Which strategy mitigates thermal bridging in buildings?

• A. Increasing gaps around joints
• B. Continuous insulation
• C. Adding decorative cladding only
• D. Increasing glazing area without shading

Answer: (B)

Mitigating thermal bridging means cutting the easy path for heat to move through the building envelope. When insulation is interrupted by framing members or joints, those conductive elements become thermal bridges that short-circuit the insulation. A continuous insulation layer provides an uninterrupted barrier around the envelope, keeping heat flow resistance high across walls, roofs, and openings. This reduces heat loss in winter, unwanted heat gain in summer, and can improve comfort and overall energy efficiency.

Other approaches don’t address these conductive paths. Creating gaps around joints increases heat transfer paths; decorative cladding on its own doesn’t add meaningful insulation; and simply increasing glazing area without shading raises heat transfer rather than mitigating the conductive paths through the envelope.