2023-10-10 17:00:09
Like thermal insulation, thermal inertia is another resource that contributes to the reduction of energy consumption and greater well-being for the occupants of a home.
For those who have never heard of this term, thermal inertia It could be defined as the capacity of a building or material to store and conserve heat.despite temperature changes outside.
The most important thing about thermal inertia is that one of its great benefits is the consumption savings in heating and even cooling (air conditioning, fans…) maintaining a stable temperature in the interior spaces throughout the day. At Healthy Housing we are going to tell you a little more about this passive and environmentally friendly measure:
How does thermal inertia work?
As we have mentioned, thermal inertia allows the temperature to be maintained stable throughout the day, in interior habitable spaces. For example, in summer a wall that has great thermal inertia will absorb heat from solar radiation and, at night, when ventilated, it will progressively dissipate. The next morning, said wall has reduced its temperature, to begin the cycle again. This process reduces the need for refrigeration equipment.
During winter, the wall that has good thermal inertia It will absorb the sun’s heat during the day and then slowly release it when night comes and temperatures drop outside, thus keeping the home at a comfortable temperature and reducing the use of heating systems, with the energy savings that this entails.
How do you get thermal inertia to work?
Basically, for this resource to work, it requires specific materials with a high density and larger thicknesses in the construction of the facilities. Specifically, they should be used materials with great inertia or heat capacity such as water, granite, dry earth or adobe.
Other more common materials in construction that also have an acceptable heat capacity are wood, brick or concrete.
A clear example of architectural systems whose operation is based on thermal inertia are the plant covers, which we are already seeing in many buildings in large cities. Thanks to the thermal inertia of the earth, which has a temperature-buffering effect, it reduces the input and output of energy through the plant cover. Another example is the so-called walls trombe. This type of architectural element absorbs and accumulates heat inside and slowly transmits it to the room thanks to its thermal mass.
Suitable for all homes?
It should be noted that the thermal inertia It is not suitable in all cases, such as in spaces that are not used continuously.. An example is weekend houses, because they take a longer time to heat up. We must also keep in mind that, if we want to take advantage of this property, we will have to take it into account from the design of the home itself.
Definitely, energy saving and thermal comfort These are the two great benefits that thermal inertia brings to a home, and it is especially beneficial in climates where significant thermal oscillations occur between day and night.
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