Journal Article

Cooling load reduction strategies for community worship place towards attaining sustainability: a life cycle cost perspective

Anwar, Fatima, Khan, Rai Waqas Azfar, Malik, Muhammad Sohail Anwar, Aslam, Mughees

2025

Overview

Purpose The prominence of energy conservation in worship buildings like mosques, temples, and churches has led many nations to enact regulations for enhanced energy efficiency. However, the upfront costs often deter decision-makers. This research focuses on mosques, investigating cooling load reduction strategies and assessing their long-term cost dynamics. Methods To address the challenge of meeting energy requirements for community worship places, with mosques as a case study, this research conducted a comprehensive investigation. Various cooling load reduction strategies, both active and passive, are assessed to understand their impact on long-term cost dynamics. DesignBuilder V7.0.2 software is used for simulations. Results and discussion In a hot and dry climate context, this research carefully selected strategies like external shading, exterior wall insulation, R10 polystyrene roof insulation HRBLUE2 windows, night ventilation practices, and LED lighting systems, steered by environmentally aware construction principles. The objective is to determine the optimum means of management of cooling loads through a delicately adjusted cooling load strategy. Moreover, the life cycle cost related to those cooling strategies is determined. The recommendation includes implementation of strategies that effectively reduce cooling loads, decrease life cycle cost, and improve overall performance, specifically adapted for mosque environments. Conclusion This research emphasizes the crucial necessity for practicing sustainability in the construction of community buildings utilized for worship and the significance of energy conservation. By investigating cooling load decreasing strategies for mosques and their corresponding long-term cost implications, it suggests valuable solutions for addressing the energy needs of such places. The findings emphasize the importance of executing strategies that reduce cooling loads efficiently along with improving overall performance and minimize.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Buildings / case studies / Churches / computer software / Cooling / Cooling loads / Cooling systems / decision making / dry climates / Earth and Environmental Science / Energy conservation / Energy costs / Energy efficiency / Energy requirements / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Economics / Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology / Exergy and Lca / insulating materials / Insulation / Investigations / life cycle costing / Life cycle costs / Life cycles / Mosques / Mosques & temples / Polystyrene / Polystyrene resins / polystyrenes / Renewable energy / Sustainability / Sustainable practices