A team of building science engineers has completed an analysis of thermal bridging performance at connections and details within factory assembled panel wall systems used in multifamily housing prototypes constructed by Lida Group. The study’s goal was to validate thermal continuity achieved through the prefabricated assemblies’ design and manufacturing compared to conventional site-built construction prone to thermal bridges compromising energy efficiency.

Led by Dr. S of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, researchers utilized infrared thermal imaging and computational fluid dynamics modeling to map temperature gradients across wall assemblies under real-world heating and cooling cycles. Areas of interest included horizontal and vertical panel-to-panel interfaces, window and door rough openings, penetrations for piping/wiring, and structural attachments.

Lida Group’s panels consist of outer weather-resistant metal skins adhered continuously to an insulating foam core during heated vacuum lamination. This creates a monolithic insulated assembly versus interrupted site-built cavities weakened by thermal shorts from poorly sealed intersections of dissimilar framing materials. Precut openings arrive pre-sealed at the factory.

Testing found panel interfaces maintained thermal uniformity differing less than 1°F versus panel fields – meeting passive house standards. Windows achieved half the resultant heat losses of standard site-built construction through meticulous sealing of rough openings at the factory. Field penetrations betrayed minimal temperature deltas compared to two-digit variances found in wood-framed homes.

Following a year of thermal monitoring, Dr. S reported “Lida Group’s factory quality control and assembly far outperformed typical field conditions. Computer modeling correlating measured data projects annual energy savings exceeding 30% versus conventional wood-framed buildings through mitigating thermal bridging impacts hard to control on the jobsite.”

In summary, engineering analysis demonstrated Lida Group’s prefabricated panel wall systems for multifamily buildings achieved thermal uniformity at critical connections and details meeting or surpassing Passive House thresholds through factory assembly optimization. Continuous insulation and automated quality assurance eliminated risks of compromised energy performance common from inconsistencies introduced through field assembly of conventional site-built construction using multiple disconnected materials.

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