PRINCIPLES/DEFECTS
2.3 THERMAL ENVELOPE DEFECTS
Thermal envelope defects are discontinuities in the insulation layer or the plane of airtightness
within the building envelope. Some of these discontinuities are designed into the thermal envelope.
Others are the result of improper construction or occur over time when the design does not provide
adequate support to materials given the wind pressures and structural movements to which they
are exposed. There have been many discussions of thermal and air leakage defects in the
envelopes of office buildings, either as case studies from specific building envelope designs or in
terms of generic defects associated with specific envelope systems. As part of the development of
these guidelines, a literature review was conducted and these defects were classified into general
categories (Persily). This section summarizes the results of this review and presents a general
discussion of thermal envelope defects in the following categories:
Thermal Bridges
Insulation System Defects
Air Leakage Defects
Wall Assemblies
Roofing Systems
Other Assemblies
Component Connections
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