SR116 Energy efficiency of buildings with heavy walls (2007)

This project follows an earlier study that found that wall thermal mass reduced annual heating energy use by approximately 7% and reduced overheating by more than 70% (235 hours), based on measurements from the side-by-side test buildings at Lincoln University. It was hypothesised that the energy savings would have been much greater if the buildings had been maintained within the same comfort zones and if the windows had been larger.

The project utilised a side-by-side test building facility built previously at Lincoln University. The main objective of the project was to use the test buildings to determine the potential energy savings from using high-mass concrete walls in New Zealand homes.