Measuring Thermal Performance of Building Envelopes: Nine Case Studies,
Abstract
Nine buildings at Ft. Devens were the object of a study employing heat flux sensors, thermocouples, a computer-controlled data acquisition system and infrared thermography. The purpose was to measure the R-values of those buildings to determine their economic potential for improved insulation. The sample included four frame buildings, two masonry buildings, and three frame buildings with brick facing. The technique for measuring R-values proved repeatable and accurate within 15%. Sampling a small representative sample sufficiently characterizes the entire stock of buildings. Measurement is more important for poorly insulated buildings, since the beginning R-value has a drastic impact on the budget for a cost-effective reinsulation project. At Ft. Devens, installing an external Styrofoam insulation system on concrete block barracks has a savings-to-investment ratio of about 1.4. Additional keywords: Cost analysis; Economic analysis; Heat flow sensors; Life cycle costs; Thermal insulation; Thermal measurement; and Energy conservation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA155083
Entities
People
- S. N. Flanders
Organizations
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory