What Property Do We Measure

ASTM Subcommittee C16.30 on Thermal Properties of Committee C-16 on Thermal and Cryogenic Insulating Materials discusses in this paper its philosophy of the measurement of heat transfer properties of insulations and its concern about the present manner in which certain heat transfer properties are used or possibly misused, in describing thermal insulation performance. Recommendations for changes in the standard test methods under the jurisdiction of the subcommittee to avoid the present problems are given.