Title: Thermal bridge - Wikipedia
Headings: Thermal bridge
Thermal bridge
Contents
Concept
Identifying Thermal Bridges
Thermal Bridging in Construction
Masonry Buildings
Curtain Wall
Impacts of Thermal Bridging
Design Methods to Reduce Thermal Bridges
Analysis Methods and Challenges
See also
References
External links

Content: In the summer, when the exterior temperature is typically higher than the interior temperature, heat flows inward, and at greater rates through thermal bridges. This causes winter heat losses and summer heat gains for conditioned spaces in buildings. Despite insulation requirements specified by various national regulations, thermal bridging in a building's envelope remain a weak spot in the construction industry. Moreover, in many countries building design practices implement partial insulation measurements foreseen by regulations. As a result, thermal losses are greater in practice that is anticipated during the design stage. An assembly such as an exterior wall or insulated ceiling is generally classified by a U-factor, in W/m 2 ·K, that reflects the overall rate of heat transfer per unit area for all the materials within an assembly, not just the insulation layer. Heat transfer via thermal bridges reduces the overall thermal resistance of an assembly, resulting in an increased U-factor. Thermal bridges can occur at several locations within a building envelope; most commonly, they occur at junctions between two or more building elements. Common locations include: