Energy saving potential and environmental benefit analysis of application of balcony for residence in the hot summer and cold winter area of China

Abstract

The increasing fossil energy demand and carbon emissions pose a significant challenge to the world. According to climate adaptability design, the balcony is open type in Changsha. The study evaluates the energy-saving potential and the economic and environmental feasibility of installing the balcony in living rooms, and considering the effect of balcony orientations and air conditioning types. The economic viability is analyzed using the construction cost of the balcony and the extra market price of a residence with a balcony paid by the holder, respectively. Environmental feasibility assessment mainly adopts the CO2 emission payback period as the index. The annual electricity saving percentage of the split-type air conditioner in the living rooms facing four orientations with a balcony is in between 6.7% and 12.3%. And the balcony's investment payback period facing east or west orientation is less than 50 years based on construction cost. It has better environmental benefits with the CO2 emission payback period of the balcony facing four orientations is in between 10.4 and 24.6 years. Considering a living room constructed with a balcony, it is not feasible for dwellers to use a gas boiler, adopting the radiant floor system during the heating from the perspective of economic and CO2 emission.