Construction and Calibration of a Unique Hot Box Apparatus

A variety of mathematical models are available to estimate the thermal performance buildings. Nevertheless, predict buildings that might differ from actual performance. The hot box is a widely-used test apparatus assess various building envelope components (walls, roofs, windows) in laboratory. This paper presents process designing, constructing, and calibrating unique small-scale apparatus. Despite its smaller metering area (1.0 m × 1.0 m), this met key requirements (below ±0.25 °C fluctuations chambers’ air temperature, below 2.0% variation point-to-point temperature reference difference across specimen) as prescribed ASTM C1363 ISO 8990 standards. walls uniquely constructed using vacuum insulation panels or VIPs. efficient novel use VIPs workmanship during construction demonstrated through stability within chambers. achieved range steadiness ±0.05 1.0% specimen allow for be considered among calibrated categories reported literature. In addition, having an affordable, simple-to-operate, high-accuracy facility offers great opportunity researchers practitioners investigate new ideas solutions. was two extruded polystyrene foam (XPS) specimens with thicknesses 2? 4?. calibration exercise indicates small differences between results obtained numerically, theoretically, experimentally 3.0%). Ultimately, employed measure properties representing lightweight steel framing (LSF) wall system, which commonly used cold climates. were then compared ones estimated numerically 3D finite element modelling tool. by both methods 9.0%.