Identifying Retrofitting Strategies for Access to Energy Efficient Building Design in Existing Buildings

Reducing the energy needs of existing buildings has a significant place in reducing global energy demands. High energy savings can be achieved with passive renovation suggestions in existing buildings. In this study, the effect of the proposed renovation suggestions for an educational structure in Safranbolu on the heating and cooling demands of the building was determined with a simulation program. Energy improvements of up to 70 percent have been achieved through passive improvement designs in orientation and insulation material. The highest energy saving (69.31%) was realized in the scenario of rearranging spaces from the north side to the south side where the number of users is relatively high, and selecting a 20 cm aerogel thermal insulation material. While, the fact that the heating and cooling load in accordance with the definition of a zero-energy building could not be reached in this scenario, the study however showed the importance of holistic decisions taken in the design phase of the building with respect to energy efficient building design.