Kirstie Wulfs article on Concrete slab edge insulation was published in Sanctuary Magazine in Winter 2024 by Renew.
| Publication | Sanctuary Magazine |
| Article | Concrete slab edge insulation |
| Published by | Renew |
| Author (s) | Kirstie Wulf |
| Date | Winter 2024 |
| Notes | Pages 82-85 |
| Link | renew.org.au/sanctuary-magazine |
Excerpt Intro
It may not be the sexiest of design details, but slab edge insulation is important to get right for a high-performing home. Building designer Kirstie Wulf has done the hard yards and brings us her findings.
In a well-insulated house, an uninsulated concrete slab edge is like having a hole in your jumper. If you want to stay warm, you need to patch up the hole.
WHAT IS CONCRETE SLAB EDGE INSULATION AND WHY DO WE NEED TO CARE ABOUT IT?
Despite the high embodied energy of concrete, slab floors are a popular choice for sustainable homes as they can provide a positive contribution to passive solar performance as internal thermal mass. To do this effectively, the concrete slab must be exposed to the sun in winter and to cooling night breezes in summer. Once warmed or cooled, though, the thermal mass needs to be exposed inside the house and not outside. The part of a concrete slab exposed outside a house acts as a thermal bridge, creating a highway for the inside thermal energy to be lost to the outside.
