Applied building physics : ambient conditions, building performance and material properties /Hugo S L C Hens

Bad experiences with construction quality, the energy crises of 1973 and 1979, complaints about 'sick buildings', thermal, acoustical, visual and olfactory discomfort, the move towards more sustainability; all have accelerated the development of a field, which for a long time was hardly more than an academic exercise: building physics. Through the application of physical knowledge and the combination with information coming from other disciplines, the field helps to understand the physical phenomena governing building parts, building envelope, whole building and built environment performance, although for the last the wording 'urban physics' is used. This textbook is oriented towards application, which is why, after a first book on fundamentals this second volume discusses the heat, air, moisture performance metrics that affect building design, construction and retrofitting.