{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T05:37:34Z","timestamp":1769578654542,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,11]],"date-time":"2019-07-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1562803200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100008530","name":"European Regional Development Fund","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032061"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032061"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100008530","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032061"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032061"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Energies"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Light steel framed (LSF) construction is becoming widespread as a quick, clean and flexible construction system. However, these LSF elements need to be well designed and protected against undesired thermal bridges caused by the steel high thermal conductivity. To reduce energy consumption in buildings it is necessary to understand how heat transfer happens in all kinds of walls and their configurations, and to adequately reduce the heat loss through them by decreasing its thermal transmittance (   U   -value). In this work, numerical simulations are performed to assess different setups for two kinds of LSF walls: an interior partition wall and an exterior facade wall. Several parameters were evaluated separately to measure their influence on the wall    U   -value, and the addition of other elements was tested (e.g., thermal break strips) with the aim of achieving better thermal performances. The simulation modeling of a LSF interior partition with thermal break strips indicated a 24%    U   -value reduction in comparison with the reference case of using the LSF alone (   U    = 0.449 W\/(m2.K)). However, when the clearance between the steel studs was simulated with only 300 mm there was a 29% increase, due to the increase of steel material within the wall structure. For exterior facade walls (   U    = 0.276 W\/(m2.K)), the model with 80 mm of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in the exterior thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) reduced the thermal transmittance by 19%. Moreover, when the EPS was removed the    U   -value increased by 79%.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/en12142671","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,11]],"date-time":"2019-07-11T11:28:28Z","timestamp":1562844508000},"page":"2671","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":32,"title":["Thermal Transmittance of Internal Partition and External Facade LSF Walls: A Parametric Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0134-6762","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paulo","family":"Santos","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ISISE, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Coimbra, P\u00f3lo II, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Gabriela","family":"Lemes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISISE, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Coimbra, P\u00f3lo II, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Diogo","family":"Mateus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISISE, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Coimbra, P\u00f3lo II, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_1.1","unstructured":"European Union (2018). Directive"},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_1.2","unstructured":"(EU) 2018\/844 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2010\/31\/EU on the energy performance of buildings and Directive 2012\/27\/EU on energy efficiency. J. Eur. Union, 2018, 75-91."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jobe.2018.09.014","article-title":"Energy-efficiency technologies in the building envelope: Life cycle and adaptation assessment","volume":"21","author":"Aslani","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Build. Eng."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1032","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2015.09.084","article-title":"Improving the energy efficiency of the existing building stock: A critical review of commercial and institutional buildings","volume":"53","author":"Ruparathna","year":"2016","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Paone, A., and Bacher, J.P. (2018). The impact of building occupant behavior on energy efficiency and methods to influence it: A review of the state of the art. Energies, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/en11040953"},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Santos, P., da Silva, L.S., and Ungureanu, V. (2012). Energy Efficiency of Light-Weight Steel-Framed Buildings, European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS). [1st ed.]. Technical Committee 14\u2014Sustainability & Eco-Efficiency of Steel Construction; N. 129."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"920","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2008.06.009","article-title":"Energy and emergy based cost-benefit evaluation of building envelopes relative to geographical location and climate","volume":"44","author":"Pulselli","year":"2009","journal-title":"Build Environ."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"415","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2011.08.006","article-title":"A review of the economical and optimum thermal insulation thickness for building applications","volume":"16","author":"Kaynakli","year":"2012","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2018.10.021","article-title":"Laboratory and in-situ non-destructive methods to evaluate the thermal transmittance and behavior of walls, windows, and construction elements with innovative materials: A review","volume":"182","author":"Soares","year":"2019","journal-title":"Energy Build."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Eng Hwa, Y. (2017). Chapter 3\u2014Energy Efficiency of Lightweight Steel-Framed Buildings. Energy Efficient Buildings, InTech."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"156","DOI":"10.1080\/23744731.2018.1506677","article-title":"Thermal and sound insulation of lightweight steel-framed fa\u00e7ade walls","volume":"25","author":"Roque","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. Technol. Built Environ."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"International Organization for Standardization (2017). Building Components and Building Elements\u2014Thermal Resistance and Thermal\u2014Calculation Methods, International Organization for Standardization, International Organization for Standardization. ISO 6946."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Roque, E., and Santos, P. (2017). The Effectiveness of Thermal Insulation in Lightweight Steel-Framed Walls with Respect to Its Position. Buildings, 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/buildings7010013"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"988","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2016.05.045","article-title":"Insulation materials for the building sector: A review and comparative analysis","volume":"62","author":"Schiavoni","year":"2016","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"742","article-title":"Influence of thermal insulation on the energy balance for cold-formed buildings","volume":"6","author":"Santos","year":"2010","journal-title":"Adv. Steel Constr."