Overview: Concrete slabs and steel beams that project through the building envelope, such as those used in the construction of balconies, canopies, and parapets, break the insulation layer and create thermal bridging. Incorporating a thermal break within structural elements significantly improves the thermal performance of building envelopes and helps avoid future costly issues.

This course discusses solutions to separate the external components from the insulated interior of the building, minimizing thermal bridging, energy loss, and moisture issues. Attendees will learn the benefits of incorporating structural thermal breaks and the concerns and potential issues when they are not included. We will also discuss local building code requirements and design best practices when working with structural thermal breaks.

Attendees will learn how structural thermal breaks solve issues caused by thermal bridging through structural penetrations in the building envelope. You will also learn about different types of structural thermal breaks for concrete and steel connections and about engineering design best practices when working with them. This is an AIA-accredited course, but the focus will be put on structural characteristics for the structural audience instead of the thermal building envelop characteristics.