Thermal Analysis & Design Today many building envelope elements, especially in high-rise construction, are pre-assembled at the factory. This trend that has led to the widespread use of curtain wall, window-wall, metal panels, and framing modules that can slide and snap together easily. Shipped to the site and ready for construction, pre-fab components provide cost and time savings for builders on a tight budget and schedule. But, internal to these modules are aluminum and steel components that are conductive, and in cold climates can cause thermal bridging. Thermal bridging, occurs when metal elements inside a building’s walls are not properly insulated and results in the increased transfer of energy between materials. This decrease in thermal performance is most significant when differences between the interior and exterior temperatures are highest.

Thermal Analysis & Design Today many building envelope elements, especially in high-rise construction, are pre-assembled at the factory. This trend that has led to the widespread use of curtain wall, window-wall, metal panels, and framing modules that can slide and snap together easily. Shipped to the site and ready for construction, pre-fab components provide cost and time savings for builders on a tight budget and schedule. But, internal to these modules are aluminum and steel components that are conductive, and in cold climates can cause thermal bridging. Thermal bridging, occurs when metal elements inside a building’s walls are not properly insulated and results in the increased transfer of energy between materials. This decrease in thermal performance is most significant when differences between the interior and exterior temperatures are highest.