Tags: #architecture #buildingdesign #buildingenclosures #buildingenvelopes #buildingmaterials #buildingproducts #buildingscience #fasteners #materialsscience
This week, I’m wrapping up a thermal study of girt-based attachment systems. My findings shed further light on what matters – and what doesn’t.
Nothing earth-shattering here, but my findings may help clarify some persisting misconceptions, especially those pertaining to the effects of fasteners, material type, and novel component geometries.
Some of these may be summarized as follows (listed from most influential to least):
Bridging elements > Thermal conductivity of bridging elements > Geometry of bridging elements > Spacing of bridging elements > Thickness of bridging elements > Fasteners associated with bridging elements > Fasteners within the field
I’m overgeneralizing here. There are exceptions to my rank order. And other factors such as fastener size also play a role.
The biggest outcome? We have to be careful when characterizing the effects of fasteners. Do fasteners matter? Yes, but the ones that truly matter are those associated with the bridging element itself.
I look forward to sharing the details of my study in a forthcoming white paper.