Thermal comfort analysis of a house retrofitted according to the Moroccan building energy code

The research presented in this paper aims to identify the impact of the Moroccan Thermal Regulation for Construction (RTCM) on thermal performance of a typical house located in the climate zone 5 (Marrakech). To broaden this study, we did the same inspection as if the house is located in the climate zone 1 (Casablanca). The study is based mainly on two aspects: experimental validation of the computer code and numerical analysis. The experimental study consists of two measurement campaigns during winter and summer. The numerical study is conducted through the house model implemented in the TRNSYS software environment which was calibrated by comparison to the experimental measurements. The results show that thermal insulation material thicknesses of 20 mm to 40 mm of EPS for the walls, 40 mm of XPS for the roof and 20 mm of XPS for the slab-on-grade floor satisfy the requirements of the RTCM for both studied climates zones. Furthermore, the application of the RTCM leads to a reduction of the annual thermal load of the studied building by 35% in Marrakech, while this reduction does not exceed 17% in Casablanca. On the other hand, the soil thermal inertia has a beneficial effect on the house in Marrakech (climate zone 5). Indeed, if the slab-on-grade floor of the house is thermally insulated, as required by the RTCM, its annual thermal load increases at least by 7%. In contrast, the insulation of the slab-on-grade floor of the house located in Casablanca (climate zone 1), which is not statutory, is recommended, as it reduces the house annual heating load by at least 17%.