What Is the Impact of Thermal Technology in Home Construction?

Thermal technologies improve a home's thermal envelope.

As energy costs trend ever upward, demand for green, energy-neutral homes continues to increase. Thermal technologies help the home construction industry meet this growing global demand.

Definition

Thermal technologies use the laws of thermodynamics to produce energy, keep things hot or keep things cool. Thermodynamics describes the branch of physics dealing with the movement of heat.

Use

A thermal envelope protects a house from the elements; thermal technology creates products to perform this task in ever-better ways. In addition, thermal technology creates products that heat and cool homes.

Examples

Home builders use the fast-growing category of solar thermal products to generate energy and heat water. They use newly developed building materials, based on thermal technologies, to keep homes warmer in the cold and cooler in the heat.

Significance

Twenty-first century consumer demand, combined with mandates in states such as California, means home builders can't rely on old techniques and materials. To survive, residential construction has no choice but to continually educate itself on new thermal technology products and incorporate new best practices to meet demand. In addition, many ratings programs grade home construction on its "greenness," including the use of thermal technologies.

References

• NASA: Thermodynamics
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Elements of an Energy Efficient House
• State of California: Green Building Design and Construction
• NAHB: Green Ratings Systems Overview

Resources

• National Association of Home Builders:
• Wall St Journal: Builders Zero in on New Goal of Energy Neutral Housing