flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

New guide for prevention of thermal bridging in commercial buildings

New guide for prevention of thermal bridging in commercial buildings

The guide aims to overcome obstacles with respect to mitigating thermal bridging to reduce energy consumption in buildings.


By Morrison Hershfield | August 11, 2014
Photo courtesy BC Hydro
Photo courtesy BC Hydro

Morrison Hershfield has announced that the Building Envelope Thermal Bridging Guide – Analysis, Applications, and Insights is now public and can be downloaded from BC Hydro. The guide aims to overcome obstacles confronting the industry with respect to mitigating thermal bridging to reduce energy consumption in buildings.

The guide was developed by Morrison Hershfield in collaboration with co-sponsors and industry partners.  Co-sponsors include BC Hydro Power Smart, Canadian Wood Council, Fortis BC, FPInnovations, and Homeowner Protection Office. Industry partners helped extend the scope of the guide to include many additional details.

The principle goal of these collaborating organizations is to promote energy-efficiency in buildings by increasing awareness of the impact of and methods to mitigate thermal bridging. To meet these goals, the guide addresses a number of obstacles currently confronting our industry by:

  • Cataloging the thermal performance of common building envelope assemblies and interface details.

  • Providing data-driven guidance that will make it easier for the industry to comprehensively consider thermal bridging in building codes and bylaws, design, and whole building energy simulations.

  • Examining the costs associated with improving the thermal performance of opaque building envelope assemblies and interface details, and forecasting the energy impact for several building types and climates.

  • Evaluating the cost effectiveness of improving the building envelope through more thermally efficient assemblies, interface details, and varying insulation levels.

  • The guide, which is broken into three main sections for ease of use, contains helpful information for technical committees for energy standards, regulators, utilities, architects, mechanical designers, building envelope consultants, energy modellers, developers, manufacturers and trade organizations.  

The guide outlines how to effectively account for thermal bridging and is backed up by an extensive catalogue of thermal performance data. This information is essential for practitioners evaluating building envelope thermal performance.

Researchers and regulators will be interested in the sections focused on market transformation, which includes an evaluation of cost effectiveness and energy savings in common large building types.

Related Stories

| Sep 24, 2014

5 business lessons from a 43-year Star veteran

Mary Ed Cain was supposed to be born a boy. That was the first time she surprised everyone. The second time came on a daily basis during her 43-year career at Star Building Systems. SPONSORED CONTENT

| Sep 24, 2014

Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector

On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.

| Sep 24, 2014

Frank Gehry's first building in Latin America will host grand opening on Oct. 2

Gehry's design for the Biomuseo, or Museum of Biodiversity, draws inspiration from the site's natural and cultural surroundings, including local Panamaian tin roofs.

| Sep 23, 2014

Cedars-Sinai looks to streamline trauma care with first-of-its-kind OR360 simulation space

The breakthrough simulation center features moveable walls and a modular ceiling grid that allow doctors and military personnel to easily reconfigure the shape and size of the space.

| Sep 23, 2014

Third phase of New York’s High Line redevelopment opens

The $35 million Phase 3, known as High Line at the Rail Yards, broke ground September 20, 2012, and officially opened to the public on September 21.

| Sep 23, 2014

Cloud-shaped skyscraper complex wins Shenzhen Bay Super City design competition

Forget the cubist, clinical, glass and concrete jungle of today's financial districts. Shenzhen's new plan features a complex of cloud-shaped skyscrapers connected to one another with sloping bridges.

| Sep 23, 2014

Designing with Water: Report analyzes ways coastal cities can cope with flooding

The report contains 12 case studies of cities around the world that have applied advanced flood management techniques. 

| Sep 22, 2014

4 keys to effective post-occupancy evaluations

Perkins+Will's Janice Barnes covers the four steps that designers should take to create POEs that provide design direction and measure design effectiveness.

| Sep 22, 2014

NCARB overhauls Intern Development Program, cuts years off licensure process

The newly adopted changes will be implemented in two phases. The first will streamline the program by focusing on the IDP’s core requirements and removing its elective requirements. The second phase will condense the 17 current experience areas into six practice-based categories.

| Sep 22, 2014

Biloxi’s new Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum is like a ship in a bottle

Nine years after the Museum of Maritime and Seafood Industry in Biloxi, Miss., was damaged by Hurricane Katrina’s 30-foot tidal surge, the museum reopened its doors in a brand new, H3-designed building. 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Museums

The Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a $110 million expansion

In Tampa, Fla., the Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a 77,904-sf Centennial Expansion project. The museum plans to reach its $110 million fundraising goal by late 2024 or early 2025 and then break ground. Designed by Weiss/Manfredi, and with construction manager The Beck Group, the expansion will redefine the museum’s surrounding site.



Reconstruction & Renovation

Movement to protect historic buildings raises sharp criticism

While the movement to preserve historic buildings has widespread support, it also has some sharp critics with well-funded opposition groups springing up in recent years. Some opponents are linked to the Stand Together Foundation, founded and bankrolled by the Koch family’s conservative philanthropic organization, according to a column in Governing magazine.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021