Abstract This research presents a detailed computational analysis to evaluate various thermal insulation materials and identify the most effective options for retrofitting existing structures. This study addresses a key literature gap by systematically investigating air, mineral wool, polyurethane foam, polystyrene, cellulose, and fiberglass. Simulations were performed using the enthalpy-porosity method in ANSYS FLUENT 16, with heat transfer through a multilayer wall modeled in 2D steady-state mode. Among six tested insulators, polystyrene showed the highest resistance, reducing heat flux by over 82% compared to air. Fiberglass and mineral wool followed, achieving reductions of 74–77%. Its use in buildings reduces cooling energy demands and supports environmental sustainability.
Jasim et al. (Thu,) studied this question.