Describe how wall thickness affects the rate of cooling of a building.

Wall thickness changes the distance over which energy must be transferred. In the Energy transfers in a system subtopic, a thicker wall usually slows cooling because energy takes longer to conduct from the warm inside surface to the colder outside surface. This is separate from thermal conductivity: the same material can transfer energy more slowly if the wall is thicker. A strong answer describes the longer conduction path, lower rate of transfer, and reduced unwanted energy loss from the building.