Infrared Thermography Assessment of Thermal Bridges in Building Envelope: Experimental Validation in a Test Room Setup

Thermal infrared imaging is a valuable tool to perform non-destructive qualitativetests and to investigate buildings envelope thermal-energy behavior. The assessment ofenvelope thermal insulation, ventilation, air leakages, and HVAC performance can beimplemented through the analysis of each thermogram corresponding to an object surfacetemperature. Thermography also allows the identification of thermal bridges in buildings’envelope that, together with windows and doors, constitute one of the weakest componentincreasing thermal losses. A quantitative methodology was proposed in previous researchesby the authors in order to evaluate the effect of such weak point on the energy balance of thewhole building. In the present work, in-field experimental measurements were carried outwith the purpose of evaluating the energy losses through the envelope of a test roomexperimental field. In-situ thermal transmittance of walls, ceiling and roof were continuouslymonitored and each element was characterized by its own thermal insulation capability.Infrared thermography and the proposed quantitative methodology were applied to assessthe energy losses due to thermal bridges. The main results show that the procedure confirmsto be a reliable tool to quantify the incidence of thermal bridges in the envelope thermal losses.