A comparative study of the thermal performance of cavity and brick veneer construction

Masonry housing in Australia is typically of brick veneer or cavity brick construction. The increased emphasis on energy conservation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has resulted in the thermal performance of housing systems coming under increasing scrutiny, with a "star" rating system (based on energy efficiency) being implemented. Little information exists on the thermal performance of masonry under Australian climatic conditions. To address this problem, The University of Newcastle, in conjunction with the Clay Brick and Paver Institute, has embarked on a testing program to study the thermal performance of two purpose built modules (one brick veneer and one cavity brick) on the University campus. This paper gives an overview of the instrumentation and data collection and, presents typical results obtained during the first year of monitoring.