Optimizing thermal insulation in building facades: An examination of human-environment dynamics in Nanjing city, Eastern Asia

The external building walls are significant in mitigating adverse weather conditions. Current research on the thermal insulation of exterior walls often overlooks crucial factors such as human comfort, seasonal changes and environmental dynamics. This study introduced a performance evaluation approach for external walls that considered the human thermal zone, annual air temperature and solar radiation. Taking Nanjing City as a case study, the thermal insulation performance of five distinct types of building exterior walls was investigated. The findings highlight the impact of various insulated wall systems on thermal insulation. While different insulated walls exhibited significant variations in effectiveness during extreme weather episodes, these variations were minor over the course of the year. Analysis revealed a spectrum of performance for insulated exterior walls, ranging from excellent to poor: Outer Insulated Wall > Inside Insulated Wall = Sandwich Insulated Wall = Self-Insulated Wall > Mortar-Insulated Wall. The disparity in thermal insulation performance amongst four wall types was minimal, with the mortar-insulated wall demonstrating the lowest performance. The highest temperature recorded for the mortar-insulated wall surpassed 32.2°C over 68 days. This research contributes insights into the nuanced performance of various insulated walls, paving the way for decision-making in climate resilience strategies.