Improving the Energy Performance of French Colonial Buildings in Algeria: Balancing Heritage Values and Energy Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31522/p.34.1(71).9Keywords:
Algiers, Bio-based thermal insulation, Colonial buildings, Energy efficiency, Heritage valuesAbstract
Algeria inherited a substantial building stock of significant heritage value, particularly concentrated in the historic center of Algiers, notably within the Larbi Ben M’hidi district from the French colonial period (1830-1962). However, these buildings generally exhibit poor energy performance and high levels of energy consumption. This study investigates how the preservation of heritage values can be reconciled with improving the energy efficiency of colonial-era residential buildings in the Larbi Ben M’hidi district of Algiers. A thermal diagnostic based on infrared thermography was conducted on several buildings, leading to the selection of the building located at 39 Rue Larbi Ben M’hidi as the case study. Subsequently, dynamic thermal simulations were carried out using ArchiWIZARD, based on the EnergyPlus calculation engine, in order to evaluate four energy retrofitting scenarios. In parallel, a bio-based thermal insulation material composed of cork waste and cellulose was developed and thermally characterized. The optimal formulation (75% cork) exhibited a thermal conductivity of λ = 0.048 W/m·K and a specific heat capacity of Cp = 1285 J/kg·°C. When integrated into the simulation model, this insulation material enabled a reduction in energy demand of 54.44% for heating and 22.64% for cooling, while preserving the architectural integrity of the heritage façades.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Samira Soukane, Mohamed Dahli
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