Materials for Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort in Buildings

Preface

The creation of this book was stimulated by the vibrant international research activity coupling energy and buildings, along with the future driving potentials and demands in these fields that will no doubt ensue. The behaviour of our buildings, both in terms of the energy they consume and the thermal comfort they provide, can be described as a function of the materials from which they are made using the underpinning principles of building physics. In terms of the outdoor environment in which these buildings are placed, we face many challenges not least of which include the predictions for significant climatic changes and greater frequency of extreme weather events. We also face future shortages of energy and clean water supply, and ...