The Heat Loss Calculations for Buildings in Ulaanbaatar by Using the PHPP, DesignPH and ArchiCAD Computer Programs

The extent to which the heating system heat load is reduced by thermally insulating the walls of five-storey residential panel buildings in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, is evaluated. A five-storey building before and after furnishing it with thermal insulation is considered. For evaluating the effect from the taking of energy saving measures, two software packages: Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) and Archicad were used. The Archicad software enables the user to calculate the energy balance in a quick and accurate manner. In the PHPP software, the energy balance calculation considers more elements and environmental factors. Both packages yielded similar results. As of 2023, the estimated thermal energy shortage in Ulaanbaatar amounts to 1056 Gcal or 45% of the amount of thermal energy consumption at an estimated outdoor temperature of –39ºС. One of the ways to save thermal energy is to thermally insulate residential buildings, which are the main consumers of thermal energy. If all residential buildings in Ulaanbaatar are insulated from the outside, more than 20% of the generated thermal energy can be saved, and by thermally insulating the other enclosing structures and replacing the existing windows with energy-efficient double-glazed windows, the heat loss can be reduced by 20% or more.