Dr. Köny is a leading building envelope researcher with 40 years of experience in the areas of building energy efficiency, building physics, thermal insulation, thermal storage, and building integrated solar technologies. Since 2019, he has been at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell (UML) as a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. From 2010 to 2019, he led the Building Enclosures and Advance Materials Research at the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable energy Systems (CSE), in Boston, MA. The main focus of this R&D program was on building physics, high-performance thermal control materials, and building integrated PV technologies. Prior to joining the Fraunhofer CSE, Dr. Köny spent 18 years at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he developed several high-performance building envelopes and BIPV concepts. Since 1981, he has held faculty positions in Europe and North America and authored books, book chapters and more than 150 technical papers, as well as numerous conference presentations and patents related to advanced building concepts. Dr. Köny is an active member of ASTM Committee C16, ASHRAE TC 4.4, and ASHRAE TC 4.7. He has represented the United States in various international organizations and standards bodies including the International Energy Agency. Dr. Köny together with Dr. Yarbrough are the winners of a 2009 R&D 100 Award for the development of a novel phase-change product. Dr. Köny holds a Ph.D. in Building Physics from the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.

Dr. Yarbrough, Vice-President of R&D Services, Inc., located in Watertown, TN, USA, is a Professor of Chemical Engineering, Emeritus at Tennessee Technological University, where he served for 32 years as a faculty member and Departmental Chairperson. In 2011, he retired from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory after 30 years as a part-time research participant in thermal insulations and materials. Dr. Yarbrough's research in both above positions included thermal insulation design, evaluation, and use. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and registration as a professional engineer. Dr. Yarbrough, an ASTM Fellow, is an active member of ASTM Committee C16 (Thermal Insulation) with task-group leadership and subcommittee assignments. Dr. Yarbrough is a fellow and governing board member of the International Thermal Conductivity Conference, a fellow and past president of the Tennessee Academy of Science, and a member of ASHRAE. In addition to an active history of publications and presentations, and he is the author of handbook chapters dealing with thermal insulation and a book chapter dealing with reflective insulation. He is a member of the Editorial Boards for the Journal of Building Physics and the Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science.

Introduction.- Thermal Insulation Materials and Radiation Control Technologies.- Why Buildings Need Thermal Insulations and Radiation Control Technologies.- A Short History of Thermal Insulation Use in Buildings.- An Overview of Past and Present Radiation Control Applications in Buildings.- Thermal Insulation Performance - Heat Transfer Fundamentals.- Thermal Bridging - a Construction Reality.- Building Energy Dynamics - Thermal Mass, Thermal Comfort and Energy Conservation.- Impact of Hygrothermal Processes on Building Enclosure Performance.- Thermal Insulations Using Natural Materials.- Fibrous and Particulate Insulations.- Lightweight Concretes, Gypsums, and Clay-Based Materials as Insulation.- Cellular-Plastic Insulations.- High Performance Thermal Insulations.- Dynamic Thermal Insulations.- Today's Radiation Control Products for Use in Buildings.- Physical Characteristics and Test Methods for Thermal Insulations.- Thermal Insulations and Fire Safety.- Thermal Insulation and Sound Transmission.- Health Impact of Common Building Insulations.- References.- Appendices.