PASLINK and dynamic outdoor testing of building components

The PASLINK test facilities and analysis procedures aim to obtain the thermal and solar characteristics of building components under real dynamic outdoor conditions. Both the analysis and the test methodology have evolved since the start of the PASSYS Project in 1985. A programme of upgrading the original PASSYS test cells has improved measurement accuracy. The emphasis has moved from steady state to dynamic methods with shorter test durations yielding improved information and more accurate results. Dynamic test procedures aim to de-couple the different thermal processes within the test cell in order to obtain separation between the thermal transmission and the solar aperture of a component. In parallel with improvements in test methodology, software tools have been developed to enable the identification of the component characteristics and provide statistical information on their accuracies from the dynamic test data. The PASLINK Network has implemented quality procedures and promoted the development of participants’ expertise in the design, preparation and execution of tests and the analysis of test data.