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Performance Construction

Build it to Perform as Designed

Good Design
OrientationWindows and EavesInsulation and TightnessThermal MassVentilationNatHERSConsidering PassivhausGetting Renovation to 7+
Low Impact Materials
What is Embodied Carbon?Average Embodied EnergyPrinciples to Embodied EnergyProduct SelectionSpecifying Pre-Offset ProductsLife Cycle AnalysisSBA Tool
Performance Constuction
Basic ConceptsGetting Insulation RightBuilding for TightnessMinimising Thermal BridgingWindowsHealth, Air Quality & RiskBlower Door TestingSBA Tool
Efficient Appliance Selection
Whole of HouseHeating & CoolingHot Water Fixtures & AppliancesLightingInduction CookingPlugin AppliancesSBA Tool
Energy Generation
Sizing PhotovoltaicsPhotovoltaics - The basicsAllowing for future car chargingOffsetting Carbon for True ZeroSBA Tool

Basic Concepts of Thermal Performance

1. Maintain a Thermal Envelope
  • What is it?
  • Why specify it?
  • What value to aim for?
2. Batt Insulation and Airspace
  • Health, Air Quality, & Risk Mitigation
  • Condensation and Mould Control
  • Membrane choice considerations
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • VOC minimisation
  • HRV/ERV requirement when going for / achieving <5ACH@50 Air Monitors
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
4. Layers of a Tight Insulated Building Shell
  1. Maintain a thermal envelope:
    For insulation to work effectively it must be correct R value, maintain full loft, overlap at junctions, and be complete all the way around conditioned zone of the building. Ie. no holes.
  2. Batt insulation requires a still airspace to be effective:
    If airflow pathways are able to move through the structure it will go around batt edges, and circumvent the insulation.  This is known as wind washing.  Air needs an entry and exit point to flow.  In standard construction tightness is controlled by a well taped external membrane and a well caulked internal lining (usually plaster).
  3. Minimise thermal bridging:
    High conductive elements like Steel, Aluminium, Copper and Masonry which pass through the thermal envelope, or butt up against both the internal and external linings, create a conductive super highway for unwanted heat loss or gain; again circumventing the insulation.  Avoid, or otherwise create a thermal break between internal and external surfaces too close this pathway.

Getting Insulation Right

1. Maintain a Thermal Envelope
  • What is it?
  • Why specify it?
  • What value to aim for?
2. Batt Insulation and Airspace
  • Health, Air Quality, & Risk Mitigation
  • Condensation and Mould Control
  • Membrane choice considerations
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • VOC minimisation
  • HRV/ERV requirement when going for / achieving <5ACH@50 Air Monitors
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
4. Layers of a Tight Insulated Building Shell
  1. Maintain a thermal envelope:
    For insulation to work effectively it must be correct R value, maintain full loft, overlap at junctions, and be complete all the way around conditioned zone of the building. Ie. no holes.
  2. Batt insulation requires a still airspace to be effective:
    If airflow pathways are able to move through the structure it will go around batt edges, and circumvent the insulation.  This is known as wind washing.  Air needs an entry and exit point to flow.  In standard construction tightness is controlled by a well taped external membrane and a well caulked internal lining (usually plaster).
  3. Minimise thermal bridging:
    High conductive elements like Steel, Aluminium, Copper and Masonry which pass through the thermal envelope, or butt up against both the internal and external linings, create a conductive super highway for unwanted heat loss or gain; again circumventing the insulation.  Avoid, or otherwise create a thermal break between internal and external surfaces too close this pathway.
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations

Building for Tightness

1. Maintain a Thermal Envelope
  • What is it?
  • Why specify it?
  • What value to aim for?
2. Batt Insulation and Airspace
  • Health, Air Quality, & Risk Mitigation
  • Condensation and Mould Control
  • Membrane choice considerations
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • VOC minimisation
  • HRV/ERV requirement when going for / achieving <5ACH@50 Air Monitors
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
4. Layers of a Tight Insulated Building Shell
  1. Maintain a thermal envelope:
    For insulation to work effectively it must be correct R value, maintain full loft, overlap at junctions, and be complete all the way around conditioned zone of the building. Ie. no holes.
  2. Batt insulation requires a still airspace to be effective:
    If airflow pathways are able to move through the structure it will go around batt edges, and circumvent the insulation.  This is known as wind washing.  Air needs an entry and exit point to flow.  In standard construction tightness is controlled by a well taped external membrane and a well caulked internal lining (usually plaster).
  3. Minimise thermal bridging:
    High conductive elements like Steel, Aluminium, Copper and Masonry which pass through the thermal envelope, or butt up against both the internal and external linings, create a conductive super highway for unwanted heat loss or gain; again circumventing the insulation.  Avoid, or otherwise create a thermal break between internal and external surfaces too close this pathway.
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations

Minimising Thermal Bridging

1. Maintain a Thermal Envelope
  • What is it?
  • Why specify it?
  • What value to aim for?
2. Batt Insulation and Airspace
  • Health, Air Quality, & Risk Mitigation
  • Condensation and Mould Control
  • Membrane choice considerations
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • VOC minimisation
  • HRV/ERV requirement when going for / achieving <5ACH@50 Air Monitors
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
4. Layers of a Tight Insulated Building Shell
  1. Maintain a thermal envelope:
    For insulation to work effectively it must be correct R value, maintain full loft, overlap at junctions, and be complete all the way around conditioned zone of the building. Ie. no holes.
  2. Batt insulation requires a still airspace to be effective:
    If airflow pathways are able to move through the structure it will go around batt edges, and circumvent the insulation.  This is known as wind washing.  Air needs an entry and exit point to flow.  In standard construction tightness is controlled by a well taped external membrane and a well caulked internal lining (usually plaster).
  3. Minimise thermal bridging:
    High conductive elements like Steel, Aluminium, Copper and Masonry which pass through the thermal envelope, or butt up against both the internal and external linings, create a conductive super highway for unwanted heat loss or gain; again circumventing the insulation.  Avoid, or otherwise create a thermal break between internal and external surfaces too close this pathway.
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations

Windows - What to Consider

1. Maintain a Thermal Envelope
  • What is it?
  • Why specify it?
  • What value to aim for?
2. Batt Insulation and Airspace
  • Health, Air Quality, & Risk Mitigation
  • Condensation and Mould Control
  • Membrane choice considerations
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • VOC minimisation
  • HRV/ERV requirement when going for / achieving <5ACH@50 Air Monitors
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
4. Layers of a Tight Insulated Building Shell
  1. Maintain a thermal envelope:
    For insulation to work effectively it must be correct R value, maintain full loft, overlap at junctions, and be complete all the way around conditioned zone of the building. Ie. no holes.
  2. Batt insulation requires a still airspace to be effective:
    If airflow pathways are able to move through the structure it will go around batt edges, and circumvent the insulation.  This is known as wind washing.  Air needs an entry and exit point to flow.  In standard construction tightness is controlled by a well taped external membrane and a well caulked internal lining (usually plaster).
  3. Minimise thermal bridging:
    High conductive elements like Steel, Aluminium, Copper and Masonry which pass through the thermal envelope, or butt up against both the internal and external linings, create a conductive super highway for unwanted heat loss or gain; again circumventing the insulation.  Avoid, or otherwise create a thermal break between internal and external surfaces too close this pathway.

Health, Air Quality & Risk Mitigation

1. Maintain a Thermal Envelope
  • What is it?
  • Why specify it?
  • What value to aim for?
2. Batt Insulation and Airspace
  • Health, Air Quality, & Risk Mitigation
  • Condensation and Mould Control
  • Membrane choice considerations
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • VOC minimisation
  • HRV/ERV requirement when going for / achieving <5ACH@50 Air Monitors
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
4. Layers of a Tight Insulated Building Shell
  1. Maintain a thermal envelope:
    For insulation to work effectively it must be correct R value, maintain full loft, overlap at junctions, and be complete all the way around conditioned zone of the building. Ie. no holes.
  2. Batt insulation requires a still airspace to be effective:
    If airflow pathways are able to move through the structure it will go around batt edges, and circumvent the insulation.  This is known as wind washing.  Air needs an entry and exit point to flow.  In standard construction tightness is controlled by a well taped external membrane and a well caulked internal lining (usually plaster).
  3. Minimise thermal bridging:
    High conductive elements like Steel, Aluminium, Copper and Masonry which pass through the thermal envelope, or butt up against both the internal and external linings, create a conductive super highway for unwanted heat loss or gain; again circumventing the insulation.  Avoid, or otherwise create a thermal break between internal and external surfaces too close this pathway.
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations
3. Minimise Thermal Bridging
  • How tight should a building be?
  • Tight walls that breathe
  • Tapes and membranes
  • Conventional Construction & Plaster
    as a tightness membrane
  • Common leakage points
  • Passivehaus considerations

Blower Door Testing & Thermal Imaging

4. Layers of a Tight Insulated Building Shell
  1. Maintain a thermal envelope:
    For insulation to work effectively it must be correct R value, maintain full loft, overlap at junctions, and be complete all the way around conditioned zone of the building. Ie. no holes.
  2. Batt insulation requires a still airspace to be effective:
    If airflow pathways are able to move through the structure it will go around batt edges, and circumvent the insulation.  This is known as wind washing.  Air needs an entry and exit point to flow.  In standard construction tightness is controlled by a well taped external membrane and a well caulked internal lining (usually plaster).
  3. Minimise thermal bridging:
    High conductive elements like Steel, Aluminium, Copper and Masonry which pass through the thermal envelope, or butt up against both the internal and external linings, create a conductive super highway for unwanted heat loss or gain; again circumventing the insulation.  Avoid, or otherwise create a thermal break between internal and external surfaces too close this pathway.

SBA Tool:

Thermal Performance QA Checklist

SBA Thermal Quality Assurance Checklist (What to consider at each stage of construction ‐ Issues & Solutions) 

Building a house is difficult, with many trades, jobs, and supplies that need to be coordinated and work together.  And each building stage poses particular challenges for thermal performance.

To help, SBA has created the following Thermal QA Checklist to make achieving a good outcome straightforward. Feel free to modify it to suit your build types and use as you see fit.

We have also created the following video presentation that explains each point on the checklist, and gives a pictorial tour of where buildings can fail thermally in standard construction and what to do about it.  It is highly recommended that you watch the video before using the checklist.

SBA gives the checklist in good faith, but have no specific knowledge of your build.  All responsibilities and liabilities remain with the builder and design team.  Where any conflict with NCC, Standards, or plans exist, codes take precedence and the builder should check with the designer where unsure.

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