Effect of Retrofit Scenarios on Energy Performance and Indoor Thermal Comfort of a Typical Single-Family House in Different Climates of Morocco

Abstract

This paper aims at identifying the impact of three retrofit scenarios of a typical single-family house on its energy performance and its indoor thermal comfort in several climates. Two of these scenarios are based on the Moroccan Thermal Regulation in Constructions (RTCM) while the third is the one proposed in this study. The climates range from group B to group C of the Köppen climate classification. The results show that the proposed renovation scenario allows reducing the heating load by 19–42% and the cooling load by 29–60% depending on the climate. Furthermore, the RTCM retrofit scenario leads to summer overheating in all climates. One of the main reasons for this overheating is the insulation of the slab-on-grade floor as this insulation increases the annual heating/cooling energy needs of the house by 6–10%. Moreover, the cavity wall technique was found to be the best option for external walls, instead of using high thermal insulating material, in hot climates. The analysis of the energy performance, the thermal comfort indices, and the payback periods for each retrofit scenario shows that the proposed scenario presents the best thermal performance, except for the cold climate where the RTCM scenario is the most favorable.