Throughout history, people have used local materials to maintain a more comfortable temperature. Whether it was snow in the case of Inuits, animal skins in the case of Native Americans, or mud in the case of Central Americans, anything that could be used to provide a barrier between a shelter and the outside elements was used.

In more recent history, combinations of wood, stone, and straw were used for shelter and insulation. While we have synthetic, non-flammable, non-poisonous insulation today, the formula hasn’t changed all that much. We still use stone, brick, cement, and wood as the first line of defense from the outside. Inside of that is an air barrier that prevents the transfer of both hot and cold. The air barrier is sandwiched between the outside wall and gypsum.

The end goal is to keep the area inside a comfortable stable temperature at the lowest cost possible. There are three ways the temperature inside a house can change. One is that the outside air seeps into the house. The air outside can change the temperature of the materials of the house itself which makes the air inside change temperature. There is also a third way, which is often overlooked, radiation. Studies have shown that a majority of heat gain/loss in a living space is due to radiant heat transfer, up to 93% in the summer and 75% in the winter.

It is common sense to block as much heat transfer as possible through air seeping or having a house change temperature making it uncomfortable inside. All new energy efficient houses go a step further. They put emphasis on radiation for creating an optimal, affordable living environment. In the following posts, we will further discuss how technological breakthroughs have created materials specifically designed to deal with radiation. The materials have served to make life in space possible while also making life in your home easier and more comfortable.