<div>got into a debate recently about whether claims of high R-values for mass wall materials such as AAC really hold up in the real world, outside of Taos, NM, and a few other climates more pleasant than my own.</div><div>
<br></div><div>f'r'instance, a claim was made that a 12" AAC wall has a functional R-value of over 20, much greater than its "steady state" value of something like R-12... </div><div><br></div><div>
...I am not disputing the value of thermal mass, but my sense is that you should base at least peak load on ordinary R-values, and analyze thermal mass independently as it might affect annual demand. With regard to its value during cooling season--in places where more energy is devoted to latent rather than sensible load--it seems like mass walls don't have huge value.</div>
<div><br></div><div>like in "messy" climates such as the Mid Atlantic region.</div><div><br></div><div>AA</div><br clear="all"><div><font><font><span style="color:rgb(102,0,0)">Alan Abrams</span></font><b style="color:rgb(102,0,0)"><br>
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