What is a common approach to mitigate thermal bridging caused by continuous glazing?

• A. Use thermal breaks, low-emissivity coatings, and daylighting strategies
• B. Increase glass area
• C. Use metal frames exclusively
• D. Eliminate insulation

Answer: (A)

Continuous glazing creates a conductive path for heat to move between indoors and outdoors, especially along the perimeter where the glazing meets the frame. To reduce this unwanted heat transfer, you address both the framing and the glazing properties, and you manage daylight to keep interior energy use lower.

Using a thermal break in the frame interrupts the solid conductive path. By inserting an insulating material between the interior and exterior frame components, heat has to pass through a much less conductive gap, which lowers the overall heat flow at the edge of the glazing.

Low-emissivity coatings on the glass reduce radiant heat transfer across the glazing. These coatings reflect infrared energy back toward its source, helping keep heat in during cold months and out during hot months, thereby cutting both heating and cooling demands without sacrificing visible daylight.

Daylighting strategies allow you to achieve sufficient natural light while controlling heat gains. This can involve optimizing glazing placement, using shading devices, or selecting glass with appropriate solar properties, so you get daylight without excessive cooling loads or unwanted solar heat gain.

Options that increase glass area, rely on metal frames alone, or remove insulation would worsen thermal bridging and heat loss, rather than mitigat­ing it.