Academic literature on the topic 'Thermal transmittance (U-value)'

Windows, which have a U-value that is governed by an insulating glass unit (IGU) U-value, must be a building’s only enclosure element, which has no design value concept. The declared U-value, which is calculated or measured with 0 °C of external ambient temperature, is used instead of the design value. For most of a building’s elements, its thermal transmittance with a decrease in the external temperature diminishes a little, i.e., improves. However, for modern window IGUs with Low-E coatings, it is the opposite: the thermal transmittance with a lowering external temperature increases. Therefore, for calculating the peak power for the heating of buildings it is necessary to pay attention to this phenomenon and, therefore, it would be wise to introduce the concept of design U-value for windows, recalculation rules, or affix their declared U-values. This is especially the case in modern times with the prevailing architectural tendencies for enlargement of transparent building elements. For IGUs with Low-E coatings and inert gas fillers, the thermal transmittance depends on the temperature difference between warm and cold environments. When the external temperature is −30 °C instead of 0 °C, the thermal transmittance of the IGU can increase by up to 35%. This study presents the thermal properties of windows’ IGUs depending on the changes in outdoor temperatures by using guarded a hot box climate chamber and presents the proposed simplified methodology for determining the thermal properties of windows’ glass units. The accuracy of the composed simplified methods, comparing the calculated thermal transmittances of IGUs with those measured in the “hot box”, were up to 1.25%.

The thermal transmittance of an exterior massive timber wall was measured in situ in Appenzell, Switzerland according to the standard ISO 9869-1. The measurements were performed with two different measurement sets in parallel. The measurements started in February and stopped at end of April. The measuring data were analyzed using mean values of the thermal transmittance coefficient and of the thermal resistance following the procedure of ISO 9869-1. In order to clarify if the in-situ measurement results show significant deviations from the measurement results of the thermal transmittance obtained in the laboratory, the thermal transmittance of the identical wall construction was measured in the laboratory of Bern University of Applied Sciences in Biel according to the standard EN ISO 8990 for steady state boundary conditions in a guarded and calibrated hot box. The test results will be presented and the measurement setup will be described. The calculation value of the thermal transmittance coefficient of the massive timber wall according to EN ISO 6946 is U = 0.53 W/(m2K). The test results of the thermal transmittance coefficient, U-value of the wall, measured in the hot box, agreed well within a confidence level of 95 % with the calculated value. The in-situ measurement results of the thermal transmittance coefficient of the two measurement sets differ significantly in the order of 8 % referred to the calculated U-value of the wall as the basic amount. Furthermore, both in situ test results of the U-value of the wall show significant deviations from the calculated U-value up to 27 %.

Purpose The residential sector in Ireland accounted for 25 per cent of energy related CO2 emissions in 2016 through burning fossil fuels, a major contributor to climate change. In support of Ireland’s CO2 reduction targets, the existing housing stock could contribute greatly to the reduction of space-heating energy demand through retrofit. Approximately 50 per cent of Ireland’s 2m dwellings pre-date building regulations and are predominantly of cavity and solid wall construction, the performance of which has not been extensively investigated at present. Although commitment to thermal upgrade/retrofit of existing buildings may increase under future government policies, the poor characterisation of actual thermal performance of external walls may hinder the realisation of these targets. Thermal transmittance (U-values) of exterior walls represents a source of uncertainty when estimating the energy performance of dwellings. It has been noted in research that the standard calculation methodology for thermal transmittance should be improved. Implementing current U-value calculation methods may result in misguided retrofit strategies due to the considerable discrepancies between in situ measurements and calculated wall U-values as documented in the case studies carried out in this research. If the method of hygrothermal analysis were to be employed as a replacement for the current standard calculation, it could have significant implications for policy and retrofit decision making. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This research project analysed a case study situated in Dublin, Ireland. The case studies offer an account of the in situ thermal transmittance of exterior walls and link these to hygrothermally simulated comparisons along with more traditional design U-values. Findings The findings of this research identify discrepancies between in situ and design U-values, using measurement, hygrothermal simulation and standard method U-value calculations. The outcomes of the research serve as an introduction to issues emanating from a larger research project in order to encourage researchers to understand and further explore the topic. Originality/value It has previously been highlighted that moisture content is linked to the increase in thermal conductivity of building materials, thus reducing the thermal effectiveness and increasing the elemental U-value. Therefore, it is vital to implement reliable prediction tools to assess potential thermal performance values. This paper presents the findings of a critical instance case study in Dublin, Ireland in which an existing west facing external wall in a semi-detached dwelling was analysed, simulated and measured to verify the elemental wall assembly and quantify thermal transmittance (U-value) incorporating the major criteria required for building performance simulation.

The calculation method for the thermal transmittance (U-value) of double windows as specified by the Korean government (ISO 15099) is often inappropriate. To develop a more suitable calculation method, the thermal properties of the air cavity between the internal and external windows should be considered. Herein, seven cases of double windows were set up. The air cavities were designed in accordance with international standards and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and used for the calculation of the U-values of the double windows according to ISO 15099 and 10077. All the calculated U-values were compared with experimentally obtained values. In accordance with the ISO 10077-1 method, the thermal resistance of the air cavity calculated using CFD could produce double window U-values that are similar to the experimentally obtained values. In most cases, the difference between the theoretical and experimental U-values was 5% and less than 0.14 W·m−2·K−1, implying that the U-values calculated using CFD and the ISO 10077-1 method are approximately equal to the experimentally obtained U-values. Korean regulations do not include ISO 10077-1 for double-window assessment. However, these criteria can provide a solution in improving the accuracy of the calculation of the overall thermal transmittance of double windows.

Light steel framed (LSF) construction is becoming widespread as a quick, clean and flexible construction system. However, these LSF elements need to be well designed and protected against undesired thermal bridges caused by the steel high thermal conductivity. To reduce energy consumption in buildings it is necessary to understand how heat transfer happens in all kinds of walls and their configurations, and to adequately reduce the heat loss through them by decreasing its thermal transmittance (U-value). In this work, numerical simulations are performed to assess different setups for two kinds of LSF walls: an interior partition wall and an exterior facade wall. Several parameters were evaluated separately to measure their influence on the wall U-value, and the addition of other elements was tested (e.g., thermal break strips) with the aim of achieving better thermal performances. The simulation modeling of a LSF interior partition with thermal break strips indicated a 24% U-value reduction in comparison with the reference case of using the LSF alone (U = 0.449 W/(m2.K)). However, when the clearance between the steel studs was simulated with only 300 mm there was a 29% increase, due to the increase of steel material within the wall structure. For exterior facade walls (U = 0.276 W/(m2.K)), the model with 80 mm of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in the exterior thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) reduced the thermal transmittance by 19%. Moreover, when the EPS was removed the U-value increased by 79%.

Currently, global warming is accelerating, and many countries are trying to reduce greenhouse emission by enforcing low energy building. And the thermal performance of the windows is one of the factors that greatly influence the heating and cooling energy consumption of buildings. According to the development of the window system, the thermal performance of the windows is greatly improved. There are simulations and tests for window thermal performance evaluation techniques, but both are time consuming and costly. The purpose of this study is to develop a convenient method of predicting U-value at the window system design stage by multiple linear regression analysis. 532 U-value test results were collected, and window system components were set as independent values. As a result, the number of windows (single or double) among the components of the window has the greatest effect on the U-value. In this research, two regression equations for predicting U-value of window system were suggested, and the estimated standard errors of equations were 0.2569 in single window and 0.2039 in double window.

