HVAC systems use the largest share of energy consumption in airport terminal buildings. Thus, the efficiency of the HVAC system and the performance of the building envelope have great importance in reducing the energy used for heating and cooling purposes. In this study, the application of thermal insulation on the walls and roof of the Hasan Polatkan Airport terminal building was investigated from energy, environment and cost aspects. This study determined the optimum insulation thickness and assessed its effects on environmental performance based on energy flows. Environmental payback periods were calculated depending on the optimum insulation thickness. The life cycle assessment (LCA) method was used to assess whether the decrease in energy consumption after applying the insulation balanced the environmental effects during the period between the production and application of the thermal insulation material. The global warming potential (GWP) based on IPCC100, and the effects on human health (HH), the ecosystem and natural resources were evaluated according to the ReCiPe method. LCA results were obtained by processing data taken from ecoinvent 3 database present in the Sima Pro 8.3.0.0 software. Applying thermal insulation on the walls and roof of the terminal building was found to decrease heat loss by 48% and 56%, respectively. In addition, the analyses showed that the environmental payback periods for the thermal insulation were shorter than the economic payback periods.

Airports are very important facilities for global transportation. Energy plays a key role for the comfort needs of passengers and the safe operation of aircraft. In airports with high energy consumption areas, energy management allows the reduction of both costs and environmental impacts. Therefore, the phenomena that affect energy consumption in airports need to be identified. In this study, the factors affecting energy consumption in airport terminal buildings were determined by regression analysis and mathematically modeling. In addition, energy-induced Global Warming Potential (GWP) was determined and its change was explained mathematically. It was seen that with each change in passenger causes a 1.59 kWh energy and 1.44 kg CO_{2 eq}. change. However, each increase in the number of degree days causes a 3468.6kWh energy and 1428 kg CO_2eq. increase.

In this study, economic and environmental impact of thermal insulation have been determined for building wall in the cities of İzmir, İstanbul, Ankara, and Erzurum, located in different climates of Turkey. Three different realistic scenarios have been determined and the analysis have been carried out through these scenarios. The calculations have been made considering four different insulation materials, expanded polystyrene (EPS), glass wool (GW) rock wool (RW) and extruded polystyrene (XPS). Environmental assessments have been carried out by the life cycle assessment (LCA) method for all scenarios. Environmental analysis were carried out by combining 17 environmental effects with the ReCiPe method. The novelty of this study is the determination of environmental payback periods by combining 17 environmental effects using the ReCiPe method. As a result, economic payback times for all scenarios have the lowest value for RW. While the lowest environmental payback period was found as EPS, the highest environmental payback period was found as XPS for all scenarios. The highest economic payback time was assessed at XPS for all scenarios. The thermal insulation material with the highest economic payback period was found as XPS for all scenarios. It has been observed that thermal insulation is more effective in colder climates in terms of economic and annual avoided environmental impact. In all scenarios, environmental payback period was found to be considerably lower than economic payback period.

This study explores energy consumption, thermal performance, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in terminal buildings. Through detailed thermal analysis, this research identifies key sources of heat loss, such as thermal bridges in walls and windows, which significantly increase energy demands for heating. IEQ measurements show that the lack of mechanical ventilation, combined with high passenger densities, frequently leads to CO₂ levels exceeding recommended thresholds, highlighting the urgent need for improved ventilation systems. Energy requirements were calculated based on the TS 825 standard and compared to actual consumption data, showing that optimizing boiler settings could save 22% of heating energy without any additional investment. Simulations and economic analyses further showed that adding thermal insulation to the building envelope and installing double-glazed windows with improved U-values could achieve significant energy savings and reduce CO₂ emissions, all with favorable payback periods. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of these interventions, demonstrating significant reductions in the airport’s carbon footprint. The findings underscore the importance of aligning operational standards with international guidelines, such as ASHRAE and CIBSE, to ensure thermal comfort and optimize energy use.

The systems in which energy is most intensely used in airport terminal buildings are HVAC systems. More efficient heating and cooling systems and the performance of the building envelope can provide significant reductions in energy consumption without compromising comfort conditions in terminal buildings. In this study, the exterior walls of the International Hasan Polatkan Airport were examined using a thermal camera, and it was observed that heat losses were due to the lack of thermal insulation. The optimum insulation thicknesses for different thermal insulation materials (EPS, XPS, glass wool and stone wool) were determined by the life cycle cost (LCC) method. The effect of the application of the calculated insulation thicknesses on energy performance and the economic payback periods were determined. As a result, optimum insulation thicknesses have been found as 0.05 m, 0.033 m, 0.078 m and 0.973 m for EPS, XPS, glass wool and stone wool in respective order. It was observed from the results of analysis that the economic payback period changed between 4.85 and 7.7 years if optimum insulation thicknesses are applied.