❄️ Thermal Bridging: The Silent Energy Killer in Façades

When it comes to façade design, we often focus on insulation values, glazing ratios, and air tightness. But there’s a hidden issue that can quietly sabotage all of that: thermal bridging.

At NFEStructural, we regularly help design out thermal bridges because even the best materials can underperform if the detailing is poor. Let’s unpack what thermal bridging is—and why it matters more than you might think.

🧊 What Is a Thermal Bridge?

A thermal bridge is a spot in the building envelope where heat flows more easily through the material—usually due to:

• Poor detailing at junctions
• Penetrations of structural elements
• Continuous conductive materials (like steel or concrete)

These bridges act like energy leaks, letting warmth escape in winter and heat in during summer—reducing comfort and jacking up energy bills.

🔍 Common Thermal Bridge Locations in Facades

• Window-to-wall junctions
• Slab edges and balcony connections
• Steel fixings and brackets
• Parapets and corners
• Roof-to-wall interfaces

Each of these points, if poorly detailed, becomes a weak link in the building’s thermal envelope.

📉 Why Is It a Big Deal?

Here’s what thermal bridging can lead to:

• ❄️ Cold spots and condensation—which may cause mould
• 🔥 Increased energy use—especially for heating/cooling
• ⚠️ Compromised U-values—even if the rest of the wall is insulated well
• 🏢 Non-compliance—especially with Part L and BREEAM targets

Even a small thermal bridge can account for 20–30% of heat loss in poorly designed buildings.

🧠 How to Eliminate Thermal Bridges

At NFEStructural, we help eliminate thermal bridges through smart detailing and collaboration with the design team.

Here’s what we recommend:

✅ Thermal break elements – like pads or isolators at steel connections
✅ Continuous insulation layers – unbroken by structural members
✅ Optimised fixing systems – especially for rainscreen and curtain walls
✅ Thermal modeling – using software like THERM or Flixo to simulate performance
✅ Coordination – between structure, MEP, and envelope engineers

🛠️ Our Approach in Practice

We regularly work on facades where we:

• Identify high-risk junctions early
• Review structural anchor zones for thermal breaks
• Coordinate with architects on glazing details
• Validate compliance through calculation and simulation

This saves our clients energy, money, and headaches long-term.

Final Thought: Details Matter

You can have the best facade materials in the world—but if your thermal detailing is poor, your performance will fall apart.

🔥 Thermal bridging is silent—but deadly to energy performance.
Let us help you get the detailing right from the start.

📩 Contact NFEStructural today to review your facade details or carry out a thermal assessment.

Let me know if you want this version branded or exported as a technical PDF for clients!

‍