BUILDING PHYSICS

INTRODUCTION
& HEAT TRANSFER IN
BUILDINGS

LECTURE – 1 ( Part 1 & 2 )

COURSE INSTRUCTOR:
AR.FATIMA SHER
 Part - 1
Introduction
 Introduction to Building Physics

Study of physical interaction of factors such as heat, air movement,

sun movement, noise, light and buildings.

Course Objective:
• The goal of this course is to introduce students with the basics that are
important for an effective and satisfactory environment in a building
design. design.

• The topics that will be taught, will form a strong foundation for the
students.

• Topics include understanding of a building envelope, a review of basic

theories of heat transfer in buildings, thermal comfort of occupants,
impact of airflow on site and shelter, importance of daylighting in
building design, considerations for acoustical design and the
significance of photometry and visual comfort in a building design.
 BACKGROUND
• Prior to 1800’s, architecture was characterized by abundant
resources and limited technology.

• Building envelope was the mediator between the interior

and exterior environment.

• The building envelope includes all the building components

that separate the indoors from the outdoors. Building
envelopes include the exterior walls, foundations, roof,
windows and doors.

• The performance of the building envelope is impacted by a

number of sub‐systems, such as thermal qualities and
ventilation, materials, plumbing and electrical systems etc.
 BACKGROUND

• With the industrial revolution, designers were free

from constraints that determined their building form.

• The pioneers of modern movement reacting to

ornamental excesses, used freedom from industrial
revolution and explored new building forms.
 Climate Adapted Combination Climate Rejecting
Building Building

Increased energy usage was the price of these climate rejecting

buildings that freed architecture from the constraints of climate and
site.
 Oil Embargo
• As long as energy was abundant and cheap, the depletion
of non-renewable energy resources were ignored by
architects and clients alike.

• Furthermore the study of buildings and energy

use was usually devoted to a consideration of the
energy required to operate buildings, and the
energy required to build, alter and maintain
buildings was overlooked.

• Till 1950’s, heat resistant glazing, mechanical heating

and air conditioning were developed which allowed the
architects to ignore climate.

• The oil embargo 1973 was a rude awakening that

brought energy costs to the public consciousness.
• During the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, Arab
members of the Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
imposed an embargo against the United
States in retaliation for the U.S. OPEC
members also extended the embargo to
other countries that supported Israel.

• The onset of the embargo contributed to

an upward spiral in oil prices and
stagnation in economy with global
implications.

• In the field of Architecture and Urban

Design , it triggered new measures that
focused on energy conservation,
energy efficiency, renewable energy
and low energy architectural design
etc.
 Building Physics as a Field
• Until the1973, Building Physics was a rather dormant field in
Architecture.

• Energy was not even a concern, while thermal comfort and

indoor environmental quality were presumably guaranteed.

• The crises of the 1970s, persisting moisture problems,

complaints about sick buildings (Sick building syndrome (SBS)
is a condition in which people in a building suffer from symptoms
of illness or become infected with chronic disease from the
building in which they work or reside. It is attributed to poor
indoor air quality) thermal, visual and olfactory discomfort, and
the move towards more sustainability changed all that.

• At the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium, lecturing in

Building Physics started in1952. This made that university the
pioneer of the subject.
 Part - 2
Heat Transfer in
Buildings
 HEAT TRANSFER
Heat always flow from warmer to cooler substances.
If there is no temperature difference, there can be no heat
transfer.

This equalizing of temperature is caused by three types of heat

transfer.

1. Conduction
2. Radiation
3. Convection

Conduction, Convection, and Radiation heat transfer take place

almost everywhere we look.
 Conduction
In conduction there is
transfer of vibrating energy
between adjacent molecules.
The transfer is from warmer
region to the cooler region.
The transfer occurs equally
in any direction and is
independent of gravity.
 Measuring Conduction

The heat transferred through a substance by conduction is

measured by thermal conductivity (k).

Thermal conductivity is amount of heat transferred by

conduction through a substance of a given thickness in a
given time when a given temperature is applied to a given
area. Its unit are (Btu/in)/(sqft ,hr ,ºF.)
It is a general rule, the denser the material
the more readily it will conduct heat.

• Metals are excellent conductors.

• Concrete and masonry are good conductors.

• Solid wood is less conductive.

• Air (and other common gases) are poor conductors and

thus good insulators.

• Porous materials (wool, fiberglass, rigid foams) are good

insulators
 Factors affecting Conduction
1. Density- greater the density, less air entrained, the
more heat conducted.

2. Temperature difference- greater the difference on each

side of material the more heat conducted

3. Thickness- less the thickness, the more heat

conducted.( How far is the heat flowing)

4. Exposed area- greater the area of substance exposed,

the more heat conducted.

5. Duration- The longer the exposure, the more heat

conducted.
 Thermal Storage
Specific
• The amount of heat stored in
Material heat
an object is called thermal Btu/lbº
storage and the measure of F
the ability of a material to store Wool fabric 0.32
heat is called specific heat.
Wood, Oak 0.30

• The Unit of specific heat is Water 1.00

Btu/lb ºF. Steel 0.12

Limestone 0.22
• Massive/Dense materials (e.g.
concrete block) store Glass 0.18
significant amount of heat and
Concrete 0.21
are slow to warm up or cool
down. Brick 0.20

Aluminum 0.21
 Convection

Convection is the transfer of

energy by a moving fluid
medium (e.g. air or water).
Air movement in a building
can be either forced (e.g. by
using fan) or can be natural
(e.g. movement due to
pressure difference between
one part of the building to
another).
 Convection
• In Convection the energy is transferred by the physical
relocation of the molecules as the fluid moves. i.e. if
liquids or gases are heated, the molecules vibrate faster
and faster, as a result the molecules separate themselves
further apart. Liquids and gases become less dense and
more buoyant.
 Infiltration in Convection
Infiltration is accidental/unintentional or intentional flow of
outside air into the buildings. It is a major source of convective heat
transfer through envelope.

