Abstract: In order to achieve ideal thermal comfort temperatures within an interior space, a well-balanced combination of building systems needs to be adapted and optimized to fit the building’s needs, based upon its location and its program. Through the observation of multi-layer building envelopes, we intended to test how heated air passed through the building envelope in order to passively heat an interior space. The primary test consisted of a glass water tank with two chambers, one containing cold water and the other containing boiling water, separated by a cavity formed by interchangeable acrylic sheets. This cavity contained room temperature water. The acrylic sheet layers included a perforated sheet and a solid sheet. The perforated sheet was used to allow water to pass into the center cavity, representing heated air moving into the building envelope. A separate test included two solid acrylic sheet layers, in which we monitored the central cavity to observe how the building envelope performs between hot and cold temperatures. Through the tests, the depth of the central cavity was widened to measure how heat transfer was effected as the cavity gets wider. The two tests worked to convey the efficiency of a building envelope and how the depth of the cavity between each chamber influenced the heat transfer from one chamber to the other.
Tyler Trudeau
I am currently in the M2 Master of Architecture program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, set to graduate in May 2022. I was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. Some of my design research interests include dynamic insulation, breathing walls, heat and moisture buffering, bio-facades and daylighting. My hobbies outside of architecture include fine art, film criticism, critical and creative writing and graphic design.
Kailey Olbrich
I’m currently in the Master of Architecture Advanced standing program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, set to graduate in May 2021. I was born and raised in Cary, North Carolina. I’m interested in how architecture can have a positive impact on the surrounding environment as well as inside of the building either through the use of better building techniques/technology or the use of biomaterials. My hobbies outside of architecture include fine art such as painting, drawing, and sculpting as well as photography and fabricating.