42 BUILDING FABRIC; FINANCE, INSURANCE & SOFTWARE


overlooking it isn’t just a small oversight; it can be the reason a property fails to meet ey effi ciency standards. And importantly, thermal breaks arent one sie fi ts all product solutions. With the right approach and early design stage integration, solutions can be tailored to different build types, whether thats new housing or sensitive retrofi t projects. As awareness of the issue grows, so too does the need to factor thermal bridging into early stage decisions, alongside insulation, fenestration and ventilation strategies.


for improving energy performance, they can unintentionally introduce thermal bridging where materials and systems meet. f structural connections or fi xings aren’t properly thermally isolated, the gains made in one area can be lost through bridging elsewhere. This is especially true in properties with solid wall construction, where remedial works often involve adding external or internal insulation that can clash with existing architectural details.


That’s where thermal breaks come into play. These engineered materials are designed to interrupt the fl ow of heat across junctions where conductive materials, like steel or concrete, would


otherwise create a continuous path. By installing thermal breaks at key connection points, housebuilders and specifi ers can improve a buildings thermal performance, reduce energy bills and mitigate the risks of condensation and damp, without compromising on structure or design intent.


Thermal breaks also play a valuable role in ensuring compliance. With regulations such as Part L tightening performance requirements and with greater scrutiny of SAP calculations and thermal modelling, failing to address thermal bridging can result in missed targets. Thermal bridging can account for up to 30% of a building’s heat loss, so


In residential settings, whether you’re designing a compact block of starter homes, updating a Victorian terrace or planning a net zero neighbourhood, thermal breaks should be seen as an essential part of the toolkit. They help protect indoor air quality, reduce long term maintenance issues and contribute signifi cantly to lowering emissions. n short, they offer a low profi le, high impact solution to one of the most persistent issues in building physics. It’s time for thermal breaks to be moved up on the agenda. While they may be hidden from view, their effects are anything but invisible.


Paul Beech is commercial director at thermal break specialist Armatherm


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