Thermal inertia of the building is the property of an object that determines its rate of response to changes in ambient temperature and internal conditions. It describes, how quickly the house heats up or cools down in response to changes in outside air temperature, insolation or the operation of heating and cooling systems.
Thermal inertia results from a combination of thermal accumulation of partitions and their insulation. However, it is a separate concept relating to dynamic phenomena over time. Buildings with high thermal inertia are characterised by slow changes in internal temperature. This promotes stable thermal conditions and limits short-term temperature fluctuations. The level of thermal inertia is influenced by:
- weight of compartments,
- thermal capacity of partitions,
- layout of construction layers,
- the degree of coupling of heat storage elements to the indoor air.
Relevant the use of the building is also important and the nature of the operation of the heating and ventilation systems.