Infiltration is due to exterior wind conditions. As wind flows over

and around the building, air pressure becomes greater on the
windward side and less on the leeward side. Outside air enters in
the building from the windward openings (windows, doors, cracks)
causing infiltration while inside air moves out from the leeward
openings which causing exfiltration.
 Radiation

• The transfer of heat by

electromagnetic waves is
thermal radiation. When
the molecules on the
surface vibrate they give
off/emit radiant energy.
• When these waves (from the
sun, for example) hit an
object, they transfer their
heat to that object.
• All substances radiate energy in all directions. Even a cool
surface radiates energy to warmer surfaces. However the
cooler surface receives far more energy from a warmer
surface.

• Radiation can occur in a complete vacuum (no molecular

medium is required).

• The energy is transferred via waves, not particles. Radiation

travels at a constant speed.

• Like conduction energy is transferred from a warmer to

cooler substance and is independent of gravity and occurs
equally in all directions.
 Behavior of Radiation

• When radiant energy strikes a

surface, any combination of three
things can occur.

1. It can be absorbed and converted

into thermal energy, thus warming
the surface. This is called
absorptance.
2. It can be reflected back out away
from substance. This is called
reflectance.
3. It can be transmitted if the
substance is transparent. This is
called transmittance.
 Measuring Radiation

• Radiation is measured by Radiant flux or radiant power which

is the radiant energy emitted, reflected, transmitted or received,
per unit time. Its units are Btu/h,sqft.

Emissivity

• Emissivity is the measure of the ability of a surface to emit

radiation at a given surface temperature. At any given temperature
a surface emissivity is equal to its absorptance.

 Polished metallic surfaces are poor emitters.

 Most common building materials are good absorbers as well as
good emitters.
 Greenhouse effect
• On a clear day the atmosphere of the earth is comparatively transparent to
solar radiation. After passing through the atmosphere the solar radiation
strikes some terrestrial surfaces and is either reflected (about 20%) or
absorbed (about 80%).

• Greenhouse effect is the

warming of Earth’s surface
and troposphere (the lowest
layer of the atmosphere) caused
by the presence of water
vapor, carbon dioxide, methane,
chlorofluorocarbons and certain
other gases in the air. Of those
gases, known as greenhouse
gases, water vapor has the
largest effect.
• The amount of moisture in the air has profound effect on the
greenhouse effect since warm air can hold more water than cold
air, it can prevent thermal radiation (heat) from escaping from
urban areas.

• Without the heating caused by the greenhouse effect, Earth’s

average surface temperature would be only about −18 °C (0 °F).
Although the greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring
phenomenon, but the effect is intensified by the emission of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as the result of human
activity.

• Green house effect is also present in some building materials and

can afterwards contribute to heat island effect.
• One major impact of Green house effect is Global Warming, which is
gradual increase in the earth's temperature. As a result of this
Scientists are observing changes in the Earth’s climate in every region and
across the whole climate system. This is causing changes which are
unprecedented and irreversible, and can result in long lasting devastating
effects.
 Heat Island Effect
• The urban heat island is one of the most important manifestations of
the urban climate, and has been the subject of much research since it
was first described for the city of London by Luke Howard in 1818.

• A substantial difference in temperature may be observed between a

city and its surrounding rural areas, with maximum values recorded at
or near the densest part of the urban areas. This is called urban heat
island effect.
 Heat Island Effect

• Urban heat islands may be observed both at the surface - surface heat
islands, and in the atmosphere in and above the city - atmospheric
heat islands.

Causes
• 1- Built Environment - Heat islands
form as vegetation is replaced by
asphalt roads, buildings, and other
structures necessary to accommodate
growing populations. These surfaces
absorb, rather than reflect the sun's
heat radiations, causing temperatures to
rise. Displacing trees and vegetation
minimizes the natural cooling effects of
shading and evaporation of water from
soil and leaves.
• 2- Trapped Air - Tall buildings and narrow streets can heat up the
air trapped between them and reduce air flow causing rise in
temperature.

• 3- Waste heat - Vehicles, factories, and mechanical means may add

warmth to their surroundings, further aggravating the heat island
effect.

• 4- Size and shape of cities—Aerodynamically, cities have a very

different shape than rural areas. Building heaights act as obstacles and
reduce wind speeds.

• 5- Urban deserts—Cities can be thought of as virtual deserts with

almost no vegetation and materials that are almost completely
impermeable to rain. This combination leads to a lack of
evapotranspiration which increases heat.
• 6- Urban canyons—The tall canyons
formed by city buildings trap radiant
energy in their walls. Areas with denser and
taller buildings will more rapidly develop
heat islands.

• 7- Urban haze—The haze of air pollution

that hangs over many cities can act as a
miniature greenhouse layer, preventing
outgoing thermal radiation (heat) from
escaping from urban areas.

• 8- Anthropogenic heat—The release of

heat from the burning of fossil fuels can
also raise urban temperatures. E.g. On a
typical winter day, Manhattan, New York
releases four times more energy from
burning fossil fuels than the amount of
energy that comes into the urban area from
the Sun.
 Assignment
Title of assignment: “Strategies in Architectural Field to
combat Urban Heat Island and Greenhouse Effect .

• You are required to make a PowerPoint poster.

• Write strong points ( not paragraphs ).

• Make sub headings.

• Add images.

• Attach 1 infographic image. Image should not be No such images

immature. It should have a strong message and
should be very clear. Find good resolution pictures
for your posters, in which images and text should be
readable and clear.
 Assignment
Example of Infographic
Assignment Example