Abstract Although the designed theoretical value of U can be derived from the thermal parameters of layers composing an opaque element, according to ISO 6946:2007, measurements are necessary to confirm the expected behaviour. Currently, the measurements of thermal transmittance based on Heat Flow Meter method (HFM) and according to standard ISO 9869-1:2014 are widely accepted. Anyway, some issues related to difficulties in measurements are present: the roughness of wall surfaces, the proper contact between the heat flow plate and the temperature probes with wall surfaces, undesired changes in weather conditions. This work presents the results obtained in thermal transmittance measurements with a modified HFM method, widely described in this paper. Differences between U-values obtained with the modified HFM method and theoretical ones were in the range 0.6 - 6.5 %. Moreover, the modified HFM method provided a result closer to the theoretical one, when compared to that obtained with standard HFM method (discrepancy with theoretical value were 0.6% and 16.4%, respectively).

An accurate evaluation of the thermal transmittance ( U -value) of building envelope elements is fundamental for a reliable assessment of their thermal behaviour and energy efficiency. Simplified analytical methods to estimate the U -value of building elements could be very useful to designers. However, the analytical methods applied to lightweight steel framed (LSF) elements have some specific features, being more challenging to use and to obtain a reliable accurate U -value with. In this work, the main analytical methods available in the literature were identified, the calculation procedures were reviewed and their accuracy was evaluated and compared. With this goal, six analytical methods were used to estimate the U -values of 80 different LSF wall models. The obtained analytical U -values were compared with those provided by numerical simulations, which were used as reference U -values. The numerical simulations were performed using a 2D steady-state finite element method (FEM)-based software, THERM. The reliability of these numerical models was ensured by comparison with benchmark values and by an experimental validation. All the evaluated analytical methods showed a quite good accuracy performance, the worst accuracy being found in cold frame walls. The best and worst precisions were found in the Modified Zone Method and in the Gorgolewski Method 2, respectively. Very surprisingly, the ISO 6946 Combined Method showed a better average precision than other two methods, which were specifically developed for LSF elements.

This paper proposes an alternative experimental procedure that uses infrared thermography (IRT) for measuring the surface temperature of building elements, through which it is possible to approximate the thermal transmittance or the U-value. The literature review showed that all authors used similar procedures that require semi-stationary heat transfer conditions, which, in most cases, could not be achieved. The dynamic and the average methods that are given in ISO 9869 were also used with the IRT and the heat flux method (HFM). The dynamic method (DYNM) shows a higher level of accuracy compared to the average method (AVGM). Since the algorithm of the DYNM is more complicated than that of the AVGM, Microsoft Excel VBA was used to implement the algorithm of the DYNM. Using the procedure given in this paper, the U-value could be approximated within 0–30% of the design U-value. The use of IRT, in combination with the DYNM, could be used in-situ since the DYNM does not require stable boundary conditions. Furthermore, the procedure given in this paper could be used for relatively fast and inexpensive U-value approximation without the use of expensive equipment (e.g., heat flux sensors).

When assessing the hygrothermal performance of timber windows, it is important to apply the unique thermal conductivity of wood by each wood species as well as an anatomical direction within the same material as they affect the performance and long-term durability of products. A series of heat transfer analyses of window frames using THERM and WINDOW along with measurements on the thermal conductivity of five hardwoods using laser flash apparatus (LFA) was performed to compare and evaluate heat transmittance (U-value) and condensation resistance (CR) of three types of timber and hybrid timber windows. For each window type, 6.1 to 10.3% of the maximum difference in the heat transmittance among cases was calculated. Besides, a linear correlation was found between the U-value and the CR for most cases; thus, the selection of wood species and anatomical direction would improve the hygrothermal performance of timber windows overall. The results also indicated that there were some cases where the overall CR of windows did not improve because the U-value of the glazing system was not sufficiently low.

