IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i13p5687-d1428301.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Application of the Heat Flow Meter Method and Extended Average Method to Improve the Accuracy of In Situ U-Value Estimations of Highly Insulated Building Walls

Author

Listed:
  • Ye-Ji Lee

    (Department of Architectural Design and Engineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea)

  • Ji-Hoon Moon

    (Department of Architectural Design and Engineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea)

  • Doo-Sung Choi

    (Department of Building Equipment System and Fire Protection Engineering, Chungwoon University, Incheon 22100, Republic of Korea)

  • Myeong-Jin Ko

    (Department of Building System Technology, Daelim University College, Anyang 13916, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

In the context of remodeling old buildings, enhancing insulation performance in the exterior skin necessitates an accurate assessment of a wall’s thermal performance. The conventional method for determining the thermal transmittance (U-value) of a wall is the heat flow meter (HFM) as outlined in the ISO 9869-1. However, this measurement is susceptible to errors influenced by indoor and outdoor environmental conditions and the wall’s material composition. This study evaluates the U-value of an internally insulated wall, specifically constructed for this purpose, utilizing both the average and dynamic methodologies of an HFM. Furthermore, it introduces a novel estimation method: the extended average method (EXAM). The effectiveness of this proposed method is ascertained by comparing the accuracy and convergence of the U-value estimations with those derived from existing methodologies. Additionally, the study explores the limitations of the HFM by analyzing the heat flow traversing the interior of a wall. The findings revealed that the EXAM method enhanced the precision of U-value estimation in all scenarios. Particularly, in walls with superior insulation, the HFM tended to underestimate the heat flow observed indoors, leading to negative errors. The EXAM method, incorporating considerations of both insulation and structural materials, offers an accurate in situ measurement of the U-value relative to the HFM.

Suggested Citation

  • Ye-Ji Lee & Ji-Hoon Moon & Doo-Sung Choi & Myeong-Jin Ko, 2024. "Application of the Heat Flow Meter Method and Extended Average Method to Improve the Accuracy of In Situ U-Value Estimations of Highly Insulated Building Walls," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5687-:d:1428301
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5687/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5687/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rasooli, Arash & Itard, Laure, 2019. "In-situ rapid determination of walls’ thermal conductivity, volumetric heat capacity, and thermal resistance, using response factors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Albatici, Rossano & Tonelli, Arnaldo M. & Chiogna, Michela, 2015. "A comprehensive experimental approach for the validation of quantitative infrared thermography in the evaluation of building thermal transmittance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 218-228.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rossano Albatici & Alessia Gadotti & Christian Baldessari & Michela Chiogna, 2016. "A Decision Making Tool for a Comprehensive Evaluation of Building Retrofitting Actions at the Regional Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Doo Sung Choi & Myeong Jin Ko, 2017. "Comparison of Various Analysis Methods Based on Heat Flowmeters and Infrared Thermography Measurements for the Evaluation of the In Situ Thermal Transmittance of Opaque Exterior Walls," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-22, July.
    3. Rasooli, Arash & Itard, Laure, 2019. "In-situ rapid determination of walls’ thermal conductivity, volumetric heat capacity, and thermal resistance, using response factors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Bienvenido-Huertas, David & Moyano, Juan & Rodríguez-Jiménez, Carlos E. & Marín, David, 2019. "Applying an artificial neural network to assess thermal transmittance in walls by means of the thermometric method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 1-14.
    5. Seo-Hoon Kim & Jung-Hun Lee & Jong-Hun Kim & Seung-Hwan Yoo & Hak-Geun Jeong, 2018. "The Feasibility of Improving the Accuracy of In Situ Measurements in the Air-Surface Temperature Ratio Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-18, July.
    6. Cárdenas-Ramírez, Carolina & Gómez, Maryory A. & Jaramillo, Franklin & Cardona, Andrés F. & Fernández, Angel G. & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2022. "Experimental steady-state and transient thermal performance of materials for thermal energy storage in building applications: From powder SS-PCMs to SS-PCM-based acrylic plaster," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    7. O'Grady, Małgorzata & Lechowska, Agnieszka A. & Harte, Annette M., 2017. "Quantification of heat losses through building envelope thermal bridges influenced by wind velocity using the outdoor infrared thermography technique," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 1038-1052.
    8. David Bienvenido-Huertas, 2020. "Assessing the Environmental Impact of Thermal Transmittance Tests Performed in Façades of Existing Buildings: The Case of Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-18, August.
    9. Martin, Miguel & Chong, Adrian & Biljecki, Filip & Miller, Clayton, 2022. "Infrared thermography in the built environment: A multi-scale review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    10. Al-Awsh, Waleed A. & Qasem, Naef A.A. & Al-Amoudi, Omar S. Baghabra & Al-Osta, Mohammed A., 2020. "Experimental and numerical investigation on innovative masonry walls for industrial and residential buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    11. Doo Sung Choi & Myeong Jin Ko, 2019. "Analysis of Convergence Characteristics of Average Method Regulated by ISO 9869-1 for Evaluating In Situ Thermal Resistance and Thermal Transmittance of Opaque Exterior Walls," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-18, May.
    12. Seo-Hoon Kim & Jong-Hun Kim & Hak-Geun Jeong & Kyoo-Dong Song, 2018. "Reliability Field Test of the Air–Surface Temperature Ratio Method for In Situ Measurement of U-Values," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-15, March.
    13. Víctor Echarri-Iribarren & Cristina Sotos-Solano & Almudena Espinosa-Fernández & Raúl Prado-Govea, 2019. "The Passivhaus Standard in the Spanish Mediterranean: Evaluation of a House’s Thermal Behaviour of Enclosures and Airtightness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-25, July.
    14. Bienvenido-Huertas, David & Moyano, Juan & Marín, David & Fresco-Contreras, Rafael, 2019. "Review of in situ methods for assessing the thermal transmittance of walls," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 356-371.
    15. Víctor Echarri-Iribarren & Carlos Rizo-Maestre & Fernando Echarri-Iribarren, 2018. "Healthy Climate and Energy Savings: Using Thermal Ceramic Panels and Solar Thermal Panels in Mediterranean Housing Blocks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-32, October.
    16. Lucchi, Elena, 2018. "Applications of the infrared thermography in the energy audit of buildings: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 3077-3090.
    17. Baldinelli, Giorgio & Bianchi, Francesco & Rotili, Antonella & Costarelli, Danilo & Seracini, Marco & Vinti, Gianluca & Asdrubali, Francesco & Evangelisti, Luca, 2018. "A model for the improvement of thermal bridges quantitative assessment by infrared thermography," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 854-864.
    18. Le Minh Nhut & Waseem Raza & Youn Cheol Park, 2020. "A Parametric Study of a Solar-Assisted House Heating System with a Seasonal Underground Thermal Energy Storage Tank," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-19, October.
    19. Federica Rosso & Arianna Peduzzi & Lorenzo Diana & Stefano Cascone & Carlo Cecere, 2021. "A Sustainable Approach towards the Retrofit of the Public Housing Building Stock: Energy-Architectural Experimental and Numerical Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, March.
    20. Seyoung Park & Seo Hoon Kim & Hakgeun Jeong & Sung Lok Do & Jonghun Kim, 2021. "In Situ Evaluation of the U-Value of a Window Using the Infrared Method," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-14, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5687-:d:1428301. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.