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Journal papers

Vacuum Insulation Panel Products: A State-of-the-Art Review and Future Research Pathways
Authors: Publication Year: 2014

Published in Journal papers

A net zero emission concept analysis of a single-family house
Authors: Publication Year: 2014

The paper aims to investigate whether it is possible to achieve a net Zero Emission Building (nZEB) by balancing emissions from the energy used for operation and embodied emissions from materials with those from on-site renewables in the cold climate of Norway. The residential nZEB concept is a so-called all-electric solution where essentially a well-insulated envelope is heated using a heat pump and where photovoltaic panels (PV) production is used to achieve the CO2eq balance. In addition, the main drivers for the emissions are revealed through the CO2eq calculation for a typical Norwegian, single-family house. This concept building provides a…
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Advanced control of heat pumps for improved flexibility of Net-ZEB towards the grid
Authors: Publication Year: 2014

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Aerogel-Incorporated Concrete: An Experimental Study
Authors: Publication Year: 2014

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Energy Performance Assessment of Advanced Integrated Facades by Means of Synthetic Metrics
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Façades play an important role in architecture, with deep implications in both the quality of the indoor environment and the appearance of the building. R&D in the field of energy conservation is moving toward advanced integrated façades (AIFs): these are innovative and dynamic façades deeply connected with the building equipment. Their dynamic features allow the energy performance of the façade to be optimized, adapting its behavior to different boundary conditions. The substantial lack of synthetic performance parameters to assess and to characterize the energy performance of AIFs is one of the main limitations to the widespread of these technologies. This…
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Robustness classification of materials, assemblies and buildings
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Reliable methods are needed for classifying the robustness of buildings and building materials for many reasons, including ensuring that constructions can withstand the climate conditions resulting from global warming, which might be more severe than was assumed in an existing building’s design. Evaluating the robustness of buildings is also important for reducing process-induced building defects. We describe and demonstrate a flexible framework for classifying the robustness of building materials, building assemblies, and whole buildings that incorporates climate and service life considerations.
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Experimental assessment of the energy performance of an advanced responsive multifunctional façade module
Authors: Publication Year: 2014

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Framing Transitions
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

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Between Research and Practice: Experts on Implementing Sustainable Construction
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

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Interior Insulation Retrofit of a Brick Wall Using Vacuum Insulation Panels: Design of a Laboratory Study to Determine the Hygrothermal Effect on Existing Structure and Wooden Beam Ends
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

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Navigating standards – constituting engineering practices – how do engineers in consulting environments deal with standards?
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Standards and regulations can play a central role in policies to achieve environmentally sound and energy-efficient buildings. This paper sets out to explore how consulting engineers relate to standards designed to impose sustainability in the construction of new buildings and in waste management. The paper addresses four cases of engineering practices. The first case describes practical skills and tools involved in what the engineers considered as ‘normal’ practices when performing energy calculations in the development of new buildings. The second and third cases deal with energy in new buildings as well, but address practices that supported or enabled the engineers…
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Engaging complexity: Social Science Approaches to Green Building Design
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

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Paraotwayite-Type α-Ni(OH)2 Nanowires: Structural, Optical and Electrochemical Properties
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

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Heat pump options for low energy office buildings in cold climate
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

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Solar Radiation Glazing Factors for Windows Panes, Glass structures and Electrochromic Windows in Buildings - Measurement and Calculation
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Window panes, glass structures and electrochromic windows in buildings may be characterized by a number of solar radiation glazing factors, i.e. ultraviolet solar transmittance, visible solar transmittance, solar transmittance, solar material protection factor, solar skin protection factor, external visible solar reflectance, internal visible solar reflectance, solar reflectance, solar absorbance, emissivity, solar factor and colour rendering factor. Comparison of these solar quantities for different glass fabrications enables one to evaluate and thus select the most appropriate glass material or system for the specific buildings and applications. Measurements and calculations were carried out on various glass materials, including three electrochromic window devices,…
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Frame Stability of Tunnel-Structured Cryptomelane Nanofibers: The Role of Tunnel Cations
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

