Modelling Thermal Bridging at Interface Conditions. Analysis of Solutions for Reducing Thermal Bridges Effects on Building Energy Consumption.

Concrete balconies that extend the floor slab through the building envelope are a common example of thermal bridging, where structural steel highlights heat conduction. Our work investigates acoustic and energy performances of thermal bridges belonging to typical example of existing buildings. Simulations were performed with COMSOL Multiphysics to analyse the incidence of thermal bridges on the global heat exchange and sound transmission. The aim of our work is to provide an integrated approach for understanding thermo-physical and acoustic phenomena that can be useful for energy efficient design solutions.