Thermal Insulation Material for Building Envelope: An Affordability Evaluation

Energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction have become two of the most important issues to address in fighting climate change. According to UN data, the construction sector consumes more than 40 per cent of the world's raw materials and 13 per cent of drinking water. 39 per cent of global CO2 emissions come from the built environment and specifically from buildings. In Italy, a similar percentage trend is confirmed (Ministry of Economic Development, The National Energy Situation). Overall, more natural resources are consumed each year than the planet is able to regenerate, making the need for a transition to a sustainable development model ever more urgent. Based on the data, building stock and results provided by a recent study carried out by Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), the aim of this research is to evaluate of the economic sustainability of the most used insulation material for the thermal coating of building envelopes (such us EPS, Stone Wall and Glass Wall) by calculating the economic payback time.