The role of tunnel K+ ions on the growth and stability of tunnel-structured cryptomelane-type MnO2 nanofibers (denoted as cryptomelane nanofibers hereafter) has been discussed by means of X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Cryptomelane nanofibers with typical diameters of 20–80 nm and lengths of 1–6 μm have been synthesized by means of a simple hydrothermal reaction of KMnO4 and MnSO4 aqueous solutions at 140 °C. The growth of cryptomelane nanofibers under hydrothermal conditions follows a dissolution–recrystallization process and involves a morphological transformation from a layered precursor to the tunnel-structured cryptomelane, in which the K+ ions play important roles in templating and…
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Passive House at the crossroads: The past and the present of a voluntary standard that managed to bridge the energy efficiency gap
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Improving energy efficiency in dwellings is generally seen as the low-hanging fruit of climate change mitigation. In particular decreased heat loss through better insulation is suggested as one of the most cost-effective means to achieve the ambitious national and international goals of climate gas reduction. However, the literature shows that a profitable technological solution is not sufficient to reach the energy goals. Aspects such as a lack of information, unobserved costs, and heterogeneity among users can compromise the success of technical innovation. Still, there are successful concepts that drive the technological development in the construction sector. The Passive House is…
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Visible-Light Driven Photochromism of Hexagonal Sodium Tungsten Bronze Nanorods
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Single-crystalline sodium tungsten bronze (Na-WO3) nanorods with typical diameters of 10−200 nm and lengths of several micrometers were prepared via hydrothermal synthesis. The as-prepared Na-WO3 nanorods crystallized in a hexagonal structure (space group P6/mmm) with unit cell parameters a=7.3166(8) Å and c= 3.8990(8) Å and elongated along the ⟨001⟩direction. Chemical analyses indicated a stoichiometry of Na0.18WO3.09·0.5H2O, revealing the existence of tunnel Na+ ions and water molecules in the structure, as confirmed also by the vibrational spectroscopic study. The as-prepared Na-WO3 nanorods exhibited a direct-allowed electronic transition with band-gap energy of about 2.5 eV, which allows a visible-light-driven photochromism related to…
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Success for energy efficient renovation of dwelling - Learing from private homeowners
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Large scale energy efficient renovation of buildings is one of the most important tools to realize the society's need of a more sustainable building stock. Most Norwegians own their own homes. Therefore private homeowners are a focus group for the government urging to accelerate the dwelling energy efficiency rates. Success factors were identified in the in-depth study of the decision process of eleven homeowners. Large differences in energy use due to the building's condition and the occupants' behavior was encountered in the sample. Only homeowners who were conscious consumers and did not trust expert advice or that had special knowledge…
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Optimizing the configuration of a facade module for office buildings by means of integrated thermal and lighting simulations in a total energy perspective
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

The building enclosure plays a relevant role in the management of the energy flows in buildings and in the exploitation of solar energy at a building scale. An optimized configuration of the façade can contribute to reduce the total energy demand of the building. Traditionally, the search for the optimal façade configuration is obtained by analyzing the heating demand and/or the cooling demand only, while the implication of the façade configuration on artificial lighting energy demand is often not addressed. A comprehensive approach (i.e. including heating, cooling and artificial lighting energy demand) is instead necessary to reduce the total energy…
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Energy payback: An attributional and environmentally focused approach to energy balance in net zero energy buildings
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Net zero energy buildings (nZEBs) are understood as grid-connected buildings which do not require net inputs of non-renewable energy over a defined period of their life cycle. Energy requirements of nZEBs have until now been assessed based on the impact buildings have on the existing energy system. This paper introduces a new approach to nZEB energy balance that takes into account the actual amount of energy nZEBs require. Energy balance methods previously proposed for nZEBs are illustrated in a new way and expressed in a series of equations based on a common terminology. Taking a different standpoint on the very…
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The interaction between building and users in passive and zero-energy housing and offices: The role of interfaces, knowledge and user commitment
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

