Steel framed buildings have many advantages, but the major negative is the thermal bridging losses through the steel webs. More stringent energy codes are forcing architects and designers to devise new designs to not only meet present requirements, but to strive further to achieve higher LEEDS ratings, and ultimately strive toward net zero buildings.
External/continuous insulation is now commonly being used to achieve these improved values. However, there are challenges for supporting cladding loads directly through the external/continuous insulation. As a result, sub framing must be added in the form of metal hat tracks or Z-girts. If these are oriented vertically, there is still significant thermal bridging transmission. By applying these sub components horizontally, bridging losses are most effectively reduced.