The Potential of Thermal Insulation as an Energy-Efficient Design Strategy in the Gaza Strip

Abstract

global consumption of energy is increasing over time as a result of the continuous increase in population and urbanism. This includes energy consumed in buildings in both construction and operation stages, where significant amount of energy is consumed in heating and cooling. As a matter of fact, most buildings in the Gaza Strip are constructed without using thermal insulation. This resulted in an increasing reliance on mechanical means of cooling and heating in order to maintain thermal comfort of building occupants. Thus, this study carries out a numerical assessment of using thermal insulation as an energy-efficient design strategy considering the case of Gaza. This has been done though a computerised thermal modelling process of a typical residential building in Gaza. The study concluded that the good use of thermal insulation in walls and roofs can effectively reduce undesired heat gains and losses through building fabric, which help reducing human discomfort throughout the year by about 17%. In this regard, the use of air cavity as thermal insulation in a double wall has been found more effective and feasible than the use of polystyrene thermal insulation .