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Craveiro, A., Lopes, A.G., Santos, P., and da Silva, L.S. (2013, January 26\u201329). Natural ventilation potential on thermal comfort of a light-steel framing residential building. Proceedings of the Green Design, Materials and Manufacturing Processes, Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Intelligent Manufacturing, SIM 2013, Lisbon, Portugal.","DOI":"10.1201\/b15002-75"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2013.11.072","article-title":"Multi-dimensional optimization of the incorporation of PCM-drywalls in lightweight steel-framed residential buildings in different climates","volume":"70","author":"Soares","year":"2014","journal-title":"Energy Build."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"607","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2012.10.034","article-title":"Phase change material (PCM) storage for free cooling of buildings\u2014A review","volume":"18","author":"Waqas","year":"2013","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.1177\/1744259117754298","article-title":"Modeling and performance analysis of an earth-to-air heat exchanger in a pilot installation","volume":"42","author":"Rosa","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Build. Phys."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"353","DOI":"10.1007\/s40095-014-0159-4","article-title":"Energy performance of a ventilation system for an apartment according to the Italian regulation","volume":"7","author":"Valdiserri","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Energy Environ. Eng."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xu, X., Feng, G., Chi, D., Liu, M., and Dou, B. (2018). Optimization of Performance Parameter Design and Energy Use Prediction for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings. Energies, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/en11123252"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"58","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2014.02.084","article-title":"Assessment of building operational energy at early stages of design\u2014A monthly quasi-steady-state approach","volume":"79","author":"Santos","year":"2014","journal-title":"Energy Build."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"International Organization for Standardization (2017). Thermal Bridges in Building Construction\u2014Heat Flows and Surface Temperatures\u2014Detailed Calculations, International Organization for Standardization. ISO 10211."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100776","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jobe.2019.100776","article-title":"Thermal Transmittance of Lightweight Steel Framed Walls: Experimental Versus Numerical and Analytical Approaches","volume":"25","author":"Santos","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Build. Eng."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2017.07.004","article-title":"Heat transfer study of external convective and radiative coefficients for building applications","volume":"151","author":"Evangelisti","year":"2017","journal-title":"Energy Build"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1051\/metal\/2014035","article-title":"Thermal performance of lightweight steel-framed construction systems","volume":"111","author":"Santos","year":"2014","journal-title":"Metall. Res. Technol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2017.04.066","article-title":"Energy efficiency and thermal performance of lightweight steel-framed (LSF) construction: A review","volume":"78","author":"Soares","year":"2017","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"230","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2006.07.001","article-title":"Developing a simplified method of calculating U-values in light steel framing","volume":"42","author":"Gorgolewski","year":"2017","journal-title":"Build. Environ."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"International Organization for Standardization (1994). Thermal Insulation\u2014Determination of Steady-State Thermal Transmission Properties\u2014Calibrated and Guarded Hot Box, International Organization for Standardization, ISO\u2014International Organization for Standardization. ISO 8990."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enbuild.2018.03.069","article-title":"Two new methods for the in-situ measurement of the overall thermal transmittance of cold frame lightweight steel-framed walls","volume":"170","author":"Atsonios","year":"2018","journal-title":"Energy Build."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1177\/1744259113499212","article-title":"Thermal performance of lightweight steel framed wall: The importance of flanking thermal losses","volume":"38","author":"Santos","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Build. Phys."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"362","DOI":"10.1016\/j.egypro.2014.01.039","article-title":"Light steel-frame walls: Thermal insulation performances and thermal bridges","volume":"45","author":"Serra","year":"2014","journal-title":"Energy Procedia"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"342","DOI":"10.1177\/1744259115572130","article-title":"Lightweight steel-framed thermal bridges mitigation strategies: A parametric study","volume":"39","author":"Martins","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Build. Phys."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Gyptec Ib\u00e9rica (2019, March 14). Technical Sheet: Standard Gypsum Plasterboard. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Volcalis (2019, March 14). Technical Sheet: Alpha Mineral Wool. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Santos, C., and Matias, L. (2006). ITE50\u2014Coeficientes de Transmiss\u00e3o T\u00e9rmica de Elementos da Envolvente dos Edif\u00edcios, LNEC\u2014Laborat\u00f3rio Nacional de Engenharia Civil. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"MS-R1 (2019, March 14). Acousticork MS-R1 Recycled Rubber. Available online: https:\/\/amorimcorkcomposites.com\/media\/1334\/acousticork-book-en.pdf."},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"Spacetherm (2019, March 14). Technical Sheet: Cold Bridge Strip. Available online: https:\/\/www.proctorgroup.com\/assets\/Datasheets\/Spacetherm_CBS_Datasheet.pdf."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"ITeCons (2012). Test Report HIG 363\/12\u2014Determination of Thermal Resistance, Instituto de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o e Desenvolvimento em Ci\u00eancias da Constru\u00e7\u00e3o."},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"WeberTherm Uno (2019, March 14). Technical Specifications: Weber Saint-Gobain ETICS Finish Mortar. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"TincoTerm (2019, March 14). Technical Sheet: EPS 100. (In Portuguese)."},{"key":"ref_41","unstructured":"KronoSpan (2019, March 14). Technical Sheet: KronoBuild OSB 3. Available online: https:\/\/de.kronospan-express.com\/public\/files\/downloads\/kronobuild\/kronobuild-en.pdf."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tws.2017.09.024","article-title":"Structural performance of light steel framing panels using screw connections subjected to lateral loading","volume":"121","author":"Henriques","year":"2017","journal-title":"Thin Walled Struct."},{"key":"ref_43","unstructured":"THERM (2019, February 14). Software Version 7.6.1, Available online: https:\/\/windows.lbl.gov\/software\/therm."}],"container-title":["Energies"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1996-1073\/12\/14\/2671\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T13:04:49Z","timestamp":1760187889000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1996-1073\/12\/14\/2671"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,11]]},"references-count":44,"journal-issue":{"issue":"14","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,7]]}},"alternative-id":["en12142671"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/en12142671","relation":{},"ISSN":["1996-1073"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1996-1073","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,11]]}}}