As energy codes become more stringent and building enclosure performance expectations continue to rise, accurately accounting for thermal bridging is essential to high-performance building design. With the adoption of the Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State (ECCCNYS-2025), design teams must understand how thermal bridge impacts influence assembly performance calculations and overall code compliance. While insulation levels and clear-field assembly values remain important, heat loss through transitions, penetrations, interfaces, and structural connections can significantly impact overall envelope performance, condensation risk, occupant comfort, and energy efficiency.

This webinar examines practical calculation procedures for assessing the impacts of thermal bridging in building assemblies, with a focus on understanding and applying clear-field, linear, and point thermal bridge analyses. Presenters will review how Psi-values and Chi-values are used to quantify additional heat flow through common conditions such as shelf angles, balconies, slab edges, cladding attachments, parapets, and other envelope transitions.

The session will introduce calculation methodologies for determining average assembly U-value impacts from thermal bridges and review commonly used analysis tools, software platforms, and supporting resources available to design teams. Dylan Martello, Senior Building Systems Consultant, Passive House Services - CPHD from SWA will also explain how thermal bridge modeling outputs can be interpreted to improve detailing decisions and optimize enclosure performance. Additional discussion will focus on updated thermal bridging calculation procedures, compliance pathways, and documentation requirements incorporated within the ECCCNYS-2025, helping project teams understand how thermal bridge accounting supports energy code compliance and high-performance enclosure design.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define and differentiate Clear Field, Linear, and Point thermal bridging.
2. Recognize calculation procedures used to account for Linear and Point thermal bridging (Psi and Chi-values).
3. Calculate average U-value impacts from basic linear and point thermal bridges.
4. Identify additional tools, software, and resources to assist with thermal bridge accounting and ECCCNYS-2025 compliance.
5. Explain outputs of thermal bridge analysis tools to inform detail improvements and enclosure performance optimization.
6. Recognize how thermal bridging is addressed within the ECCCNYS-2025 and New York Stretch Energy Code compliance pathways.

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