Comparison of Energy Consumption in New and Old Buildings Case Study: Golali Abad Village, Tonekabon

Abstract

In recent decades, optimal energy consumption in buildings has become one of the main challenges in the field of sustainable development. Given the significant role of the building sector in energy resource consumption, a comparative evaluation of energy performance across different types of buildings is of particular importance. Therefore, greater attention must be paid to building design and the use of construction materials to minimize energy loss and maximize efficiency. The present study aims to compare energy consumption in two types of buildings—new and old—in the village of Golali Abad, located in Tonekabon County. The main research question is: What are the differences in the amount and pattern of energy consumption between old and new buildings in this village? This research adopts a quantitative, analytical, and field-based methodology, examining two sample buildings (One old and one new) in terms of fuel consumption, temperature fluctuations, the effect of internal heat-generating factors, wall thickness, and more—using Design Builder software. The study concludes that old buildings demonstrate lower energy consumption and higher efficiency compared to new buildings. The innovation of this research lies in its focus on a lesser-studied rural context and its integration of both quantitative and qualitative methods in analyzing energy consumption data, offering a localized model for optimizing energy use in similar regions.