Decarbonizing residential buildings through envelope optimization

With India’s rapid urbanization and growing population, residential energy demand is surging, positioning the sector as the country’s second-largest energy consumer. Traditional buildings, with poor insulation and ventilation, contribute substantially to operational energy use and carbon emissions. This study introduces a novel, integrated framework combining life cycle energy analysis, dynamic energy simulation, and statistical design optimization applied across four residential building envelope scenarios—Conventional, Base, ECBC-Compliant, and Net Zero Aspiring—in a composite Indian climate. Unlike previous studies that focus solely on operational energy, this research holistically evaluates both embodied and operational energy across a building’s lifecycle, guided by International Organization for Standardization 14040 (ISO). Uniquely, this study incorporates experimental characterization of building materials e.g., scanning electron microscope, thermal conductivity testing of ordinary Portland cement-fly ash mixes, and employs Taguchi orthogonal design with regression modeling to optimize and validate simulation outcomes. Simulations conducted using eQUEST software and localized Patiala climate data demonstrate that optimized envelopes can reduce operational energy by up to 46% and whole-life carbon by 50%. The results align with Energy Conservation Building Code guidelines and India’s low-carbon development goals, offering actionable insights into sustainable urban housing design under net-zero targets.