Thermal resistance in some common building elements are indicated in the table below. The values can be used to approximately heat loss calculations from buildings.
Thermal Resistance Inside and Outside Walls | Resistance (m2K/W) |
Ri = 1/fi 1) | Ro = 1/fo 1) | Ri+ Ro |
Building parts against the surrounding environment | 0.13 | 0.04 | 0.17 |
Building parts others | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.26 |

Thermal Resistance for Building Elements against Earth | Resistance (m2K/W) |
Re |
Floors 0.5 m above to 0.5 below earth bound, 0-1 m from inside outside wall - without cold bridge protection | 0.2 |
Floors 0.5 m above to 0.5 below earth bound - with cold bridge protection | 1.0 |
Center-field above 1 m from inside outside wall | 1.5 |
Basement floors 0.5 m below earth bound | 2.0 |
Basement walls under earth bound, the whole wall against the earth, where h is the basement floors level below the earth bound (m) | 0.2 + 0.3 h |
Basement walls under earth bound, basement floor against the earth and partly against air | 2.0 |
- 1 K/W = 0.5275 (h oF)/Btu