Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Alireza Mohtadi ^{1, 2}
• Mohammad Ghomeishi ³
• Ali Dehghanbanadaki ^{4, 5}

¹ Department of Architecture, Gheshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gheshm, Iran

² Research and Development at the Materials and Technology Institute of Iran Concrete Clinic, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Architecture, Damavand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Department of Civil Engineering, Damavand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damavand, Iran

⁵ Research Center of Concrete and Soil, Damavand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damavand, Iran

Abstract

Energy consumption in buildings is predominantly attributed to heating and cooling of enclosed spaces. To address this, a concrete facade system enhanced with additives in ultra-high efficiency concrete has been proposed to potentially lower building energy usage. This study investigates the impact of incorporating air bubbles into concrete on its compressive and thermal properties. A total of 30 samples were tested: 15 for compressive strength and 15 for thermal performance. The test results were utilized to simulate energy consumption in two chambers, each measuring $2\times 2$ meters with a height of 2.5 meters, using concrete walls with varying thermal conductivity coefficients via DesignBuilder software. Multiple scenarios were analyzed to assess building energy performance. The numerical modeling results indicated a positive outcome, with a 30% reduction in energy consumption associated with conventional concrete walls. These findings suggest that advancements in facade systems, including the use of exposed concrete panels or alternative materials, could significantly reduce energy use, fuel consumption, and overall economic costs in large-scale construction.

Keywords

• precast concrete panels
• thermal insulation
• energy efficiency