Thermal performance of internal and external wall insulation in existing buildings in the south of Algeria

The development of a computer program based on the implicit finite difference method is presented in this paper to determine the thermal performance of internal and external wall insulation in existing buildings. Temperatures are calculated under the climatic data of the Adrar region. This climate is characterized by very high temperatures in summer, exceeding 45[degree]C, and an intense solar radiation with a maximum of 1000 W/m[2]. Measured on horizontal surfaces, the amount of solar radiation is evaluated using the Capderou numerical model. According to the simulation findings, the thermal performance of external wall insulation is the same in the two cases, the choice thus becoming restricted to technical and economic reasons.