Improving energy efficiency in office buildings: A comparative simulation of insulation materials
Nicolas MONJE MEJIA, Maatouk KHOUKHI, Abeer FUAD DARSALEH
Abstract. This research explores how different insulation materials influence the energy efficiency of the HSBC Bur Dubai branch, a multi-story office building. While earlier studies have examined similar topics, this work focuses on simulating and comparing the thermal properties of a bio-based insulation material against conventional options. Using DesignBuilder and Opaque 3.0 software, detailed energy and thermal performance analyses were conducted. Three scenarios were tested: the current building without insulation, one with polystyrene insulation, and another with puffed rice insulation. The results showed that adding insulation significantly lowered the building’s energy demand. Polystyrene insulation delivered the highest savings, cutting annual energy use by about 414,000 kWh compared to the non-insulated case. Puffed rice insulation, although slightly less effective, still provided notable reductions of around 386,000 kWh per year. Improved wall insulation, reflected in higher R-values and lower U-values, not only reduced energy consumption but also created more comfortable indoor conditions. These outcomes highlight the critical role of insulation in enhancing energy efficiency, reducing costs, and supporting environmental sustainability in office buildings, especially in hot climates like Dubai. Importantly, the study also points to the promise of bio-insulation materials such as puffed rice, which, despite offering slightly lower thermal performance, contribute meaningful environmental advantages. Future research should include long-term performance tracking, cost-benefit analysis, and case studies across different climates to strengthen and broaden the applicability of these findings.
Keywords
Energy Efficiency, Insulation Materials, Thermal Performance, Polystyrene Insulation, Puffed Rice Insulation
Published online 6/20/2026, 9 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Nicolas MONJE MEJIA, Maatouk KHOUKHI, Abeer FUAD DARSALEH, Improving energy efficiency in office buildings: A comparative simulation of insulation materials, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 67, pp 859-867, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904176-118
The article was published as article 118 of the book Climate Action and Sustainability
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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