As our energy codes become more and more stringent, thermal breaks are increasingly important to prevent condensation and mould, reduce heat loss through envelope penetrations, lower energy costs and reduce carbon emissions.
Among the most critical locations to address this concern is at projecting balconies, where cantilevered slabs were traditionally a major contributor to the overall thermal bridging through the envelope. The introduction of structural thermal break systems has prompted a resurgence of interest in balconies, which are once again a prominent feature of many buildings.
A striking recent example of this trend is Sonder Maisonneuve, an upscale extended stay hotel at 1500 Maisonneuve in downtown Montréal. Completed in the fall of 2021, the project team included Le Groupe Architex, Pomerleau Construction, L2C Structural Engineers, and Desjardins Experts Conseils, a…
