ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a novel concept called the "Dynamic Thermal Response" (DTR) which accounts for the contribution of the masonry components of walling systems in buildings when exposed to typical temperature fluctuations. The DTR concept takes into account the dynamic nature of the environmental conditions, the response of the wall to environmental changes and more importantly, facilitates the assessment of the thermal performance of the building as a whole. The concept has the potential to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of current energy efficiency measures and ultimately lead to more thermally efficient house designs as well as the assessment of the performance of retrofitting techniques for existing housing. The DTR of the system concept was used to demonstrate the important role that the thermal mass plays in influencing the thermal performance of a building enclosure under dynamic temperature conditions.