Today’s buildings are responsible for 40% of the world’s energy use and also a substantial share of the Global Warming Potential (GWP). In Sweden, about 21% of the energy use can be related to the heat losses through the climatic envelope. The “Million Program” (Swedish: Miljonprogrammet) is a common name for about one million housing units, erected between 1965 and 1974 and many of these buildings suffer from poor energy performance. An important aim of this study was to access the possibilities of using Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) in buildings with emphasis on the use of VIPs for improving the thermal efficiency of the “Million Program” buildings. The VIPs have a thermal resistance of about 8-10 times better than conventional insulations and offer unique opportunities to reduce the thickness of the thermal insulation. This thesis is divided into three main subjects. The first subject aims to investigate new alternative VIP cores that may reduce the market price of VIPs. Three newly developed nanoporous silica were tested using different steady-state and transient methods. A new self-designed device, connected to a Transient Plane Source (TPS) instrument was used to determine the thermal conductivity of granular powders at different gaseous pressure combined with different mechanical loads. The conclusion was that the TPS technique is less suitable for conducting thermal conductivity measurements on low-density nanoporous silica powders. However, deviations in the results are minimal for densities above a limit at which the pure conduction becomes dominant compared to heat transfer by radiation. The second subject of this work was to propose a new and robust VIP mounting system, with minimized thermal bridges, for improving the thermal efficiency of the “Million Program” buildings. On the basis of the parametric analysis and dynamic simulations, a new VIP mounting system was proposed and evaluated through full scale measurements in a climatic chamber. The in situ measurements showed that the suggested new VIP technical solution, consisting of 20mm thick VIPs, can improve the thermal transmittance of the wall, up to a level of 56%. An improved thermal transmittance of the wall at centre-of-panel coordinate of 0.118 to 0.132 W m-2K-1 and a measured centre-of-panel thermal conductivity (λcentre-of-panel) of 7 mW m-1K-1 were reached. Furthermore, this thesis includes a new approach to measure the thermal bridge impacts due to the VIP joints and laminates, through conducting infrared thermography investigations. An effective thermal conductivity of 10.9 mW m-1K-1 was measured. The higher measured centre-of-panel and effective thermal conductivities than the published centre-of-panel thermal conductivity of 4.2 mW m-1K-1 from the VIP manufacturer, suggest that the real thermal performance of VIPs, when are mounted in construction, is comparatively worse than of the measured performance in the laboratory. An effective thermal conductivity of 10.9 mW m-1K-1 will, however, provide an excellent thermal performance to the construction. The third subject of this thesis aims to assess the environmental impacts of production and operation of VIP-insulated buildings, since there is a lack of life cycle analysis of whole buildings with vacuum panels. It was concluded that VIPs have a greater environmental impact than conventional insulation, in all categories except Ozone Depilation Potential. The VIPs have a measurable influence on the total Global Warming Potential and Primary Energy use of the buildings when both production and operation are taken into account. However, the environmental effect of using VIPs is positive when compared to the GWP of a standard building (a reduction of 6%) while the PE is increased by 20%. It was concluded that further promotion of VIPs will benefit from reduced energy use or alternative energy sources in the production of VIP cores while the use of alternative cores and recycling of VIP cores may also help reduce the environmental impact. Also, a sensitivity analysis of this study showed that the choice of VIPs has a significant effect on the environmental impacts, allowing for a reduction of the total PE of a building by 12% and the GWP can be reduced as much as 11% when considering both production and operation of 50 yes. Finally, it’s possible to conclude that the VIPs are very competitive alternative for insulating buildings from the Swedish “Million Program”. Nevertheless, further investigations require for minimizing the measurable environmental impacts that acquired in this LCA study for the VIP-insulated buildings.<br>Dagens byggnader ansvarar för omkring 40% av världens energianvändning och  står också för en väsentlig del av utsläppen av växthusgaser. I Sverige kan ca 21 % av energianvändningen relateras till förluster genom klimatskalet. Miljonprogrammet är ett namn för omkring en miljon bostäder som byggdes mellan 1965 och 1974, och många av dessa byggnader har en dålig energiprestanda efter dagens mått. Huvudsyftet med denna studie har varit att utforska möjligheterna att använda vakuumisoleringspaneler (VIP:ar) i byggnader med viss fokus på tillämpning i Miljonprogrammets byggnader. Med en värmeledningsförmåga som är ca 8 - 10 gånger bättre än för traditionell isolering erbjuder VIP:arna unika möjligheter till förbättrad termisk prestanda med minimal isolerings tjocklek. Denna avhandling hade tre huvudsyften. Det första var att undersöka nya alternativ för kärnmaterial som bland annat kan reducera kostnaden vid produktion av VIP:ar. Tre nyutvecklade nanoporösa kiselpulver har testats med olika stationära och transienta metoder. En inom projektet utvecklad testbädd som kan anslutas till TPS instrument (Transient Plane Source sensor), har använts för att mäta värmeledningsförmågan hos kärnmaterial för VIP:ar, vid varierande gastryck och olika mekaniska laster. Slutsatsen blev att transienta metoder är mindre lämpliga för utföra mätningar av värmeledningsförmåga för nanoporösa kiselpulver låg densitet. Avvikelsen i resultaten är dock minimal för densiteter ovan en gräns då värmeledningen genom fasta material blir dominerande jämfört med värmeöverföring genom strålning. Det andra syftet har varit att föreslå ett nytt monteringssystem för VIP:ar som kan användas för att förbättra energieffektiviteten i byggnader som är typiska för Miljonprogrammet. Genom parametrisk analys och dynamiska simuleringar har vi kommit fram till ett förslag på ett nytt monteringssystem för VIP:ar som har utvärderats genom fullskaleförsök i klimatkammare. Resultaten från fullskaleförsöken visar att den nya tekniska lösningen förbättrar väggens U-värde med upp till 56 %. En förbättrad värmegenomgångskoefficienten för väggen i mitten av en VIP blev mellan 0.118 till 0,132 W m-2K-1 och värmeledningstalet centre-av-panel 7 mW m-1K-1 uppnåddes. Detta arbete innehåller dessutom en ny metod för att mäta köldbryggor i anslutningar med hjälp av infraröd termografi. En effektiv värmeledningsförmåga för 10.9 mW m-1K-1 uppnåddes. Resultaten tyder även på att den verkliga termiska prestandan av VIP:ar i konstruktioner är något sämre än mätvärden för paneler i laboratorium. En effektiv värmeledningsförmåga av 10.9 mW m-1K-1 ger dock väggkonstruktionen en utmärkt termisk prestanda. Det tredje syftet har varit att bedöma miljöpåverkan av en VIP-isolerad byggnad, från produktion till drift, eftersom en livscykelanalys av hela byggnader som är isolerade med vakuumisoleringspaneler inte har gjorts tidigare. Slutsatsen var att VIP:ar har en större miljöpåverkan än traditionell isolering, i alla kategorier förutom ozonnedbrytande potential. VIP:ar har en mätbar påverkan på de totala utsläppen av växthusgaser och primärenergianvändningen i byggnader när både produktion och drift beaktas. Miljöpåverkan av de använda VIP:arna är dock positiv jämfört med GWP av en standardbyggnad (en minskning med 6 %) medan primärenergianvändningen ökade med 20 %. Slutsatsen var att ytterligare användning av VIP:ar gynnas av reducerad energiförbrukning och alternativa energikällor i produktionen av nanoporösa kiselpulver medan användningen av alternativa kärnmaterial och återvinning av VIP kärnor kan hjälpa till att minska miljöpåverkan. En känslighetsanalys visade att valet av VIP:ar har en betydande inverkan på miljöpåverkan, vilket ger möjlighet att reducera den totala användningen av primärenergi i en byggnad med 12 % och utsläppen av växthusgaser kan vara minska, så mycket som 11 % när det gäller både produktion och drift under 50 år. Avslutningsvis är det möjligt att dra slutsatsen att VIP:ar är ett mycket konkurrenskraftigt alternativ för att isolera byggnader som är typiska för Miljonprogrammet. Dock krävs ytterligare undersökningar för att minimera de mätbara miljöeffekter som förvärvats i denna LCA-studie för VIP-isolerade byggnader.<br><p>QC 20151109</p><br>Simulations of heat and moisture conditions in a retrofit wall construction with Vacuum Insulation Panels<br>Textural and thermal conductivity properties of a low density mesoporous silica material<br>A study of the thermal conductivity of granular silica materials for VIPs at different levels of gaseous pressure and external loads<br>Evaluation of the thermal conductivity of a new nanoporous silica material for VIPs – trends of thermal conductivity versus density<br>A comparative study of the environmental impact of Swedish residential buildings with vacuum insulation panels<br>ETICS with VIPs for improving buildings from the Swedish million unit program “Miljonprogrammet”

PhD thesis in Steel and Composite Construction submitted to the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra<br>The improvement of the thermal performance of buildings envelope is essential to ensure the energy efficiency of buildings. One of the critical components regarding heat losses in a building is the external walls, due to its significant exposed area. Proper thermal performance of building envelope is crucial to provide good thermal behaviour and to obtain high energy efficiency, allowing a reduction in the buildings operating energy. The experimental characterisation of the overall thermal transmittance (U-value) of building elements, e.g., walls, windows and doors, with new geometries, configurations or materials, is crucial for predicting their thermal performance. It is also essential to measure the U-value of walls with new materials and with more elaborate designs since the correct estimation of this value is a critical requirement when performing building energy simulations models or energy audit. Inhomogeneous buildings elements, e.g. Lightweight Steel Framing (LSF) structures, represents a challenge to determining the thermal transmittance of the components, especially when placing the steel profiles in more than one direction. The determination of the thermal transmission properties of building elements can be done in several approaches, being the most accurate methodology the Hot Box (HB) method. This method allows performing the determination of the thermal performance of building elements, at steady state, by measuring the heat flux through the building components and the corresponding temperature differences across it. This method can test homogeneous or nonhomogeneous specimens, in a laboratory environment, and applies to building structures or composite assemblies, like e.g. walls with windows or doors. The Hot Box method was primarily planned for laboratory measurements of large nonhomogeneous specimens, allowing also testing homogeneous elements. Due to the growth of new construction processes in the last decades, with the use of, for example, walls with steel elements inside, and due to the investment needs in scientific research of new and more sustainable building systems, it is essential for that a laboratory has a Hot Box apparatus, to be able to carry out the study and characterisation of these components. This PhD thesis presents the construction of a Hot Box (HB) apparatus that allows the study heavily heterogeneous walls, e.g. LSF walls, with the potential of enabling to make several other future researches of different types of vertical elements. This is possible due to the high thermal conductance range of possible measurements (0.1 to 15 W/m2.K), large measurement area and the possibility of testing samples with considerable thicknesses. For archiving this goal, the equipment is versatile and allow different configurations, being simultaneously a Guarded and Calibrated Hot Box. Thus, to accomplish these objectives, the following points are addressed: (i) review state of the art; (ii) presentation of the HB design principles, requirements and test procedures; (iii) design solution, construction and calibration of the HB; (iv) LSF walls experimental and numerical studies.<br>A melhoria do desempenho térmico dos edifícios é essencial para garantir a eficiência energética dos edifícios. Um dos componentes mais importantes em termos de perdas de calor num edifício são as paredes externas, devido à sua significante área exposta. O desempenho térmico adequado da envolvente do edifício é crucial para proporcionar um bom comportamento térmico e obter alta eficiência energética, permitindo uma redução na energia operacional do edifício. A caracterização experimental do coeficiente de transmissão térmica global (valor U) dos elementos do edifício, por exemplo, paredes, janelas e portas, com novas geometrias, configurações ou materiais, é crucial para a previsão do seu desempenho térmico. Também é essencial medir o valor U das paredes com novos materiais e configurações mais complexas, uma vez que a estimativa correta desse valor é um requisito crítico ao executar modelos de simulação energética de edifícios ou auditoria energética. Os elementos não homogéneos de edifícios, com por exemplo as estruturas leves em aço enformado a frio (LSF), são um desafio na determinação da transmissão térmica dos elementos, especialmente quando os perfis de aço são colocados em mais do que uma direção. A determinação das propriedades de transmissão térmica dos elementos de construção pode ser feita por várias abordagens, sendo a metodologia mais precisa o método Hot Box (HB). Este método permite realizar a determinação do desempenho térmico dos elementos de um edifício, no estado estacionário, medindo o fluxo de calor que passa através dos componentes do edifício e as correspondentes diferenças de temperatura no elemento. Este método pode testar amostras homogêneas ou não-homogêneas, em um ambiente de laboratório, e aplica-se a estruturas de edifícios ou conjuntos compostos, como por exemplo paredes com janelas ou portas. O método da Hot Box foi feito, principalmente, para a realização de medições em laboratório de grandes amostras heterogéneas, permitindo também testar elementos homogêneos. Devido ao crescimento de novos processos construtivos nas últimas décadas, com o uso de, por exemplo, paredes com elementos de aço no seu interior, e devido às necessidades de investimento em investigação científica de novos sistemas construtivos mais sustentáveis, é imprescindível um laboratório ter uma Hot box, para poder realizar o estudo e caracterização destes componentes. Esta tese de doutorado apresenta a construção de uma Hot Box (HB) que permita o estudo de paredes fortemente heterogéneas, como por exemplo paredes LSF, com o potencial de permitir fazer vários outros tipos de estudos futuros, de diferentes tipos de elementos verticais. Isso é possível devido à elevada gama de mediação da condutância térmica (0,1 a 15 W/m2.K), grande área de medição e possibilidade de testar amostras com espessuras consideráveis. Para a realização deste objetivo, o equipamento deve ser versátil e permitir diferentes configurações, sendo em simultâneo uma Guarded e Calibrated Hot Box. Assim, para realização destes objetivos, são abordados os seguintes pontos: (i) revisão do estado da arte; (ii) apresentação dos princípios e requisitos de desenho da HB; (iii) solução do projeto, construção e calibração da HB; e (v) estudos experimentais e numéricos de paredes com estrutura LSF.

