Residential Building Energy Conservation in Mediterranean Climate Zone by Integrating Passive Solar and Energy Efficiency Design Strategies

Residential buildings have a list of functions, and one of the top priories is the thermal comfort of its occupants. Thermal comfort can be one of the measurements of successful building performance, and it can be addressed in various ways to provide a good quality indoor climate. The way to address the need for thermal comfort determines the consumption and conservation of energy. Adapting passive strategies and thermal mass to a building can reduce energy consumption significantly. Applying these strategies to a building does not need additional investment from the initial capital, and renovating a building to implement the strategy will cut the energy usage of a building and save the additional financing of new technology for heating and cooling, ventilation, and so on. In this study, two residential buildings located in North Cyprus with the same geographical location, climate zone, and different construction materials were studied. The study aimed to make a technical test to reduce energy consumption and improve energy conservation in the building by applying passive solar and energy efficiency design strategies (PSEEDS). The thermal mass has been used and discussed as an improbable energy technique alongside other insulation materials and shading devices. The article discusses and compares the energy consumption and thermal comfort of traditional Mediterranean houses with contemporary houses. The study uses 2D drawings, 3D modeling, and energy simulation programs to evaluate energy consumption in both real and assumed scenarios. The study finds that traditional Mediterranean homes, with their thick walls and built-in shading mechanisms, require less energy for heating and cooling than contemporary houses. The implementation of passive solar energy efficient design strategies (PSEEDS) significantly reduces energy consumption in both types of houses, but traditional Mediterranean houses still show more efficiency due to their higher thermal mass. The research demonstrates that improving windows, examining the orientation of the structure, altering shade devices, and decreasing infiltration rates can reduce overall energy consumption by up to 34.71% To sum up, in this study, PSEEDS, the performance of thermal mass, and pre-design measures significantly decrease energy consumption. In addition, implementing passive strategies during a renovation of a building also compensates for the investment and lifecycle cost of new technologies and energy usage.