Operational Cooling Energy Consumption in an Office Building in Saudi Arabia: A Comparison Between Utilizing Aluminum and Clay Cladding

Due to the compelling increase in construction activities and buildings with various administrative; educational, and residential functions and the growing interest in their general shape and aesthetic values, are primarily related to the use of manufactured and natural finishing materials. Thus, using environmentally friendly and renewable materials is imperative for sustainable urban development. There are often debates about using clay tile products and metals such as aluminum sheets as cladding materials in Saudi Arabia's office buildings. The present study assesses 5 mm aluminum sheets and 2 cm clay tile claddings using Design-Builder software to calculate the operational cooling energy based on three simulated office building facades in Saudi Arabia. The findings revealed that the operational cooling energy decreased by 2.6% and 1.7% when using terracotta and aluminum profiles, respectively, compared to the base case. Cooling loads were estimated at 6,780,000 kWh and 6,840,000 kWh for the terracotta and aluminum profiles, respectively. In contrast, cooling energy per conditioned building area was estimated at 748 kWh/m² and 752 kWh/m² for terracotta and aluminum profiles, respectively. Therefore, clay tiles are more energy-efficient for cooling loads in the study area. This study will support decision-makers in selecting and specifying finishing materials for construction projects in the study area and similar arid regions.