Impact of the optimization criteria on the determination of the insulation thickness

Abstract

From the sustainable perspective, the optimum thickness calculations of the buildings envelope insula-tion materials published in scientific journals suffer a number of notable shortcomings. The most relevantare the short amortization time periods and the prevalence of economic criterion. The work presentedshows that an increase from 20 to 50 years in the amortization time period involves, in some cases, todouble the value of the optimum thickness. Moreover, the thicknesses calculated applying energetic orenvironmental criteria for the optimization give, in some cases, results 10 times higher than the onesobtained using the economic argument. The type of insulation materials (especially their different char-acteristics at the manufacturing stage) and the calculation conditions (e.g. Degree-Days zone) also affectoptimum thicknesses determination.