Thermal Mass

Thermal mass is a material’s ability to absorb, store and release heat. Materials with high thermal mass (such as stone, concrete, brick) slowly absorb a lot of heat in the day and then gradually release it at night. In this way, thermally massive materials provide inertia against temperature fluctuations to stabilize the interior temperature.

Related Components

Component-Specific Considerations

  • Heavy masonry exterior walls possessing thermal mass.

  • Dense masonry and concrete assemblies, which providing thermal mass by retaining warmth during the day and releasing heat at night when the outside temperature is lower.

  • Thermal mass in buildings with masonry walls integrated into their structural system.

Related Materials

Material-Specific Considerations

  • Thermal mass;