Thermal performance of lightweight steel framed wall: the importance of flanking thermal losses

"First Published August 21, 2013"The thermal performance of a modular lightweight steel framed wall was measured and calculated with three-dimensional finite element method model. The focus of this article is on the effect of flanking thermal losses. The calculated heat flux values varied from ?22% (external surface) to +50% (internal surface) when flanking loss was set to 0 as a reference case, thermal transmittance equal to 0.30 W/(m2·K). Other critical parameters were the existence of fixing ?L?-shaped steel elements and the perimeter thermal insulation (10 cm XPS).The authors would like to thank the European Union for funding in the form of the QREN SI I&DT N. 5527 – ‘CoolHaven – Development of residential modular and eco-sustainable houses, with structural light steel frames’ grant.