To insulate and support them, the design team specified 1,755 Isokorb ® modules from Schöck North America, comprised of thermal breaks for concrete-to-concrete balcony connections, thermal breaks for concrete column supported balconies and insulation filler modules, says the structural engineer.

Starting on the 15th floor, the balconies range in size from 51 to 102 sq ft (4.7 to 9.5 m 2). Team specifies four types of structural thermal breaks Structural thermal break modules are positioned in line with other building envelope insulation, and are tied into the rebar of the interior floor slab and the exterior balcony slab prior to casting both in concrete. Since stainless steel is roughly one-third as conductive as carbon steel, it minimizes heat transfer through the module. Structural thermal breaks consist of an insulation module with stainless steel rebar running through the insulation for tension and shear strength. “We installed them on smaller projects before using them on 3 Civic Plaza, which is the largest project in British Columbia to date to incorporate structural thermal break technology.”ĭesign work for the project began in 2012 and ground was broken two years later by the ITC Construction Group. 'I’ve known about structural thermal breaks since 2007, when they first started appearing in North America,” the engineer explains. “We concluded that structural thermal breaks would be a more constructible solution,” recounts the project’s Engineer of Record, adding, “The owner and contractors overcame initial cost concerns once they understood how structural thermal breaks fit into the design strategy which emphasized sustainability and human comfort.” The team had originally envisioned pre-cast concrete balcony slabs extending from the sides of the building. Team evaluates pre-cast balcony slabs against cast-in-place balconies with structural thermal breaks The design team studied options to prevent thermal bridging at the balconies, and ultimately decided to insulate them from the supporting slab using structural thermal breaks. Condensation on cold adjacent interior surfaces would additionally support mold growth, an increasing problem in today’s air-tight, high-humidity buildings. Chilled floor slabs inside of the building envelope would cause discomfort for occupants. If cast conventionally, as cantilevered extensions of interior floor slabs, balconies would conduct heat away from heated interiors and dissipate it into cold environments like cooling fins, wasting heat energy. However, 37 floors of condominium balconies posed a potential thermal bridging problem. Foamed plastic insulation board was applied at the roofs, and cellulose insulation was spray-applied at the slab soffits under occupied space in the underground parking. Foamed plastic insulation was sprayed on the cast-in-place concrete exterior walls. Mineral wool was placed in the window wall assemblies. Copious amounts of insulation were applied on the walls, roof and other areas. The design team, consisting of ZGF Cotter Architects, Fast + Epp structural engineers, and ITC Construction Group, paid close attention to energy saving measures at the building envelope to minimize costs and carbon footprint, and improve occupant comfort. It houses the Civic Hotel, an urban campus for Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), meeting rooms, a fitness center, a rooftop garden and 348 residential condominium units. SURREY, BRITISH COLUMBIA – At 52 stories, 3 Civic Plaza is the third tallest building in British Columbia. Largest Project in British Columbia to Deploy Structural Thermal Breaks Seismic activity in the region made it necessary to also incorporate thermal break modules for earthquake load transfer.More than 1700 Isokorb® structural thermal break modules were used to thermally isolate the balconies, mitigating heat loss and contributing to the focus on sustainability, as well as occupant comfort.3 Civic Plaza is the third tallest building in British Columbia – at 52 storeys tall, it includes 348 condominium units with balconies starting on the 15th floor.Schöck North America Department Contacts.

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