Environmental Design Commons^™

Building Envelope For Energy-Efficient Residential Homes, A Case Study For The U.S. Department Of Energy Challenge Home Student Design Competition, Milica Tajsic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the continuous rise of population and expansion of urban areas, the need for additional housing and infrastructure is growing rapidly. Building sector is consuming a vast majority of the natural resources to meet the needs of urbanization and is in need of efficient, sustainable solutions that are viable for the customer, the economy and the environment. The building sector is both the problem and the solution to the issues of the carbon footprint of our society (Architecture 2030, 2011).

The envelope (roofs, walls, and foundations) and windows typically account for 36% of overall energy use, or about 14.3 quads …