Requirements for Construction

DA0060

THERMAL INSULATION
TO BUILDINGS
International Edition 1.0
March 2008

WARNING
Requirements for Construction define the minimum rules or performance to be applied to all construction or
refurbishment projects, in all countries. They shall not replace the need for an individual design for each project, which
must incorporate the standards and regulations applicable locally.
The more demanding between statutory or local Authorities requirements and Accor guidelines shall always apply.
Please refer to General Requirement for general Guidance & for Terminology, Responsibilities and Guarantees.
This document is published by Accor.
Distribution or reproduction (in full or part) for other uses is forbidden.

ACC_WE_DA0060_Thermal Insulation 1.0 Mar 2008

THERMAL INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS

INTRODUCTION

Chapter

Contents

PRINCIPLE
Goal
Degrees-day
Design methods

SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO TEMPERATE CLIMATES

Principles
Facades & Gables
Roofs

SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO COLD CLIMATES

SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO HOT CLIMATES

AIR-TIGHTNESS

SOLAR PROTECTIONS
Overview of the problem
Advice

TREATMENT OF SINGULAR POINTS

Thermal insulation with respect to third parties
Vapour barrier, cold stores

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CONTENTS

GENERAL PRINCIPLES
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6

Goals ..................................................................................................................................................................4
Interpretation of the term "thermal insulation" ......................................................................................................4
Outside reference conditions ...............................................................................................................................4
Degrees-day........................................................................................................................................................4
Definition of insulation coefficients.......................................................................................................................5
Design method ....................................................................................................................................................5

SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO TEMPERATE CLIMATES

2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4

Application principle ............................................................................................................................................6

Facades and gables ............................................................................................................................................6
Roofs ..................................................................................................................................................................6
Lower floor ..........................................................................................................................................................7

SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO COLD CLIMATES

3.1

Mean U coefficient depending on degrees-days ..................................................................................................7

SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO HOT CLIMATES

AIR-TIGHTNESS

5.1
5.2

SOLAR PROTECTIONS
6.1
6.2
6.3

Exterior woodwork...............................................................................................................................................9
Building ...............................................................................................................................................................9

Overview of the problem......................................................................................................................................9

Various possibilities...........................................................................................................................................10
Advice ...............................................................................................................................................................10

TREATMENT OF SINGULAR POINTS

7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4

11

Thermal insulation with respect to third parties ..................................................................................................11

Vapour barrier*..................................................................................................................................................11
Thermal bridge break ........................................................................................................................................11
Insulation of flooring under cold stores ..............................................................................................................12

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GENERAL PRINCIPLES
1.1

GOALS
In addition to providing the indispensable functions needed for the comfort of guests and the
regulatory obligations, the objectives of the thermal insulation specifications are to:
Protect the environment
Control energy consumption
This document introduces the minimal requirements which have to be used for an hotel in
construction.
When the regulations of the countries or localities are less demanding than specifications,
the latter must apply nevertheless.
Conformity with these specifications is not considered a release from regulatory design
requirements aimed at demonstrating conformity with these regulations.
ACCOR advise his partners to exceed these requirements and recommends the application
of certification processes like HQE (F), LEED (USA & Asia), BREEAM (UK), MINERGIE
(CH), PASSIVHAUS (D) which imply excellent thermal performance.

1.2

INTERPRETATION OF THE TERM "THERMAL INSULATION"

The term "thermal insulation" used in this document means:

1.3

Thermal insulation of the building with respect to the outside temperatures,

Wind tightness,
Solar protection,

OUTSIDE REFERENCE CONDITIONS

These are the environmental conditions, the climate, that determine the insulation values to
be obtained. Therefore, it is essential to obtain clear information about the weather
conditions on the site, in particular regarding dry and wet temperatures. If there is no
information available, ASHRAE rules will be used as a reference.
Note: a thorough statistical study of the temperatures is strongly advisable to obtain accurate
data. Generally it is pointless using extreme values which result in oversizing the installations
and thus in energy waste.

1.4

DEGREES-DAY
The concept of degrees-day is a good characteristic of the climate conditions, associating a
temperature with a duration. The definition is as follows:
For every 24 hours, the number of unified degrees-days is determined by working out the
difference between the reference temperature, 18C, and the mean minimal and maximal
temperature of that day, that is 18 C minus half t he sum of the maximal temperature and
minimal temperature. Therefore, it is an estimation of the difference between the interior
reference temperature and the exterior medium temperature of the day. (Note: 18C is
customary but an other value may be used)
For instance, Paris = 2 500, Helsinki = 5 000

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1.5

DEFINITION OF INSULATION COEFFICIENTS

ACCOR specifications require a minimum value of the mean U coefficient of walls in contact
with the outside or of unheated volumes (facades, walls, glazing, floors, roofs).

