Analysis of the Impact of Fourth-Generation Residential Terrace Forms on Energy Consumption in Indoor Spaces in Cold Northern Regions—Taking Taiyuan City as an Example

A case study of Taiyuan City, a paradigmatic city in the frigid northern region, is conducted. The investigation encompasses the existing fourth-generation residential buildings in Taiyuan City and the developmental status of fourth-generation residential building balconies in the northern part of China. The investigation explores the impact of balcony configuration on the energy consumption of adjacent upper and lower floors of various housing types. A residential plan is meticulously selected to establish a fundamental model, and EnergyPlus software is used to simulate and analyze energy consumption. The balcony form of fourth-generation residential buildings in Taiyuan City is investigated, with the indoor spaces of the houses simulated to analyze the energy consumption of the four house types from the south-side balcony and the east-west balcony in two directions, respectively. This paper aims to reduce building energy consumption and select the most energy-efficient house type for owners. Consequently, an optimized design scheme for the fourth-generation residential balcony form in Taiyuan City is proposed.