Plane element
Assessing risks in insulation retrofits using hygrothermal software tools, Heat and moisture transport in internally insulated stone walls, by Joseph Little, Calina Ferraro and Beñat Arregi, published by Historic Environment Scotland in 2015, defines a plane element as a: ‘Component of a building with defined two-dimensional surfaces, such as walls, roofs, windows. Plane element heat flow (termed thermal transmittance, or U-value) is considered uniform across its extent allowing for any repeat thermal bridges within it. Linear thermal bridging (termed linear thermal transmittance, or ψ-value) occurs at junction of plane elements.’
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