Thermal Bridging Standards Improvement Project - Webinar

As changes to the NCC begin to address thermal bridging, and expectations around building thermal performance become more stringent, methods to accurately model thermal bridges in building performance simulations (BPS) need to be established.  While the material properties in envelope assemblies can be modified to model the impacts of ‘repeating’ thermal bridges, e.g. by following NZS 4214, many types of thermal bridge cannot currently be modelled in this way.  ‘Linear’ and ‘point’ thermal bridges, such as junctions between walls and roofs, balconies, slab edges, and fenestration subframes, can cause as much as 14 % of building energy consumption, but cannot be modelled using current standard BPS methods. The Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) at the University of Wollongong has been working with the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) to investigate the impacts of these types of thermal bridges on Australian buildings, and to develop methods by which they can be simulated in BPS. Our current project is aimed at developing a method (or methods) that could eventually be referenced in the NCC.  The project will assess previously established methods, such as the ‘equivalent wall method’ and other methods previously investigated by the SBRC, in terms of their accuracy, impact on BPS results, and complexity of implementation. Ultimately, a method needs to be developed that can accurately model all thermal bridges in BPS but does not place any unnecessary additional burden on BPS practitioners. This presentation will outline results from the SBRC’s previous work on this topic, as well as the planned methodology for the current project. Hosted by Dev Vrat Bhardwaj, Commercial Buildings Policy, Industrial Energy Efficiency Branch, Energy Division, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

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