The article's aim is to present user experiences with passive houses and zero-energy buildings. The focus is on the interaction between the building and the users, specifically on how user interfaces, knowledge, and commitment influence the use of the building and the level of energy consumption awareness.
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Synthesis of Hallow Silica Nanospheres by Sacrificial Polystyrene Templates for Thermal Insulation applications
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Monodisperse polystyrene (PS) spheres with controllable size have been synthesized by a straight forward and simple procedure. The as-synthesized PS spheres have a typical diameter ranging from ~180 nm to ~900 nm, where a reduced sphere size is obtained by increasing the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/styrene weight ratio. The PS spheres function as sacrificial templates for the fabrication of hollow silica nanospheres (HSNSs) for thermal insulation applications. By modifying the silica coating process, HSNSs with different surface roughness are obtained. All resulting HSNSs show typically a thermal conductivity of about 20 mW/(mK), indicating that the surface phonon scattering is probably not significant…
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Windows in the Buildings of Tomorrow; Energy Losers or Energy Gainers?
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

One of the most effective actions for reduction of energy loss through the building envelope is to optimize the thermal performance, area and localization of the transparent components in the façade in order to obtain minimal heat losses and optimal solar gains. When considering the thermal performance of these transparent components, one should consider, not only heat loss (or gains) caused by thermal transmission, but also the beneficial effects of incident solar radiation and hence reduced demand for heating and artificial lighting. This study presents calculations for a range of windows as part of a building where the coupled effects…
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On the proper integration of wood stoves in passive houses: Investigation using detailed dynamic simulations
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Wood stoves are attractive for the space-heating (SH) of passive houses. Nevertheless, there are still questions about their integration. Firstly, the power oversizing of the current stoves and their long operating time may lead to unacceptable overheating. Secondly, it is also unclear how one stove can ensure the thermal comfort in the entire building. The paper investigates these aspects using detailed dynamic simulations (TRNSYS) applied to a detached house in Belgium. An 8 kW stove is assumed to be representative of the lowest available powers in the market. Results confirm that a large power modulation is important to prevent overheating.…
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Thermal Conductivty of TiO2 Nanotubes
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Thermal conductivity of TiO2 nanotubes prepared from a NaOH treatment of TiO2 particles with subsequent acid washing and annealing has been investigated. The obtained TiO2 nanotubes have a tetragonal anatase structure, and have a typical inner diameter of about 4-5 nm, wall thickness of about 2-3 nm, and length up to several hundred nanometers. TiO2 nanotubes show a significantly reduced thermal conductivity of about 0.40-0.84 W/(m·K) (average 0.62 W/(m.K)) at room temperature, as compared to about 8.5 W/(m·K) for the bulk TiO2 materials. The great suppression in thermal conductivity can be understood by means of increased phonon-boundary scattering and enhanced…
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Monodisperse Hollow Silica Nanospheres for Nano Insulation Materials: Synthesis, Characterization; and Pre-Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

The application of manufactured nanomaterials provides not only advantages resulting from their unique properties but also disadvantages derived from the high energy use and CO2 burden related to their manufacture, operation, and disposal. It is therefore important to understand the trade-offs of process economics of nanomaterial production and their associated environmental footprints in order to strengthen the existing advantages while counteracting disadvantages. This work reports the synthesis, characterization, and life cycle assessment (LCA) of a new type of superinsulating materials, nano insulation materials (NIMs), which are made of hollow silica nanospheres (HSNSs) and have great flexibility in modifying their properties by…
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Large-scale experimental wind-driven rain exposure investigations of building integrated photovoltaics
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) are photovoltaic materials that replace conventional building materials in parts of the building envelopes, such as roofs or facades, i.e. the BIPV system serves dual purposes, as both a building envelope material and a power generator. Hence, it is important to focus on the building envelope properties of a BIPV system in addition to energy generation performance when conducting experimental investigations of BIPVs. The aim of this work was to illustrate challenges linked to the building envelope properties of a BIPV system, and to develop and evaluate relevant methods for testing the building envelope properties of…
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“In the morning I just need a long, hot shower”. A sociological exploration of energy sensibilities in Norwegian bathrooms
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

