Life cycle costing analysis of insulation applications for existing buildings in Turkey

Abstract

The energy efficiencies of existing buildings can be improved by upgrading the building envelope through insulation application on outer walls and ceilings. The objective of this study is to perform life cycle costing analysis (LCCA) of insulation applications for existing building in Turkey. The insulation applications include stone wool application on the ceiling at a thickness of 15 cm and expanded polystyrene (EPS) application on the outer walls at varying thicknesses. LCCA is performed on a representative building. Annual energy requirement of the insulated building is compared with the uninsulated one. The annual energy requirements are determined according to the Turkish Standard 825, Thermal Insulation Requirements for Buildings. A life cycle cost evaluation for the insulation applications is provided. Net savings (NS), internal rate of return (IRR), savings-to-investments ratio (SIR) and payback period (PBP) are calculated for different combinations of discount rate and escalation rate. Cash flow diagrams are provided for each insulation application to facilitate evaluation of each option. The study provides the optimized insulation thickness for each region in Turkey.