P3 2 Thermal Insulation of Hobbit Holes Comfort in the Shire

Abstract

This paper analyses the thermal insulation of Bag End using precise scaling from Fonstad’s plan, yielding a total floor (and ceiling area) of 182 m² with 208 m² of lateral external wall area. With earth berm construction (R−value = 12.59 m²K/W) maintaining 293 K during the 263 K winters, steady-state heat loss is ∼ 760 W (4.2 W/m² ). The long hallway contributes significantly to heat loss but burial depth and material selection enable sustainable heating with ∼ 18 kg of wood daily.