EKS-HUM-026 / Condensation, measurement and control
Thermal Bridge
热桥
A thermal bridge is a local low-thermal-resistance path that allows heat to flow more readily between two surfaces than through the surrounding construction.
- Aliases
- thermal bridging, heat bridge
QUANTITY, SYMBOL AND UNIT
Quantity / objectLocal low-thermal-resistance heat-flow path
UnitNot applicable
Definition
A thermal bridge is a local low-thermal-resistance path that allows heat to flow more readily between two surfaces than through the surrounding construction.
It can be created by a conductive material, a change in geometry, a penetration, a joint or interrupted insulation. The resulting local heat flow can lower an interior surface temperature and create a condensation risk that room-average temperatures do not reveal.
Relations and distinctions
Thermal bridge and air leakage
A thermal bridge is a heat-flow path through or around materials; air leakage is mass flow through openings. A location can have one or both.
Thermal bridge and thermal break
A thermal break is a higher-resistance feature introduced to reduce heat flow through a bridge.
Engineering meaning
- Review frames, fasteners, penetrations, corners, panel joints and interrupted insulation for local cold surfaces.
- Use an appropriate heat-transfer calculation or measurement instead of assigning the room-air temperature to the bridge surface.
Common misconceptions
MisconceptionA well-insulated average assembly cannot contain a condensation-prone thermal bridge.
Accurate explanationA small local path can have much lower thermal resistance than the surrounding area and control the minimum surface temperature.
Application boundaries
- The presence of a bridge does not by itself quantify its heat flow or minimum temperature.
- A steady model still requires correct geometry, material properties, boundary conditions and transient review where relevant.
Supporting sources
-
ASHRAE / SRC-ASHRAE-TERMINOLOGY-THERMAL-BRIDGE
ASHRAE Terminology: Thermal Bridge ↗
/ Thermal bridge entry under letter T
Supports: A thermal bridge is a low-thermal-resistance path connecting two surfaces -
International Organization for Standardization / SRC-ISO-10211-2017-SCOPE
ISO 10211:2017 - Thermal bridges in building construction - Heat flows and surface temperatures - Detailed calculations ↗
2017 / Public abstract and scope
Supports: Thermal-bridge models are used to calculate heat flows and minimum surface temperatures; Minimum surface temperature supports assessment of surface-condensation risk; Geometry and thermal boundary conditions are part of the calculation domain
Maintenance record
Thermal Bridge
- Maintained by
- Yakeclimate Engineering Team
- Authoritative sources verified
- August 3, 2026
- Terminology checked
- August 3, 2026
- Last updated
- August 3, 2026