Whilst the thermal values which need to be achieved apply to the whole building not isolated components, to meet Part L regulations, and the requirements of other standards, all balcony connections must have a thermal break to stop cold bridging occurring at these junctions.
Firstly, consideration must be made of the quantity of anchors which are being used. Quite simply, the more points the facade is penetrated the more potential areas of thermal bridging.
Choosing an anchor which has very good thermal performance, but poor structural performance is likely to not only cost more but not provide the thermal benefit of having a similar performing thermal anchor which enable fewer connections to be used.
The Cassette® balcony system is considerably lighter in weight, (primarily because of its aluminium construction) and the anchors used are considerably stronger than other options available which both mean that the number of anchor connections required can be reduced, saving cost and minimising cold bridging.
The move toward thinner slabs and minimal floor finishes has increased the incidence of details where there is insufficient form for the linear cavity barrier to pass under or over the interruption in the cavity barrier created by balcony support stubs.
Traditionally ad-hoc details have often been proposed requiring site assembling of fire stopping surrounds, but in many cases, these have not been subjected to testing, nor have adequate quality assurance measures been applied.
As leading balcony suppliers, we have become aware the ‘post Grenfell’ industry urgently requires a tried and tested solution to this problem and have commissioned several fire tests evaluating the effectiveness of a range of possible solutions.
Certified under Certifire® and tested to BS EN 1366-4, StubGuard® provides a compliant and reliable fire-stopping solution while simplifying the installation process.
StubGuard® ensures the continuity of the fire barrier by acting as a consistent fire protection element. This eliminates the need for down stands, maintains a seamless protective layer, and has effective fire-stopping integrity and insulation for up to 120 minutes.
When used with Sapphire’s new G25 steel stub, the need for a wraparound of the I-beam is reduced, making it easier to integrate into the facade due to a smaller profile streamlined abutments. Thanks to our dedicated research and development team, we’ve been able to optimise the chi (χ) value per connection, reducing thermal bridging and enhancing overall building performance.
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