Integrating Passive Energy Conservation Measures in Mediterranean Residential Buildings

As energy use continues to rise and environmental concerns grow, improving the efficiency of buildings has become more important than ever. In this paper, the integration of passive energy conservation measures was evaluated under the Lebanese climate. Wall insulation and window glazing were investigated in order to reduce the building’s cooling demand. A case study was conducted on a two-story residential building located in Fanar, Lebanon. where five insulation materials and seven glazing types were analyzed using DesignBuilder software. The results showed a notable reduction in annual cooling load reaching up to 42.7% when combining Polyurethane Foam (PUF) as wall insulation with Double Reflective Clear Glass (DRCG) for window glazing. This study emphasizes the importance of selecting the appropriate components based on each climate’s performance.