we determined the scenarios with the lowest and highest amounts of embodied and operational carbon. In the end, we obtained the latent carbon compensation period for each scenario. This article can help designers and construction engineers optimize the energy consumption of buildings by deciding on the right materials.

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