New challenges on building systems with superinsulation materials

Although been performed for several decades, thermal insulation in buildings is getting more and more performing with modern energy efficiency regulations in developed countries. Not only insulation requirements are imposed to new-built buildings, but also to refurbishment activities of the existing building stock. These requirements lead to increased insulation thicknesses in building envelope constructions in modern days. Although not relevant for detached buildings, in multi-rise urban environments, the required space for insulation materials places high requirements on the feasibility of refurbishment activities. As internal insulation reduces the remaining room space and the thickness of external insulation might be limited by public bodies. In this context, superinsulation materials provide relevant thickness reductions over equivalent insulation levels. The development and application of these technologies is one of the key stones of the energy efficiency in buildings roadmap. However, this leads to new construction configurations where traditional construction systems may substantially reduce the thermal performance of such materials, when the relevance thermal bridging in auxiliary elements is increased. The aim of this work is to assess the relevance of thermal bridging due to profiles & studs in internal and external insulation solutions for building renovation. Traditionally, metal elements have been used for these applications, while new non-metallic solutions are proposed as alternatives