The elementary basis for understanding heat flows in buildings will be explained in this basic course, in a way that can be understood by everyone. Nevertheless, we will remain scientifically correct in principle and misleading analogies will not be used. In addition, we will try to augment all sections with practical examples so that readers can see for themselves the validity of the presented findings - which is one of the basic principles of natural science, that is, subject-independent verifiability.

First a note regarding the key publication in this special field: the booklet “Theory of Heat” by James Clerk Maxwell published in 1872! We found it exciting to read this fundamental work today 150 years after its original publication and recommend that everyone should read it if possible. Maxwell manages to combine knowledge of the physics of heat with the observed world - alone the precise description of a process such as “boiling a liquid” is impressive. Interrelationships that are usually taken for granted today, such as the “Law of Equal Temperatures. — Bodies whose temperatures are equal to that of the same body have themselves equal temperatures” are pondered; Maxwell conveys a deep understanding of the underlying reasons - and it is amazing to see how much of the physics taught today was understood to an excellent extent even at that time (1872!).

1. What is heat? 🌡️
2. Heat storage 🌡️
3. Heat transport 🌡️
4. Heat transfer coefficient 🌡️
5. Thermal conductivity 🌡️  
6. Heat transfer I 🌡️
7. U-values of multi-layered build-up 🌡️   
8. Overview Thermal radiation 🌡️    
   1. Laws of radiation 🌡️ including derivation of Planck's radiation law   
9. Radiant heat exchange 🌡️   
10. Heat transfer II 🌡️
11. Thermal comfort 🌡️

A.1 Law of thermodynamics 🌡️