Technical Environmental Systems

Assignment 3

Soumitra
10764967
Part A: Solve example D (Heat loss through a composite wall), while:
A) increasing the thickness of the foam from 3 cm to 5 cm (thus, 2 cm of increment)
Considering 1m modules
Afoam = 1 x 0.25 = 0.25 m2
Ap1 = Ap2 = 1 x 0.25 = 0.25 m2
Ab = 1 x 0.22 = 0.22 m2
Apb1 = Apb2 = 1 x 0.015 = 0.015 m2
Aconv1 = Aconv2 = 0.25 m2

Parallel layers
Rbrick = Lb/ (kb x Ab) = 0.16 / (0.72 x 0.22) = 1.01 °C/W
Rpb1 = Lpb1/ (kpb1 x Apb1) = 0.16 / (0.22 x 0.015) = 48.48 °C/W = Rpb2
1/Rparallel = 1/Rbrick + 1/Rpb1 + 1/Rpb2 = 1/1.01 + 2/48.48 = 0.97 °C/W

Rconv1 = 1/ (h1 x Aconv1) = 1/ (10 x 0.25) = 0.4 °C/W

Rconv2 = 1/ (h2 x Aconv2) = 1/ (40 x 0.25) = 0.1 °C/W
Rfoam = Lf/ (kf x Af) = 0.05 / (0.026 x 0.25) = 7.69 °C/W
Rp1 = Lp1/ (kp1 x Ap1) = 0.02 / (0.22 x 0.25) = 0.363 °C/W
Rp2 = Rp1 = 0.363 °C/W
Rtotal = Rf + Rp1 + Rparallel + Rp2 + Rconv1 + Rconv2 = 7.69+0.363+0.97+0.363+0.4+0.1 = 9.89 °C/W

Heat transfer through 1 module = 20-(-10) / 9.89 = 3.03 W

Total number of modules = 60
Qwall = 3.03 x 60 = 182W
B) increasing the thickness of the brick (and thus also the plaster) from 16 cm to 18 cm (thus, 2 cm
of increment)
Considering 1m modules
Afoam = 1 x 0.25 = 0.25 m2
Ap1 = Ap2 = 1 x 0.25 = 0.25 m2
Ab = 1 x 0.22 = 0.22 m2
Apb1 = Apb2 = 1 x 0.015 = 0.015 m2
Aconv1 = Aconv2 = 0.25 m2

Parallel layers
Rbrick = Lb/ (kb x Ab) = 0.18 / (0.72 x 0.22) = 1.136 °C/W
Rpb1 = Lpb1/ (kpb1 x Apb1) = 0.18 / (0.22 x 0.015) = 54.54 °C/W = Rpb2
1/Rparallel = 1/Rbrick + 1/Rpb1 + 1/Rpb2 = 1/1.136 + 2/54.54 = 0.9 °C/W

Rconv1 = 1/ (h1 x Aconv1) = 1/ (10 x 0.25) = 0.4 °C/W

Rconv2 = 1/ (h2 x Aconv2) = 1/ (40 x 0.25) = 0.1 °C/W
Rfoam = Lf/ (kf x Af) = 0.03 / (0.026 x 0.25) = 4.615 °C/W
Rp1 = Lp1/ (kp1 x Ap1) = 0.02 / (0.22 x 0.25) = 0.363 °C/W
Rp2 = Rp1 = 0.363 °C/W
Rtotal = Rf + Rp1 + Rparallel + Rp2 + Rconv1 + Rconv2 = 4.615 +0.363+0.9+0.363+0.4+0.1 = 6.74 °C/W

Heat transfer through 1 module = 20-(-10) / 6.74 = 4.45 W

Total number of modules = 60
Qwall = 4.45 x 60 = 267 W

Conclusion:
On increasing the thickness of the foam, the thermal resistance increases, and hence heat transfer through
the wall decreases.
On increasing the thickness of the brick and the plaster, the thermal resistance increases slightly and hence
the heat transfer decreases slightly.
 The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters, 2012

California, United States of America.

Materials Used:
1. Recycling or reuse of approximately 95% of the materials from the previous buildings on site. The
Foundation understood that debris from demolition is one of the larger contributors to landfill waste
and wanted to reduce this impact.
2. Wood/steel hybrid structure and wood-framed walls were used to reduce embodied carbon
emissions. (461 USD/metric tonne)
3. Concrete mix with 70 percent cement replacement using slag. (around 30% reduction in cost). The
addition of slag decreases the thermal conductivity by 20-23%.
4. FSC-certified or salvaged wood including wood veneer sourced from Eucalyptus trees
felled nearby. (5.43 USD - 31 USD/metre based on thickness)
5. Mt. Moriah stone from the border of Utah and Nevada (0.39 USD/lb)
6. 75-percent recycled exterior copper. (2.94 USD/lb)

Some materials with low U-Value:

1. Wood Fibre: Available in boards, semi-rigid boards
Thermal Conductivity: 0.038 W/m.K
2. Cellular Glass: Available in boards
Thermal Conductivity: 0.041 W/m.K
3. Expanded Polystyrene: Available in boards, loose fill
Thermal Conductivity: 0.034-0.038 W/m.K

If I were to design a Net Zero Energy Building, I would strongly recommend the use of Cross Laminated
Timber in the walls. It is a wooden panel product made from gluing together layers of solid-sawn timber.
The major advantages of CLT in a Net ZEB are as follows:
1. Flexibility: The thickness can easily be changed by adding more layers and the length can be
increased by joining panels together.
2. Prefabrication: The CLT walls can be assembled at factory, thereby reducing transportation costs
and time.
3. Thermal Insulation: Being made up of several layers, CLT provides high thermal insulation (0.13
W/mK). - similar to aircrete blockwork and better then concrete blockwork or brickwork.
4. Light material: The lightness of CLT panels results in usage of smaller foundations.
References:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-laminated_timber
2. https://www.greenspec.co.uk/building-design/crosslam-timber-performance-
characteristics/#:~:text=Thermal%20conductivity%20(%CE%BB%20lambanda%20v
alue,element%20to%20a%20higher%20performance.
3. https://www.greenspec.co.uk/building-design/insulation-materials-thermal-properties/
4. https://www.aiatopten.org/node/403
5. https://www.earthstonerock.com/Mount-Moriah-Quartz-Flagstone-s/496.htm