Technical Paper on Thermal. Breaks in High-rise Balconies.

The International Journal on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats has released their latest issue on the design, construction and operation of tall buildings. This issue includes a research paper entitled "Thermal Breaks and Energy Performance in High-rise Concrete Buildings", which was written by Dieter Hardock of Schöck and Patrick Roppel of Morrison Hershfield.

The article highlights how thermally broken slabs can help improve the thermal performance of the building envelope while helping to meet the objectives of building codes and energy standards. A case study of a multi-unit high-rise is analyzed with whole-building energy simulation software providing thermal analysis of three concrete balcony construction methods. The conclusion of the paper reveals that MSTBs (Manufactured Structural Thermal Breaks) such as Isokorb® provide greater thermal comfort by way of warmer interior surfaces, avoiding condensation and mold growth, and reducing heat loss by 75%.

With the goal of designing energy efficient buildings in North America, Isokorb® structural thermal breaks will continue to gain recognition as an added value for high-rise residential buildings.

The full article can be found at the CTBUH website.