Comparative Analysis of Retrofit Strategies for Residential Building Envelopes to Achieve Energy Efficiency in Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) addresses the rapid construction growth by prioritizing optimal retrofit solutions for existing buildings. The primary objective of building envelope retrofitting is to reduce energy consumption and enhance passive design strategies. This research thoroughly examines building envelope retrofitting measures emphasizing the importance of energy efficiency. The study also compares two other residential building codes of places similar to Abu Dhabi's climate, provides an overview of the current building stock in UAE and the architectural identity of the capital city of Abu Dhabi. Inferences from the literature review was used to develop a retrofit review matrix suited for evaluating the retrofit strategies of Abu Dhabi. Furthermore, the paper utilizes energy simulation case studies of two existing buildings in Abu Dhabi, comparing the influence of Wall-window-ratio, window shades, glass properties, HVAC system and PV panel efficiency and surface coverage. It explores methods for retrofitting residential building envelopes to advance greener energy optimization standards in Abu Dhabi aiming to guide future projects and improve the capital's building portfolio database. Given that many buildings, including historical ones, are expected to remain until 2050, retrofitting represents a vital opportunity to enhance urban environments. This approach not only improves occupant comfort but also maintains essential functional aspects such as thermal, visual, and acoustic performance, ultimately leading to reduced energy consumption.