An Evaluation of the Impact of an Example of Thermal Bridging in Buildings and a Design Alternative

Thermal Bridges act as short circuits for energy flow between conditioned interior space and the outside environment. They readily show up in infrared imaging under appropriate conditions. An example of a thermal bridge in a standard building detail and an alternate design are analyzed to predict the energy impact of the bridge and of removing it. The analysis also provides guidance on whether infrared imaging can detect the thermal bridge.