NY-87-06-1 -- Measurement and Prediction of Insulated and Uninsulated Basement Wall Heat Lossed in a Heating Climate

A 16-month experimental study was undertaken at an Alberta research facility to measure heat losses from an insulated and uninsulated concrete basement wall and to compare the results with computer predictions. Both mimic boxes and heat flux transducers were used to measure below-grade wall losses, while only heat flux transducers were used to measure the above-grade wall losses. The insulation used was rigid polystyrene (R-10 or RSI 1.76) applied full height to the exterior surface of one of the basements. The predictions were done with a two-dimensional transient finite element computer program and the Mitalas method.

The results show that the cumulative below-grade wall losses were reduced by about 65%, 85% for the above-grade wall and 75% for the total wall height when comparing the insulated and uninsulated cases. Good agreement was found between the computer predictions and field measurements.

Units: Dual