An Analysis of Repeating Thermal Bridges from Timber Frame Fraction in Closed Panel Timber Frame Walls: A Case Study from Wales, UK

Francesco Zaccaro, John Richard Littlewood and Carolyn Hayles
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Francesco Zaccaro: The Sustainable & Resilient Built Environment Research Group, Cardiff School of Art and Design, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff CF5 2YB, UK
John Richard Littlewood: The Sustainable & Resilient Built Environment Research Group, Cardiff School of Art and Design, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff CF5 2YB, UK
Carolyn Hayles: The Sustainable & Resilient Built Environment Research Group, Cardiff School of Art and Design, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff CF5 2YB, UK

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Calculating Repeating Thermal Bridges (RTBs) for Timber Frame (TF) closed panels that could occur in Offsite Manufactured (OSM) Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), such as exterior walls for nearly-to-zero operational energy dwellings to be constructed in Wales, United Kingdom (UK) is discussed in this paper. Detailed calculations for linear RTBs due to the TF components are often neglected when evaluating thermal transmittance (known as U-values hereafter). The use of standard TF fractions does not allow the designer to perceive their detrimental impact on RTBs and consequent U-values for exterior walls. With the increase of the thermal performance of exterior walls and as such lower U-values due to ever-tightening Building Regulations, specifically related to the energy use and carbon emissions from the space heating of dwellings, then the impacts of RTBs requires more investigation. By not calculating the potential of linear RTB at the design stage could lead to a performance gap where assumed U-values for exterior walls differ from manufacture to onsite. A TF detail from the Welsh manufacture has been chosen as a case study, to develop and apply a methodology using manufacturing drawings to evaluate TF fraction and their effect on the thermal performance.

Keywords: thermal bridge analysis; offsite manufacturing of modern methods of construction; closed panel timber frame walls; linear repeating thermal bridge; timber frame fraction; nearly-zero operational energy; Wales-UK (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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