OT-88-15-3 -- Thermal Bridges and Standardization PDF

Since it seems to be impossible to avoid thermal bridges in buildings, it is important to take them into account when predicting heat losses from buildings. This makes it necessary to have specially developed routines for calculations at one’s disposal, as well as a generally accepted "thermal bridge language."

This paper describes a noncomputerized procedure for calculations. The importance of the procedure is discussed within the context of a general "thermal bridge language." Its practical application is demonstrated in an example, and the procedure is compared to other simplified methods.

This method has been the basis for standardization work on thermal bridges in Sweden. The purpose of this standardization work is to establish general directives for calculating the heat loss through thermal bridges, without favoring one particular procedure, and to work out definitions. This work, and the principles behind it, are also discussed in this paper.

Units: SI