Structural insulated panels (SIPs) made by sandwiching an insulating material from both sides have been used in buildings to enhance thermal resistance without loss in structural integrity. New innovations to improve its compositeness are also being explored. One method is to use shear connector made of high thermal resistant and ductile materials. This connects two outer wythes through insulation layer. The outer material can be of any type of high compressive strength concrete. These are usually reinforced with steel or carbon or glass fiber. The use of light weight and high strength materials helps to reduce the overall thickness of the structure. As the material of shear connector acts as a thermal bridge across the outer wythes, materials with low U value (thermal transmittance) are preferred. In this paper, an attempt has been made to carry out a comparative study on the performance of SIPs with shear connectors manufactured using different materials.

Since their early development, the construction and outfitting of steel vessels have presented a unique challenge to the insulation designer in ensuring comfort and quality insulation treatments. The drive to make large commercial and military sea-going vessels lighter, faster, and stronger invariably contributes to complexities of stiffening members, compartmentalization, and system integration. In so doing, the designer must first balance the cost of thermal insulation treatments against several competing factors: the capacity of heating and cooling equipment, the cost of this equipment, and the cost of energy to meet thermal requirements. In the past, the US shipbuilding industry has relied on a fixed table of maximum allowable thermal transmittance values, or “U” values, to determine the thickness of insulation for particular configurations. In this paper, the authors show that these “U” values are inadequate, in comparison to current standards for the use of thermal insulation on walls and envelopes in building construction, and that a selective increase in insulation thicknesses used on ships can reduce the weight of fuel and equipment for space heating and cooling. The authors also propose that the insulation designer be encouraged to incorporate different methods of estimating heat flows given specific environmental conditions and stiffener configurations compared with long-held industry standards. These methods include computer-assisted Finite Element Analysis, recognition of varying extreme conditions, and actual stiffener configurations that contribute to thermal flows. With these changes, the insulation systems for US built ships could be improved thermally, the total ship weight could be reduced, and the insulation systems could be installed more quickly, thereby reducing the cost of construction.