Ventilated Cathedral Attics in Summer Conditions-Testing Method ✓ Most Recent

Latest building regulations – like the French document RT2005 elaborated by CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment, Paris) - are asking to perform thermal comfort or cooling load calculations under summer climate conditions (for newly designed buildings). The methods indicated for both of these calculations require as an input parameter the solar factor (symbolized S) of building elements (both opaque and transparent). But for some of them, like ventilated cathedral roofs, the S assessment via testing must be done in large scale facilities, under artificial climate and is quite fastidious.

This paper describes a testing facility where such tests were conducted. It was developed by Saint-Gobain Isover with the assistance of CSTB (French Scientific and Technical Centre for Buildings). The testing procedure and calibration method are described. Then, the first testing results and solar factor values obtained are shown.

Presented at Thermal Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Whole Buildings X – December 2007

Units: SI