A thermal bridge is a weakness or discontinuity in the thermal performance of the envelope of a building. There are two types of thermal bridges in buildings: repeating and non-repeating thermal bridges. Are polyurethane systems an efficient solution for thermal bridges?

The effects of thermal bridges

• Increased heat loss – Thermal bridges can account for 20-30% of the heat loss in a typical new-build home. As homes become better insulated thermal bridges become even more significant.

• Localised ‘cold-spots’– Sometimes leading to the build-up of condensation or mould growth.

Remember key junctions! Although there are many junctions within a dwelling, some have extremely low PSI values and others occur over very short lengths. The key junctions to ‘get right’ or improve are those which either have a high PSI value or occur frequently over significant lengths.

Thermal bridges are vital for green building

Buildings that are energy efficient perform better than their less sustainable counterparts. Heat is lost wherever the insulation layer is not continuous within the building envelope. Not only does this result in a less energy-efficient building, it can also lead to condensation and mould risk.

Polyurethane foam: a thermal bridging solution

The use of sprayed or injected polyurethane foam helps building achieve superior insulation performance, air tightness, condensation control capabilities, and can also reduce carbon emissions.

Polyurethane foam is a good thermal bridging solution for new and existing buildings alike.

Existing buildings can also be brought up to high standards of thermal efficiency, which lowers fuel bills and reduces carbon emissions. Using high performance, spray-applied or injected polyurethane foam can substantially increase thermal performance.

Would you like to lean more on polyurethane foam? You can get in touch with us or download the catalogue of polyurethane systems: