Maximize Energy Efficiency in Homes: A Parametric Simulation Study Across Chile

This study assessed the impact of 39 active and passive energy efficiency measures on the energy demand of a prototype dwelling, modeled through parametric simulations in DesignBuilder across nine climatic zones in Chile, classified according to the Köppen system. Each measure was evaluated individually (single-measure scenarios); three variation levels were evaluated to quantify their relative influence on energy demand. Results indicate that passive strategies are more effective in cold and humid climates, where increasing wall insulation thickness reduced energy demand by up to 45%, and improving airtightness achieved a 43% reduction. In contrast, in tundra climates or areas with high thermal variability, some measures, such as green façades or overhangs, increased energy demand by up to 49% due to the loss of useful solar gains. In desert climates, characterized by high diurnal temperature variation, thermal mass played a more significant role: high-inertia walls without additional insulation outperformed lightweight EPS-based solutions. The findings suggest that measure selection must be climate-adapted, prioritizing high-impact passive strategies and avoiding one-size-fits-all solutions. This work provides quantitative evidence to inform residential thermal design and support climate-sensitive energy efficiency policies. This study delivers a single-measure comparative atlas; future research should integrate multi-measure optimization together with comfort/cost metrics.