Practical Methods for Efficient Estimation of Effective Thermal Resistance of Exterior Walls

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Studies have shown that the residential sector is responsible for about 18% of Canada's energy consumption, nearly 60% of which is attributed to space heating. The space heating energy consumption of homes places heavy burdens on users in terms of energy costs, on the energy infrastructure in terms of high peak demand, and on the environment in terms of GHG emissions due to the burning of fossil fuel. These matters have led to a focus on improving the energy efficiency of Canadian dwellings. Improving the thermal performance of exterior walls can help reduce the energy consumption of buildings. To achieve this goal, designers require explicit guidelines and simple methods to predict walls' effective thermal resistance (R-value) in different configurations. Currently, the options to calculate the R-values of masonry walls consist of overly simplifiedassumptions that often lead to inaccurate results, or expensive and time-consuming numerical modeling. The proposed project focuses on developing simple yet accurate models to estimate the effective thermal resistance of different wall systems, using analytical and statistical approaches. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop innovative tools (e.g., calculation methods and their online user interfaces) and provide intuitive guidelines (e.g., design charts) that are universal, easy to use, and cost-free for the building industry. These outputs will improve the energy and material efficiencies of building envelopes, increase productivity and lower costs in building design, and enhance the business and technical competency of the Canadian building industry. The project outcomes consist of economic diversification and technological development in the building construction sector. From the environmental perspective, these methods and tools will reduce the embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions of Canadian buildings.