Experimental evaluation of insulation material on existing residential building exists in subtropical humid climatic zone

Abstract

Applying Solar reflective material at the envelope of the building is a passive method of cooling, refer to a technologies or design features adopted to reduce the temperature of buildings without the need for power consumption. Consequently, the aim of this study is to test the usefulness of applying selected solar reflectors to reduce inside temperature which reduce energy consumption of residential buildings in subtropical; humid climate settings, namely Bhopal, India. Two case building with total four rooms; two rooms of RCC roof rooms and two with Asbestos sheet roof were selected and analysed by applying insulators in 9 different conditions. The performances of the buildings were analysed by computing difference in outside and inside temperatures before and after applying these passive cooling strategy. Difference in temperature was achieved due to minimising of heat gain in line with applying good insulators on wall and roof. The study revealed several significant findings including that the total temperature reduction during summer of a residential building in Bhopal may be reduced significantly when a building uses cost effective technique like solar reflective insulators. © International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development.