Thermal modelling of multilayer walls for building retrofitting applications

Today the building sector consumes than third of global energy consumption. Thus, improving building envelope performance can optimize building thermal and energy efficiency. This paper introduces an original modelling of thermal dynamic in the building wall. The model will help us to understand the heat transfer mechanism of multilayer walls to better support building retrofits, in order to reduce energy consumption. The model is based on the Kron's method developed with the Tensorial Analysis of Networks (TAN). The feasibility of the model is studied with a multi-layer pieces of wall. The TAN thermal modelling methodology is described with different steps of routine algorithm. The Kron's graph equivalent model is elaborated from the Cauer thermal model applied to multi-layer structure. Then, the TAN equation traducing analytically the thermal problem is established. As results, the thermal flux through two- and five-layer of wall was determined. The effectiveness of the building wall TAN model was verified with numerical parameters from a residential building located in the north of the France, subject to a retrofit problem. The thermal loss, was estimated for different parameters of materials constituting the piece of wall, is given to perform the building retrofit strategies. •Development of an original modelling of thermal dynamic based on Kron's method.•Development of Cauer thermal RC-model.•Thermal losses estimation for each layer constituting the piece of wall.•Improvement of the building retrofit strategies.•Real parameter collected from handling residential housing to retrofit were used for verification and validation.