The overall thermal performance of a building UA.sup.Total can be empirically estimated through a short-duration controlled test. Preferably, the controlled test is performed at night during the winter. A heating source is turned off after the indoor temperature has stabilized. After an extended period, such as 12 hours, the heating source is briefly turned back on, such as for an hour, then turned off. The indoor temperature is allowed to stabilize. The energy consumed within the building during the test period is assumed to equal internal heat gains. Overall thermal performance is estimated by balancing the heat gained with the heat lost during the test period.

The overall thermal performance of a building UA.sup.Total can be empirically estimated through a short-duration controlled test. Preferably, the controlled test is performed at night during the winter. A heating source is turned off after the indoor temperature has stabilized. After an extended period, such as 12 hours, the heating source is briefly turned back on, such as for an hour, then turned off. The indoor temperature is allowed to stabilize. The energy consumed within the building during the test period is assumed to equal internal heat gains. Overall thermal performance is estimated by balancing the heat gained with the heat lost during the test period.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide unmanned aerial vehicle-based measurement techniques for building envelope surfaces One such method comprises acquiring, by an unmanned aerial vehicle, an air velocity measurement at an external surface of the high-rise building at a point on the external surface; acquiring, by the unmanned aerial vehicle, an external temperature at the external surface of the high-rise building at the point on the external surface; acquiring, by an infrared camera sensor of the unmanned aerial vehicle, IR measurements at the external surface of the high-rise building at the point on the external surface; and transferring, by the unmanned aerial vehicle, the IR measurements and the external air velocity and temperature measurements to a remote base station, wherein a current thermal performance of the external surface of the high-rise building is determined using the external air velocity, temperature, and IR measurements.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide unmanned aerial vehicle-based measurement techniques for building envelope surfaces One such method comprises acquiring, by an unmanned aerial vehicle, an air velocity measurement at an external surface of the high-rise building at a point on the external surface; acquiring, by the unmanned aerial vehicle, an external temperature at the external surface of the high-rise building at the point on the external surface; acquiring, by an infrared camera sensor of the unmanned aerial vehicle, IR measurements at the external surface of the high-rise building at the point on the external surface; and transferring, by the unmanned aerial vehicle, the IR measurements and the external air velocity and temperature measurements to a remote base station, wherein a current thermal performance of the external surface of the high-rise building is determined using the external air velocity, temperature, and IR measurements.

A heat flux sensor is provided with a main body which detects heat flux, and filling members. The main body has a first surface. The first surface has an uneven shape, with a plurality of concave portions and a plurality of convex portions. The filling members are filled in the plurality of concave portions. Surfaces of the filling members constitutes a part of an outer surface of the heat flux sensor. The degree of flatness of the outer surface is higher than the degree of flatness of the first surface of the main body.

A heat flux sensor is provided with a main body which detects heat flux, and filling members. The main body has a first surface. The first surface has an uneven shape, with a plurality of concave portions and a plurality of convex portions. The filling members are filled in the plurality of concave portions. Surfaces of the filling members constitutes a part of an outer surface of the heat flux sensor. The degree of flatness of the outer surface is higher than the degree of flatness of the first surface of the main body.

ABA type block copolymers as a new class of temperature sensing polymers with tunable, high temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). A sensor includes a heater, a thermal insulator between two thermometer layers, the heater generating a thermal gradient within the thermal insulator. The thermometers give an indirect measurement of fluid flow around the sensor, based on their temperature readings. The thermometers are flexible layers including ABA block polymers.

ABA type block copolymers as a new class of temperature sensing polymers with tunable, high temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). A sensor includes a heater, a thermal insulator between two thermometer layers, the heater generating a thermal gradient within the thermal insulator. The thermometers give an indirect measurement of fluid flow around the sensor, based on their temperature readings. The thermometers are flexible layers including ABA block polymers.

An apparatus for measuring an overall heat transfer coefficient may include an external chamber provided using a heat insulation material and including an internal space, an internal chamber disposed in the external chamber and having an opening upper portion, a heat source supply to supply heat to an internal portion of the internal chamber, a cutoff portion disposed in the upper portion of the internal chamber to seal the internal chamber and prevent an outflow of heat emitted from the heat source supply, and a temperature measurement portion disposed in an internal portion and an external portion of the internal chamber to measure an internal temperature and an external temperature of the internal chamber, in which the cutoff portion may realize covering conditions indoors through a combination of a covering material and a thermal screen, and adjust the external temperature of the internal chamber.

An apparatus for measuring an overall heat transfer coefficient may include an external chamber provided using a heat insulation material and including an internal space, an internal chamber disposed in the external chamber and having an opening upper portion, a heat source supply to supply heat to an internal portion of the internal chamber, a cutoff portion disposed in the upper portion of the internal chamber to seal the internal chamber and prevent an outflow of heat emitted from the heat source supply, and a temperature measurement portion disposed in an internal portion and an external portion of the internal chamber to measure an internal temperature and an external temperature of the internal chamber, in which the cutoff portion may realize covering conditions indoors through a combination of a covering material and a thermal screen, and adjust the external temperature of the internal chamber.