Abstract
This work is aimed at estimating the effects of various factors on the energy consumption of Korean-style apartment houses using TRNSYS. The factors considered here include the nominal size of floor area, type of remodeling, azimuth, sidewall insulation, and window type. Based on some assumptions, an actual apartment house is simplified into a model that is used for thermal load calculations. The simplified model is validated by showing a good agreement with the actual one in the predicted result. Remodeling balconies into unconditioned buffer spaces yields a favorable thermal performance in comparison with the original type regardless of the nominal size. Incorporating balconies into a conditioned indoor space leads to sharp increases in thermal loads, which must be avoided in view of energy conservation as well as structural problem. A quantitative assessment on the azimuthal effect indicates that the heating energy can be saved up to 16％ by taking the south or southeast direction. Reduction in the heating load with enhancing the sidewall insulation is gradual, so that a cost-effectiveness analysis may be needed when amending the regulations concerned. Glazing appears to significantly affect the heat transfer through window. A typical case illustrates that the heating load is decreased about 25％ by simply adopting triple glazing instead of double glazing.
