Improving building energy efficiency and thermal comfort with natural fibre insulation

As part of the energy transition and global environmental problems, improving the energy efficiency of buildings has become an imperative aspect for the architecture, engineering and construction industries. Furthermore, the energy performance of a building depends directly on the quality of its thermal envelope and the insulation material applied. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to assess by means of simulations the impact of ecological insulation materials on thermal comfort and energy efficiency in the case of a residential building in a Mediterranean climate. The results of the simulation show that optimising envelope design parameters can reduce annual energy loads for heating and for cooling. The most efficient strategies for achieving this reduction involve the use of ecological thermal insulation of external walls, optimising glazing settings and use of efficient shading devices.