Just added in the library: Measuring the Extent of Thermal Bridging in External Timber Framed Walls in New Zealand.

While you may mostly be looking at existing housing, this research shows how adding extra timber to wall framing has the potential to reduce the amount of insulation and therefore increase heat loss.

The research found the average percentage of timber framing compared to wall area was 34%, much higher than the 14–18% framing content generally assumed by regulators and the industry.

It’s happening in a new build near you!

Approximately half of all New Zealand houses have no wall insulation*. This results in space heating energy being wasted, makes these houses difficult to heat to healthy and comfortable temperatures and contributes to mould-problems with associated health impacts on occupants.

In houses that have ceiling and under-floor insulation and draught-proofing retrofitted already (for example through the government-funded Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme) insulating external walls typically reduces heat loss by approximately 40%. This makes wall insulation the most effective next step in upgrading the thermal efficiency of such houses. Read more …