Thermal Mass in Building

Using thermal mass to store energy and heat and cool buildings is an ancient technique. Roman engineers including, Sergius Orata, used thermal mass and heat exchanges to maintain the temperature of their houses, creating personal environments that were healthy and luxurious.

Thermal mass construction is overlooked in modern building designs. The slow moving thermal inertia of thermal mass provides a steady radiant temperature, and thus, allows us to time shift when we heat and cool our homes. The thermal mass, located inside the building, passively stabilises the temperature, but we can also actively control the thermal mass.

Now, thanks to Orata Active Thermal Mass, excess solar energy can be be converted to thermal energy with a heat pump to condition the thermal mass.