Energy-Efficient Building Retrofit Strategies in Cold Climates: A Comparative Analysis with a Case Study of Erzurum

Energy efficiency in buildings has gained importance in recent years due to climate change and environmental degradation. Climate-sensitive designs play a key role in achieving energy efficiency, especially in cold regions where energy losses are high. This study aims to evaluate energy efficient building approaches in cold climates where climate data is an important parameter. Based on the literature, an energy-efficient and climate-compatible design strategy at urban and building scales is developed. Then, pioneering energy efficient buildings in cold climates are analyzed. Afterwards, a field study is conducted that proposes a retrofit approach in line with the design strategies in the literature and case studies. The study reveals that implementing cold-climate design strategies reduces energy consumption and enables a partial energy supply from renewable energy sources. This suggests that cold-climate buildings can be retrofitted to achieve energy efficiency and near-zero energy performance.