Thermal mass for heat pre-load and time-controlled dispersion in building heating systems

A system, comprising:

• a thermal mass unit configured to passively extract and store heat emitted by a radiator configured for heating a room;
• a housing containing the thermal mass unit within an interior cavity defined by the housing, the housing and the thermal mass unit collectively configured to be retrofitted to the radiator such that the housing is configured to be positioned to at least partially enclose the radiator;
• and
• at least one processor configured to operate a fan such that air from outside the housing is pushed inside the housing to be heated, at least in part, by the thermal mass unit,
• the processor, the fan, and the thermal mass unit collectively configured to re-emit heat generated by the radiator and stored within the housing by the thermal mass unit to an exterior of the housing and into the room on-demand.