Impact of thermal bridges on the energy performance of buildings

Thermal bridges have influence on the surface temperature of building components, but also on the energy performance of buildings. The ratio of losses due to thermal bridges to the total transmission losses is small in existing, non-retrofitted buildings but can become quite considerable in new and especially in high performance buildings. This paper summarizes studies on the impact of thermal bridges on the energy performance of buildings in different European Member States and gives therefore an indication on the relevance of including detailed thermal bridge assessments in the EPBD calculation methods.