Enhancing energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness while reducing CO2 emissions in a hospital building

Abstract

Global population growth drives fossil fuel usage, surpassing natural greenhouse gas emissions and causing climate change, higher temperatures, floods, and agricultural erosion. The study underscores the significance of appropriate material selection and meticulous building design to establish a healthy living environment and mitigate energy consumption. The research is dedicated to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Hospitals, due to their constant energy requirements, require optimal temperature and comfort management for patients, necessitating careful design to avoid disruptions and power outages. The principal objective of this research is to enhance energy efficiency in the design phase of hospital buildings in Turkey and to develop an energy-efficient hospital model. This objective is achieved by evaluating different insulation materials, building orientations, lighting efficiency, and window-to-wall ratios. The methodology involves creating a reference structure for energy load calculations using Revit software and utilizing the Green Building Studio (GBS) program to conduct energy analyses in 7 different cities across Turkey. The study found that the utilization of building parameters with renewable energy sources reduced energy consumption by 57.5%, total costs by 16.24%, and CO2 emissions by 26.3%. The fundamental contribution of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of reducing energy consumption, costs, and CO2 emissions through design adjustments. The novelty of this research lies in its comprehensive approach to optimizing energy efficiency and CO2 emissions in hospital buildings in Turkey. These findings underline the significance of energy-efficient design, particularly considering the impact of increased energy usage and CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 pandemic.