Building Envelope Thermal Transmission, Fenestration SHGC, and Infiltration Sizing Benchmark Matrix
Multi-parameter residential building science benchmark calculating Fourier conductive transmission across composite wall and roof assemblies, fenestration Solar Heat Gain Coefficients (SHGC), and pressure-driven envelope infiltration per ACCA Manual J (8th Edition).
🔬 Dataset Methodology & Engineering Basis
Evaluates heat transfer across 540 distinct residential envelope configurations covering ASHRAE Climate Zones 1 through 7. Conductive losses are calculated via Fourier multi-layer series thermal resistance ($U = 1/R_{\text{total}}$). Infiltration is derived from building blower-door ACH50 depressurization ratings coupled with Sherman-Grimsrud LBL infiltration modeling.
Governing Engineering Standards & Codes:
📋 Tabular Data Preview (First 5 Rows)
Displaying 5 of 540 rows| scenario_id | climate_zone | floor_area_sqft | wall_effective_u_factor | fenestration_u_factor | fenestration_shgc | infiltration_ach50 | total_peak_heating_load_btu_h | total_cooling_peak_load_btu_h | calculated_cooling_tonnage | rule_of_thumb_tonnage_500sqft | heuristic_oversize_percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENV-0001 | CZ-2 | 1500 | 0.106 | 1.05 | 0.72 | 8.5 | 19391 | 27684 | 2.31 | 3 | 29.9 |
| ENV-0002 | CZ-2 | 2500 | 0.106 | 1.05 | 0.72 | 8.5 | 30457 | 42715 | 3.56 | 5 | 40.4 |
| ENV-0003 | CZ-2 | 3600 | 0.106 | 1.05 | 0.72 | 8.5 | 42993 | 60000 | 5 | 7.2 | 44 |
| ENV-0004 | CZ-2 | 1500 | 0.106 | 1.05 | 0.72 | 3.5 | 17315 | 23974 | 2 | 3 | 50 |
| ENV-0005 | CZ-2 | 2500 | 0.106 | 1.05 | 0.72 | 3.5 | 26779 | 36139 | 3.01 | 5 | 66.1 |
📖 Data Dictionary & Variable Definitions
Complete schema definition describing each column, engineering unit of measure, data type, and thermodynamic description:
| Variable Name | Data Type | Unit | Engineering Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| scenario_id | string | — | Unique building physics scenario vector (ENV-0001 to ENV-0540) |
| climate_zone | string | — | ASHRAE Climate Zone classification (CZ-1 through CZ-7) |
| climate_zone_name | string | — | Regional climate description (e.g. Hot-Humid, Cold) |
| outdoor_winter_db_f | number | °F | ACCA Manual J 99% winter outdoor design temperature |
| outdoor_summer_db_f | number | °F | ACCA Manual J 1% summer outdoor design dry-bulb |
| outdoor_summer_wb_f | number | °F | ACCA Manual J 1% summer outdoor coincident wet-bulb |
| indoor_winter_setpoint_f | number | °F | Winter indoor thermostat setpoint (70°F) |
| indoor_summer_setpoint_f | number | °F | Summer indoor thermostat setpoint (75°F) |
| floor_area_sqft | number | sq ft | Conditioned floor area (1,500 to 3,600 sq ft) |
| dwelling_volume_cuft | number | cu ft | Conditioned building volume (12,000 to 32,400 cu ft) |
| wall_effective_u_factor | number | BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | Overall opaque wall thermal transmittance |
| fenestration_u_factor | number | BTU/(h·ft²·°F) | Window glazing overall thermal transmittance |
| fenestration_shgc | number | fraction | Fenestration Solar Heat Gain Coefficient |
| infiltration_ach50 | number | ACH50 | Measured envelope air tightness at 50 Pa pressure |
| infiltration_design_cfm | number | CFM | Equivalent natural air infiltration airflow |
| total_peak_heating_load_btu_h | number | BTU/h | Total peak heating design load per Manual J |
| total_cooling_peak_load_btu_h | number | BTU/h | Total peak cooling design load per Manual J |
| calculated_cooling_tonnage | number | Tons | Calculated equipment cooling capacity required |
| rule_of_thumb_tonnage_500sqft | number | Tons | Heuristic estimate (1 Ton / 500 sq ft) |
| heuristic_oversize_percentage | number | % | Percentage oversizing error of heuristic vs calculated |
🧮 Interactive Companion Calculators
Test and explore these mathematical models dynamically in our client-side calculators:
Calculate room-by-room and whole-house peak heating and cooling loads.
🎓 Companion Research Whitepapers
Read the full mathematical derivations and thermodynamic proofs:
Laboratory exercise in Fourier conduction, fenestration SHGC modeling, and ACH50 infiltration sizing.
Technical whitepaper evaluating residential envelope heat loss dynamics.
📚 Academic Citation & Replication
When referencing this benchmark dataset in academic publications, university course syllabi, or engineering technical reports, please cite as follows:
BibTeX Entry:
@dataset{hvaclogic_building_envelope_thermal_transmission,
author = {{HVACLogic Open Engineering Research Group}},
title = {Building Envelope Thermal Transmission, Fenestration SHGC, and Infiltration Sizing Benchmark Matrix},
year = {2026},
publisher = {HVACLogic Open Science},
url = {https://hvaclogic.org/datasets/building-envelope-thermal-transmission},
doi = {10.6084/m9.figshare.33702643}
}