Assessment of residential building performances for the different climate zones of Turkey in terms of life cycle energy and cost efficiency

• An integrated approach was developed for the evaluation of the building performance.
• The alternatives in terms of life cycle energy and cost efficiency were determined.
• Optimum improvement combinations were identified for each climate zone of Turkey.

In residential buildings, the usage of non-renewable resources, which are scarce and exhaustible, the negative impacts of resource usage on the environment and the high energy costs require the evaluation of residential energy performance on a life cycle basis. Therefore, in the framework of this study, it is intended that the measures effective in the improvement of residential energy performance aimed at providing optimum use for the country sources and the decision makers are developed for the different climate zones. Regarding these measures, the energy, economic and environmental performances of residential buildings are evaluated on the basis of life cycle. The effects of the approach developed in accordance with this purpose and the considered improvement measures on life cycle energy consumption, CO2 emissions and the costs are evaluated within the framework of “life cycle assessment” (LCA) and “life cycle cost” (LCC) methods. So, in the design of new residential buildings or the improvement of the existing residentials, the results which generate data for the regulations concerning the optimisation of energy, and economic and environmental performances regarding the life cycle of residential building, can be enabled.