Abstract
By strengthening the insulation performance of a building, a great deal of energy can be saved and a comfortable indoor environment can be offered to people. On the other hand, the climate, which has a great influence on the indoor environment, is changed by global warming. Therefore, in planning building envelope structure and design, climate change should be considered. In this paper, the optimal insulation thickness of exterior walls was calculated by an economic assessment method using heating degree-days. Additionally, how much influence climate change has on planning building insulation was investigated. The examination showed that heating degree-days have decreased by about 10% due to climate change in the past few decades. It was also shown that the optimal insulation thickness of exterior walls was thin, at about 6%, in three representative Korean cities (Seoul, Daejeon, Jeju).
