Building physics and thermophysical performance

The evaluation of the performance of the building is part of the various phases of the design and construction processes. The verification of the compliance with the regulatory parameters or with the certification protocols, such as the Passive House certification—an activity that is present in every design phase—is one that, by means of the continuous interaction between form-technology-calculations-choice and so forth, leads to the achievement of the objectives. The architecture of the twenty-first century requires that, in the design of buildings, and as seen in the previous chapters, it is necessary to take into account several thermophysical parameters, Building Physics and Building Energy Performance. This chapter contains a description of the main thermophysical characteristics of the building envelope, with the aim of clarifying for the designer the physics meaning of the terms used in order to understand their relationship with architectural and technological choices.