Lecture Notes – Section 1: Introduction to Thermal Concepts (Extended

Version)
Good morning, everyone. I hope you’re ready to explore one of the most fascinating and
essential aspects of building science — thermal properties. In this session, we’re going to
talk about heat: how it moves, how materials respond to it, and why understanding its
behavior is absolutely foundational for anyone aspiring to design buildings that are not
just beautiful or structurally sound — but also comfortable, energy-efficient, and climate-
appropriate.

Our goal today is not just to memorize formulas or definitions, but to develop a deep,
intuitive sense of how thermal dynamics shape our built environments. This is not theory
for theory’s sake — this is practical, real-world, everyday design logic. By the end of this
lecture, I want each of you to start looking at walls, roofs, and windows as thermal
devices — each one with a role in shaping the internal climate of a building.

1. What is Heat?
Let’s begin at the beginning. What is heat?
Heat is energy in motion. It’s the transfer of energy from one point to another due to a
temperature difference. You can’t see it directly, but you can feel it. On a hot day, when
you enter a building and feel relief, or when you touch a metal surface and recoil, that’s
heat talking to you — through your skin, your breath, your sweat.

In building science, heat always flows from a region of higher temperature to a region of
lower temperature. This is a universal rule. It flows until equilibrium is reached — until
both sides have equal temperatures. And the movement of this heat happens through three
main mechanisms:

1. Conduction – This is the transfer of heat through solids. It’s what happens when heat
moves through the walls, floors, or roof of a building. The molecules in the hot part of the
material start to vibrate, and they pass on that energy to neighboring molecules. It’s a
slow chain reaction, molecule by molecule.

2. Convection – This is heat transfer in fluids — which includes gases like air. It’s what
happens when warm air rises and cooler air sinks, creating air currents. This is critical for
ventilation design and natural cooling strategies.

3. Radiation – This is heat transfer via electromagnetic waves. The sun warms your skin
not by conduction or convection, but by radiation. You don’t need to touch it. Radiant
heat can pass through windows and even vacuum — it’s the most direct and least
obstructed form of heat transfer.
2. Why is Thermal Control Important?
Now, why does any of this matter in architecture? Why do we care how heat moves?

Because buildings are like giant heat filters. Every material you choose either helps or
hinders the flow of heat. And this has real consequences — for comfort, for energy use,
for cost, for environmental impact.
Thermal control helps us create spaces that are stable, efficient, and adaptable to climate.
Without it, a building becomes a trap — overheating in the sun, freezing at night,
consuming energy to fight what could have been designed around.

So what does good thermal design do?

 • It reduces dependence on mechanical heating and cooling systems

 • It allows passive strategies like natural ventilation or daylight heating to thrive
 • It cuts down energy bills and carbon footprints
 • It creates healthier, more consistent indoor environments
 • And most importantly, it puts control in the hands of the architect — not the air
conditioner manufacturer

3. Key Thermal Definitions

Let’s break down some essential concepts. These are the foundation stones of thermal
design. You’ll see them again and again — not just in exams, but in real projects and
professional practice.

• Thermal Conductivity (k): This is how fast a material allows heat to pass through it.
Think of it as a road. If it’s wide and smooth (like metal), heat zips through. If it’s narrow
and rough (like wool), heat slows down. Conductivity is measured in W/m·K. High
values mean high conductivity.

• Thermal Resistance (R-value): This tells you how good a material is at resisting heat.
It’s the opposite of conductivity. A high R-value means it’s a great insulator. The formula
is simple: R = d / k, where d is thickness and k is conductivity.

• Thermal Transmittance (U-value): This is the inverse of resistance — it measures how

much heat flows through an entire building element. The lower the U-value, the better. It
combines the R-values of all layers: U = 1 / R_total.

• Heat Capacity (C): This is the total amount of heat a material can hold. Materials like
concrete and brick store heat well — they change temperature slowly. This is why we use
them in thermal mass strategies.
4. Visualizing Heat Flow in Buildings
Let’s move from concept to application. The building envelope — the skin of the
building — is the interface where all these principles meet. Heat flows through it, around
it, and sometimes gets trapped inside it. A well-designed envelope manages that flow.

When you analyze a wall or a roof for thermal performance, you’re really analyzing
layers:

 • The exterior finish — which might reflect or absorb solar heat

 • The insulation layer — which resists the flow of heat
 • The structural core — like concrete or brick, which may have thermal mass
 • The interior finish — which affects how heat is stored or radiated inward

Each of these has a thermal role. And the total R-value — and thus the U-value — tells
you how that assembly will perform in real-world conditions.

5. Thermal Behavior of Real Materials

Let’s look at some common materials and how they behave thermally. You’ll see a wide
range in performance, and this informs every decision from roof tiles to floor slabs.

 • Copper – 400 W/m·K: Incredibly conductive. Great for wires, terrible for walls.
 • Steel – 50 W/m·K: Strong, but very conductive. Needs thermal breaks in frames.
 • Concrete – 1.4 W/m·K: Moderate conductor. Offers thermal mass benefits.
 • Brick – 0.6 W/m·K: Good mass, reasonable insulation.
 • Wood – 0.12 W/m·K: Naturally insulative and breathable.
 • Mineral Wool – 0.04 W/m·K: Excellent for insulation cavities.
 • EPS – 0.03 W/m·K: Very effective, light, but not breathable.

6. Summary and Reflection

Today, we’ve explored how heat moves, how materials respond to it, and why it’s critical
to think thermally when designing. You now understand the difference between a good
conductor and a good insulator, and how each plays a role in the story of comfort and
efficiency.

As you walk around campus or through your neighborhood this week, I want you to start
noticing materials. Feel them. Think about how they perform. Does that tin roof trap
heat? Do thick stone walls keep interiors cool? Use your body as a thermal sensor —
because that’s what your future users will do.

In our next session, we’ll go deeper — looking at specific material comparisons, layered
assemblies, and how to use R-values and U-values in design calculations.
Remember: design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about physics. And physics starts with
heat.