This study applied a novel technique, continuous surface temperature monitoring (CSTM) that uses infrared technology, for deriving in situ sensible heat released by different building fabrics in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. Five possible factors (finish materials, colors of finish materials, size of the building, orientation, and seasonal change) which may affect the cooling pattern/sensible heat release characteristics of building fabrics were studied. Cooling patterns of building fabrics of different sizes were found to be same. Therefore, CSTM technique can be applied to capture thermal data of a large number of buildings simultaneously for sensible heat analysis. In general, granite wall releases more sensible heat than aluminum and ceramic tile wall. It was found that difference between colors is not as significant as difference in finish materials. The maximum surface temperature (peak) of walls facing east appears earlier than those facing west. Significant differences between energy released by building fabrics in hot and cold seasons was also found. However, the proportion of sensible heat released by the buildings to the global solar radiation (GSR) was similar in both seasons. Hence, it holds that the percent of sensible heat release against the total GSR is quite constant in hot and cold season. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.