This article proposes a new area of research centered on the study of how energy sensibilities—in terms of esthesia which is understood as responsiveness and awareness—are distributed and redistributed. Energy is approached as a polyphonic concept with many meanings, of which none enjoys privileged status. Given this polyphony, the common observation that end-users have no idea (or wrong ideas) about their energy consumption loses importance. Instead, unevenly distributed ways of sensing and making sense of energy become the object of study. Drawing on the work of French philosopher Jacques Rancière, the article discusses contemporary distributions of energy sensibilities in domestic…
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Sustainability assessment of nearly zero energy renovation of dwellings based on energy, economy and home quality indicators
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

A case study of a Norwegian detached house is used to evaluate the sustainability of two nearly zero energy renovation strategies. Energy demand, life cycle cost and home qualities are assessed as sustainability indicators. The Façade renovation strategy is an energy upgrade of the façade supplemented with high renewable energy production on site. The Ambitious renovation strategy is a total building envelope upgrade using passive house components and a lower on site renewable energy production. Both renovation strategies result in a 50–85% reduction of the heating requirement depending on the renewable energy production. The sustainability assessment was done as an…
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Antireflection properties of monodisperse hollow silica nanospheres
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

Monodisperse hollow silica nanospheres have been prepared by using a polystyrene nanosphere template-assistant approach and their potential as antireflection (AR) coatings for window applications has been discussed. The as-prepared hollow silica nanospheres have a typical inner diameter of 200 nm and a shell thickness of 15–20 nm. The AR effect over the ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectral region has been observed for the hollow silica nanospheres, with a minimized reflection of about 5.2 % at 500 nm, compared to 8.5 % of a plain float glass substrate. By modifying the structural features of the hollow silica nanospheres, their AR properties can be…
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Core-shell typed Ag@SiO2 nanoparticles as solar selective coating materials
Authors: Publication Year: 2013

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Characterization of the optical properties of a PCM glazing system
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

The optical characteristics of an advanced glazing system are presented in this paper. The investigated glazing system is based on the incorporation of a paraffin-based Phase Change Material (PCM) into a transparent component, made of two extra-clear glass panes and a cavity where the PCM layer is placed. Due to the highly scattering property of the system (when the PCM is in solid state), the use of a large integrating sphere equipment (75 cm diameter) is necessary to obtain reliable results. The spectral transmission, reflection and absorption coefficients of the PCM glazing system are measured between 400 and 2000 nanometers,…
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Thermo-physical behaviour and energy performance assessment of PCM glazing system configurations: A numerical analysis
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

The adoption of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in glazing systems was proposed to increase the heat capacity of the fenestration, being some PCMs partially transparent to visible radiation. The aim of the PCM glazing concept was to let (part) of the visible spectrum of the solar radiation enter the indoor environment, providing daylighting, while absorbing (the largest part of) the infrared radiation. In this paper, the influence of the PCM glazing configuration is investigated by means of numerical simulations carried out with a validated numerical model. Various triple glazing configurations, where one of the two cavities is filled with a…
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State-of-the-Art Building Integrated Photovoltaics
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

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The Path to the Building Integrated Photovoltaics of Tomorrow
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

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Accelerated Climate Aging of Building Materials and their Characterization by Fourier Transform Infrared Radiation Analysis
Publication Year: 2012

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Accelerated Climate Ageing of Building Materials, Components and Structures in the Laboratory
Publication Year: 2012

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Development of a Model for Radon Concentration in Indoor Air
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

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Shielding Fresh Air Ventilation Intakes
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

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Investigations of Accelerated Climate Aged Wood Substrates by Fourier Transform Infrared Material Characterization
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

