Determination and Assessment of Optimum Internal Thermal Insulation for Masonry Walls in Historic Multifamily Buildings
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 24, Issue 3
Abstract
A large portion of existing building stock is comprised of load-bearing masonry buildings, particularly in the Midwest and on the East Coast, though such buildings are distributed across the US. Most of them have uninsulated walls or suffer from insufficient thermal insulation materials. These buildings are inseparable parts of the cultural, social, and economic characteristics of their cities. Due to heritage and preservation concerns, zoning, and space restrictions, they cannot be retrofitted with exterior insulation. Interior insulation must therefore be considered as an alternative. Lack of insulation directly results in energy waste as well as heat loss and gain. Furthermore, it adversely affects heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) loads, equipment sizing, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort for residents. The objective of this study is to simulate and evaluate the effects of various internal thermal insulation materials and strategies on mass masonry load-bearing walls in multifamily buildings with attention to various variables and parameters. It not only addresses the energy performance and cost savings associated with an interior insulation retrofit, but also outlines other variables and parameters that are factors in the selection of optimum insulation material, including installations costs, payback periods, useful internal space loss, and options for the depth of the interior insulation retrofit. The audience for this paper is diverse: homeowners, contractors and remodelers, architects and designers, engineers, housing and preservation authorities, and more can benefit from understanding the results outlined in this study.
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Acknowledgments
This manuscript was coauthored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract DE-AC05–00OR22725 with the US DOE. The US Government retains, and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US Government retains, a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, and world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript or allow others to do so, for US Government purposes. The DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 24 • Issue 3 • September 2018
Copyright
© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 26, 2017
Accepted: Feb 13, 2018
Published online: May 31, 2018
Published in print: Sep 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Oct 31, 2018
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