This article focuses on the investigation of the correlation between
thermal bridging and various geometric configurations. The article employs
QuickField software for conducting three-dimensional steady-state heat transfer
simulations to investigate the thermal behaviors of diverse geometric shapes. Significantly, this study involves the simulation
of four distinct geometries including concrete circular, square, rectangular,
and triangular column through an insulated concrete layer while all
geometries maintain the consistent surface
areas. The simulations yield findings indicating that circular thermal bridging
has the best thermal performance, while rectangular thermal bridging displays
comparatively the lowest thermal efficiency. Furthermore, the results indicate
that alterations in the perimeter of thermal bridge interfaces, while maintaining a constant area, exert a more
pronounced influence on the thermal
performance of the geometries compared to proportional changes in area while
preserving the perimeter. The study’s findings aid building designers and
architects in creating more energy-efficient structural and architectural
elements by incorporating thermally efficient geometries and forms.
References
[1]
Masson-Delmotte, V., Zhai, P., Pörtner, H.O., Roberts, D., Skea, J., Shukla, P.R., et al. (2018) Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the Impacts of Global Warming of 1.5°C above Pre-Industrial Levels and Related Global Greenhouse Gas Emission Pathways, in the Context of Strengthening the Global Response to the Threat of Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Efforts to Eradicate Poverty. IPCC. Geneva.
[2]
U.S. Department of Energy (2019) Building Energy Data Book: 2019. https://buildings.lbl.gov/cbs/bpd/
[3]
Rosenfeld, A.H., Romm, J.J. and Akbari, H. (1997) Building Energy Efficiency: Best Practice Policies and Future Directions. Energy Policy, 25, 741-753.
[4]
Walker, I.S. and Schweiker, M. (2016) Thermal Performance of the Building Envelope. In: Asdrubali, F. and Desideri, U., Eds., Handbook of Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 143-167.
Poirier, M., et al. (2017) Assessment of Thermal Bridging and Its Impact on Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort in Building Envelopes. Energy and Buildings, 144, 37-46.
[7]
Tariku, F. (2008) Whole Building Heat and Moisture Analysis. Ph.D. Thesis, Concordia University, Montreal.
[8]
Çengel, Y.A. and Ghajar, A.J. (2014) Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications. McGraw-Hill Education, New York.
[9]
Finch, G., et al. (2014) The Importance of Balcony and Slab Edge Thermal Bridges in Concrete Construction. 14th Canadian Conference on Building Science and Technology, Toronto, 28-30 October 2014, 133-145.
[10]
Sadauskiene, J., Ramanauskas, J. and Vasylius, A. (2020) Impact of Point Thermal Bridges on Thermal Properties of Building Envelope. Thermal Science, 24, 2181-2188. https://doi.org/10.2298/TSCI180719299S
[11]
Hemmati, F., Vaseghi, A. and Tariku, F. (2017) Risk of Condensation Analysis of Common Concrete Balcony Configurations (LV-17-C063). 2017 ASHRAE Winter Conference, Las Vegas, 28 January 2017, 8-16.
[12]
Ilomets, S., Kuusk, K., Paap, L., Arumägi, E. and Kalamees, T. (2016) Impact of Linear Thermal Bridges on Thermal Transmittance of Renovated Apartment Buildings. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 23, 96-104. https://doi.org/10.3846/13923730.2014.976259
[13]
Theodosiou, T.G. and Papadopoulous, A.M. (2008) The Impact of Thermal Bridges on the Energy Demand of Buildings with Double Brick Wall Constructions. Energy and Buildings, 40, 2083-2089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2008.06.006
[14]
Ge, H. and Baba, F. (2015) Dynamic Effect of Thermal Bridges on the Energy Performance of a Low-Rise Residential Building. Energy and Buildings, 105, 106-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2015.07.023
[15]
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.) (2019) Energy Efficiency Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. Standard 90.1-2019, Atlanta.
[16]
U.S. Department of Energy (2015) Net Zero Energy Buildings. https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/09/f26/A%20Common%20Definition%20for%20Zero%20Energy%20Buildings.pdf
[17]
Passive House International (2023) What Is Passive House? https://passivehouse-international.org/index.php?page_id=150
[18]
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) (2019) LEED V4 for Building Design and Construction. LEED V4-2019, Atlanta.
[19]
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.) (2015) Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small to Medium Office Buildings: Achieving 50% Energy Savings toward a Net Zero Energy Building. Atlanta.
Havret, T., Atanasiu, B. and Ganachaud, M. (2016) Innovative Thermal Breaks for Sustainable Buildings: State-of-the-Art and Future Challenges. Sustainability, 8, Article 660.
[22]
Goulouti, K., et al. (2014) Thermal Performance Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Thermal Breaks for Balcony Connections. Energy and Buildings, 70, 365-371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2013.11.070
[23]
Ge, H., McClung, R. and Zhang, S. (2013) Impact of Balcony Thermal Bridges on Overall Thermal Performance of Residential Buildings. Energy and Buildings, 67, 307-315.
[24]
Vaseghi, A. (2020) Building Envelope Designs to Improve Thermal Performance of Concrete Buildings. Master’s Thesis, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Vancouver.
[25]
Alhawari, A. and Mukhopadhyaya, P. (2018) Thermal Bridges in Building Envelopes—An Overview of Impacts and Solutions. International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering, 9, 31-40. https://doi.org/10.1556/1848.2018.9.1.5
[26]
Straube, J. and Burnett, E. (2016) Building Science for Building Enclosures. Building Science Press, Westford.
Incropera, F.P., DeWitt, D.P., Bergman, T.L. and Lavine, A.S. (2017) Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
[36]
Chen, Z., He, T. and Zhu, Y. (2020) Comparative Analysis of Software Tools for the Thermal Performance of Building Envelopes. Applied Thermal Engineering, 176, Article ID: 115381.
[37]
International Organization for Standardization (2017). ISO 10211:2017 Thermal Bridges in Building Construction—Heat Flows and Surface Temperatures—Detailed Calculations. Geneva.
[38]
Tera Analysis Ltd (2023) Quick Field [Version 7.0]. Svendborg.
[39]
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc) (2013) ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals.
