Impact of the Hygrothermal Dynamic Modelling of Opaque Walls on the Energy Performance of Buildings in the Mediterranean Climate

The U-value plays a crucial role to determine building energy performances, nevertheless the calculation is often conducted by neglecting heat and humidity transportation phenomena. Effects such as wall exposure and weather conditions can be weighted by the dynamic hygrothermal modelling of opaque walls. This study focused on the evaluation of the monthly average thermal transmittance of a traditional vertical wall by the WUFI software. The results were then employed in TRNSYS to determine the thermal energy demands of two reference buildings in the Mediterranean climate. U-value deviances up to 33% and noticeable variations in the thermal energy demands were detected.