Browse Forums Heating, Cooling & Insulation Re: thermal bridging in steel frame houses 16Jan 17, 2009 9:59 pm wakeboardandy My contract states this: Sisalation to external walls of house. Ceiling and Wall thermal performance insulation to comply with 6 Star Energy requirements. so is that this thermal stuff you speak about? I would want to know exactly what kind of insulation material is being used, how thick, what R value and where it is being located. The ultimate question is whether or not it will achieve the same outcome as a timber frame with standard insulation. The BCA star rating is a mere series of tick boxes of which insulation is one of them. I wouldn't trust that it can properly discriminate the level of insulation required for a steel frame over a timber one. Re: thermal bridging in steel frame houses 17Jan 17, 2009 10:41 pm dymonite69 I would want to know exactly what kind of insulation material is being used, how thick, what R value and where it is being located. The ultimate question is whether or not it will achieve the same outcome as a timber frame with standard insulation. The BCA star rating is a mere series of tick boxes of which insulation is one of them. I wouldn't trust that it can properly discriminate the level of insulation required for a steel frame over a timber one. But it is using FirstRate, not a deemed to comply system, of ticks - and I for one don't know how FirstRate treats steel frames. So over to Peter... Ed Re: thermal bridging in steel frame houses 18Jan 17, 2009 11:32 pm dymonite69 wakeboardandy My contract states this: [i]Sisalation The ultimate question is whether or not it will achieve the same outcome as a timber frame with standard insulation. .......I wouldn't trust that it can properly discriminate the level of insulation required for a steel frame over a timber one. I would say that for a steel frame house to achieve the insulation level of a timber frame house every piece of steel forming a thermal bridge, ie all outside wall studs, noggings, top plates, bottom plates, and all the ceiling joists would need extra insulation over them equal to the insulative value of 90mm of pine timber. That is assuming a plantation pine frame, 90mmm studwork and ceiling joists, and assuming steel has near to zero insulating value, (which it has). This would be easy to achieve in the ceiling (except where joists are joined to trusses) but harder to achieve in exterior walls where space may be limited and brick ties intrude just where the insulation needs to be fitted. Give me wood, more environmentally friendly, less embodied energy and unless you are living in the tropics the termite fear hyped up by steel frame builders is an unwarranted one. Johnnojack Re: thermal bridging in steel frame houses 19Jan 17, 2009 11:38 pm Johnnojack I would say that for a steel frame house to achieve the insulation level of a timber frame house every piece of steel forming a thermal bridge would need extra insulation over them equal to the insulative value of 90mm of pine timber. I think this would be a fair approximation. Re: thermal bridging in steel frame houses 20Jan 18, 2009 3:45 pm dymonite69 I guess you could get some idea by directing a thermal camera on the walls inside a steel framed house and see how many 'cold spots' sit behind the internal cladding. This is a privately funded study by a steel company: http://www.dofasco.ca/bins/doc.asp?rdc_id=2520 Hi I am wanting some opinions about the build of a steel shed I am going to get one about 4.5 x 2.5 m steel shed and the height will be about 2.3-2.4m high The one I am… 0 14482 This is 100% true. You can not hang anything on steel frames. very frustrating 8 8073 Hi, I have a steel frame house which was built 2 years ago. When you are down stairs you can hear clunking noises when someone is walking around. We were told if you… 0 4470 |