Adobe as a thermal regulating material

Abstract

Adobe as a building material has a distinctive thermal characteristic which differentiates it from other conventional building materials such as cement, clay and insulation materials. Adobe is found to be a thermal regulating and not a conducting or an insulating building material. This distinctive thermal characteristic is determined through a comparative analysis of thermal performance of prototypical models sharing the same form, shape, activities and context; but constructed with different materials. The comparisons are made by utilizing a predefined computer program using transient heat transfer method and thermal response factor technique.