ABSTRACT

This chapter begins by examining the fundamentals of heat, the effect of heat on materials, the mechanisms by which heat travels through them and the phenomenon of solar gain. It considers heat transfer through the building fabric, looking at methods of measurement and the means by which heat transfer may be reduced, before considering thermal mass and how that may be measured. The chapter addresses the energy performance of buildings, and examines how the control of heat transfer and the thermal mass of the fabric can contribute towards minimising energy consumption for heating and cooling. Establishing a suitable design temperature can be even more difficult, because a building occupant’s perception of whether a building is too hot or too cold can be affected by the prevailing outdoor temperature as well as factors such as dress codes.