R-value (insulation) typical straw bale houses have very thick walls and thus are well insulated. Snow is roughly R-1 per inch. Brick has a very poor insulating ability at a mere R-0.2 per inch; however it does have a relatively good thermal mass. Note that the above examples all use the U.S. (non-SI) definition for R-value. When determining the overall thermal resistance of a building assembly such as a wall or roof, the insulating effect of the surface air film is added to the thermal resistance of the other materials. In practice the above surface values are used for floors, ceilings, and
National Office of Building Technology and Administration National Office of Building Technology and Administration The National Office of Building Technology and Administration* () was a Norwegian government agency responsible for managing laws and rules related to building and construction, authorises rules related to documentation of construction materials and their properties, as well as approving companies related to the "Plan- and Building Act". The agency gives however jurisdiction to local municipalities, along with the County Governor, in appealing individual building permits. Since 1 January 2012, the office has taken on the title of Directorate of Building Quality (Norwegian: "Direktoratet for Byggkvalitet)." The Directorate of Building Quality is organized