This service provides laboratory-based measurement of the specific heat capacity (Cp) of building materials using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), a highly sensitive and accurate thermoanalytical technique. The specific heat capacity is a key thermal property that indicates how much energy a material can store and how it responds to changes in temperature, making it particularly important for thermal mass optimization, passive building strategies, and dynamic energy modeling.
The DSC method measures the difference in the amount of heat required to increase the temperature of a sample compared to a reference with known heat capacity. During the test, both the sample and the reference are subjected to a controlled temperature ramp, and the differential heat flow is continuously recorded. The specific heat capacity of the material is then calculated as a function of temperature.
At NTUA’s laboratory, the DSC setup supports temperature ranges suitable for construction material testing, and the measurement is performed under standardized thermal scanning conditions. The sample material is prepared in powder form, with an approximate mass of 10 mg. Proper sample preparation (e.g., drying, grinding) is essential for accurate and repeatable results.
This method is especially useful for materials with low thermal conductivity or those intended to act as thermal buffers, such as clay plasters, gypsum boards, bio-based composites, insulation materials, or mortars with phase-change additives. It also supports early-stage material development (TRL4–6) by enabling quantitative analysis of thermal storage capabilities.
The results of DSC measurements can be used for input in building simulation software, validation of product claims, and comparative studies of material efficiency in dynamic thermal environments.
