This thesis describes a programme of research the aim of which was to investigate the thermal behaviour of spaces enclosed by fabric membrane envelopes.

Initial analysis of the overall situation suggested that a fabric membrane can affect conditions within a space enclosed by it as a result of its internal surface temperature and the amount of thermal radiation it directs into that space. In order to investigate these two parameters, a test cell was constructed which allowed the thermal behaviour of a range of fabric membranes to be monitored.

The monitored data revealed that the thermal behaviour of fabric membranes is only significantly affected by their angular thermal optical properties. These properties were then measured and a dynamic spread sheet model was developed which was able to simulate the monitored behaviour fairly accurately.

In order to investigate the thermal behaviour of spaces enclosed by such membranes, conditions within four existing fabric roofed buildings were monitored. The monitored data revealed that comfort temperatures could vary significantly from place to place within such spaces. These variations were produced by both the stratification of internal air temperatures and differences in internal radiant temperatures.

An attempt was made to simulate the behaviour of the buildings monitored, using a general applications CFD code in conjunction with information generated by the spread sheet model. Whilst simple behaviour patterns could be simulated accurately using this approach, it was apparent that over simplistic boundary specification options left the CFD code unable to accurately predict strong internal stratification.

It was proposed that improving the reliability of this process would require the development of a more holistic CFD model which should be able to accurately predict the thermal behaviour of fabric membranes itself.