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Fourier Transform Infrared Radiation Spectroscopy Applied for Wood Rot Decay and Mould Fungi Growth Detection
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

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Review of Air-to-Air Heat/Energy Exchangers for Use in NZEBs in the Nordic Countries
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

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Building integrated photovoltaic products: a state-of-the-art review and future research opportunities
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) are photovoltaic (PV) modules integrated into the building envelope and hence also replacing traditional parts of the building envelope, e.g. the roofing. In this context, the BIPVs integration with the building envelope limits the costs by serving dual purposes. BIPVs have a great advantage compared to non-integrated systems because there is neither need for allocation of land nor stand-alone PV systems. This study seeks to outline various commercially available approaches to BIPVs and thus provides a state-of-the-art review. In addition, possible future research opportunities are explored. The various categories of BIPVs may be divided into photovoltaic…
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Vacuum insulation panels in wood frame wall constructions with different stud profiles
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

In this work, the thermal performance of three different wall configurations was examined by hot box measurements and numerical simulations. Vacuum insulation panels were sandwiched between traditional insulation in walls where the load-bearing elements were standard 36-mm-thick wooden studs, I-profiled studs and U-profiled studs. The measured mean values of the thermal transmittance (U-value) were 0.09 W/m2·K with 36-mm-thick wooden studs, 0.10 W/m2·K with U-profiled studs and 0.11 W/m2·K with I-profiled studs. The comparison of the three wall structures has shown that with such low U-values, the numerical simulations are more sensitive to the accuracy of the dimensions and thermal conductivities…
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Municipal planning of sustainable neighbourhood: action research and stakeholder dialogue
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

How can researchers and planners best facilitate the transition to low-carbon societies? In particular, can they initiate better dialogue in order to foster stakeholder engagement in planning, building and living in low-carbon settlements? These challenges inform a municipal planning process for a new neighbourhood in Trondheim, Norway: Brøset, as well as for an interdisciplinary research project exploring the role of action research in supporting the transition to low-carbon societies. The processes are described for identifying the central actors and applying the dialogue strategies in the early planning project phase. Researchers and planners collaborated to contribute to new knowledge production and…
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Hot box investigations and theoretical assessment of miscellaneous vacuum insulation panel configuration in building envelopes
Authors: Publication Year: 2011

Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) are regarded as one of the most promising existing high performance thermal insulation solutions on the market today as their thermal performance typically range 5–10 times better than traditional insulation materials. However, the VIPs have several disadvantages such as risk of puncturing by penetration of nails and that they cannot be cut or fitted at the construction site. Furthermore, thermal bridging due to the panel envelope and load-bearing elements may have a large effect on the overall thermal performance. Finally, degradation of thermal performance due to moisture and air diffusion through the panel envelope is also…
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Energy and buildings research: challenges from tne new production of knowledge
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

The current state and future challenges of energy and buildings research are explored from the perspective of the social study of science. Major trends in knowledge production are considered for practices within current energy and buildings research. New forms of knowledge production hold the potential to provide clearer strategies to overcome barriers between researchers and practitioners. These are investigated through an explorative survey of researchers based on their own accounts of energy and buildings research, their expectations of future challenges, and their perceptions of ‘good’ science. Two sets of challenges from knowledge production arise for building energy research. First, with…
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A numerical model to evaluate the thermal behaviour of PCM glazing system configurations
Authors: Publication Year: 2012

The adoption of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in building components is an up-to-date topic and a relevant number of research activities on this issue is currently on the way. A particular application of PCMs in the building envelope focuses on the integration of such a kind of material into transparent envelope components. A numerical model that describes the thermo-physical behaviour of a PCM layer in combination with other transparent materials (i.e. glass panes) is developed to perform numerical analyses on various PCM glazing systems configurations. The paper illustrates the structure of the model, the main equations implemented and the hypotheses…
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Aging Effects on Thermal Properties and Service Life of Vacuum Insulation Panels
Authors: Publication Year: 2011

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