jismart2024061: Measurement Study of Indoor Thermal Environment in Residential Buildings with Hollow Bucket Walls in China

Abstract

A significant proportion of residential buildings in urban areas of China were constructed in earlier times, characterized by low energy efficiency and poor thermal performance. The energy-saving and low-cost retrofitting of these buildings has become a top priority in these regions. To date, limited research has focused on the multi-story urban residential buildings with hollow bucket walls, which were built in large quantities in the southern Zhejiang area before the year 2000. Consequently, this study conducted a measurement study of the indoor thermal environment of such urban residences. The main rooms of thirteen representative residential units, featuring various envelope forms, were selected for the study to measure indoor temperature with windows kept closed. The results indicated that the rooms in the top floor suffered the most severe overheating issues. Additionally, the east and west facades of the buildings were more susceptible to direct sunlight, leading to excessively high indoor temperatures. Compared to solid walls, the thermal inertia of hollow bucket walls was found to be inferior. Furthermore, large areas of windows had a certain adverse effect on indoor thermal comfort. Based on the measurement outcomes, recommendations for enhancing the protective structures were proposed, providing a foundation for optimizing the indoor thermal environment and energy consumption of multi-story buildings with hollow bucket walls.