Therma Testa: A Method for the Development of Thermal Clay Tiles

This study investigates and demonstrates a method and process for the development of thermal clay tiles, with a focus on cooling properties. The study is based on a craft-computation approach, combining clay-ceramic manual techniques with parametric design-simulation methods using thermal flux and computer fluid dynamic simulation procedures. From the experimental studies, novel clay-glaze prototypes are proposed and tested for temperature and air properties, which effectively impact building thermal environments and energy consumption in a warming world. The studies find that thermal performances can be significantly steered by the specific material-form articulation presented, that the suggested modular assembly and simple fabrication procedure support a feasible integration and that the proposed tiles illustrate a rich, articulated material-form characterization that presents both qualitative and quantitative perspectives for further studies.