U defines the surface thermal losses of the walls expressed in Watt for 1C of
temperature deviation between the inside and the outside. U is in W/(m.C)

defines the linear thermal losses of thermal bridges expressed in Watt for 1C of the
temperature deviation between the inside and the outside. is in W/(m.C)

They can be used for calculating the thermal losses of a construction depending on the
difference between the outside reference temperature te and the inside temperature ti
Losses in W = Surface area in m x U x (ti - te)

1.6

DESIGN METHOD
Thermal calculations are made by the application of the regular and official design rules
applied in the country. If there are none, design calculations are made according to ASHRAE
or Carrier methods.

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SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO TEMPERATE CLIMATES

2.1

APPLICATION PRINCIPLE
The following specifications will apply to sites where the outside winter reference
temperature drops as low as 7C, and where the nu mber of degrees-day is around 2500
(reference 18C).

2.2

FACADES AND GABLES

2.2.1 VALUES TO BE OBTAINED

The thermal insulation must be obtained from the construction elements of the
"weatherproofing" carcassing and of the thermal insulation (interior or exterior). Interior
decorative elements such as the cladding on walls, suspended ceilings, blinds, curtains,
shutters or other closing devices will not be taken into consideration.
Average facade and gable coefficient U
(for 2 500 degrees-day, 18C)

Maximum 0.76 W/(m2.C)

The average coefficient U will correspond to the total thermal losses (in Watt per 1C)
divided by the total surface areas of the facades and gable measured in the rooms.
Note: because of the high performance of this coefficient, it is strongly advisable to provide
insulation from the outside to avoid thermal bridges.
The average losses from facades and gables include the following:
Solid outside walls,
Thermal bridges (floor edges - wall leads - window frames)
Glazed parts of all types including atrium windows.
2.2.2 FLOOR-TO-CEILING WINDOWS
Compliance with the coefficient U defined above requires surface areas of floor-to-ceiling
2
windows < 2.50m in the rooms and glazed surface areas suited to natural lighting
requirements but that are nevertheless limited for general services.
For floor-to-ceiling windows, we will consider the average coefficient U of different types of
exterior woodwork (PVC, metal with a thermal bridge break, wood, etc.) and their double
glazing.
Special double glazing, made of a glass with a corrected emissivity layer of and/or a gas
inclusion, will significantly reduce these coefficients.
LARGE FLOOR-TO-CEILING WINDOWS AND ATRIUM WINDOWS - When certain facades include
large floor-to-ceiling windows, excess losses can be compensated for by improving the
individual U coefficient with thermal insulation or higher performance glazing and by
neutralizing part of the thermal bridges in the carcassing.
POSSIBLE WAIVER - Exceptionally, for mild climate conditions where the reference
temperature will not drop below 4C , the presence of large floor-to-ceiling windows in the
rooms may make it possible to exceed the average U coefficient defined above but without
exceeding U = 1 W/(m.C)
2.3

ROOFS
AVERAGE U COEFFICIENT OF TERRACE ROOFS
(for 2 500 degrees-day, 18C)

Maximum: 0.29 W/(m.C)

The average U coefficient will apply to every type of roof. The reference surface will be that
of the ceilings in the rooms on the top level measured by horizontal projection.

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2.4

LOWER FLOOR
Maximum: 0.30 W/(m.C)

AVERAGE U COEFFICIENT OF THE LOWER FLOOR

The average U coefficient will apply to all the lower floors of the hotel located above the
outside level, a parking garage, various unheated rooms or a crawl space.
For a floor or a slab on solid ground, thermal insulation must be provided at least on the
perimeter of the construction so that the losses per linear meter of the perimeter do not
exceed: 0.8 W/(m.C)

SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO COLD CLIMATES

A correction of the U coefficients will be applied to allow for the severity of the climate at the
construction location. This climate severity is determined by the degrees-days.
3.1

MEAN U COEFFICIENT DEPENDING ON DEGREES-DAYS

Degrees-days (reference = 18C)
2 500
3 000
3 500
4 000
Average faade & gable U coef.
0,76
0,70
0,64
0.57
The units are in W/(m .C) DJU = 2500 is the reference for temperate climate

4 500
0,51

5 000
0,45

Degrees-days (reference = 18C)

Attic roof
Terrace
Bottom floor over basement
Bottom floor over platform
Units (mean U) are given in W/(m .C)

4 500
0.12
0.19
0.22
0.31

5 000
0.10
0.16
0.20
0.30

2 500
0.19
0.29
0.30
0.37

3 000
0.17
0.26
0.28
0.36

3 500
0.15
0.24
0.26
0.34

4 000
0.14
0.21
0.24
0.33

The above mean U coefficient can be obtained from the following values given exclusively
for information:
Location

U
0.76

Facade
0.45
Attic roof
Terrace roof
Bottom floor over basement
Bottom floor over platform

0.19
0.10
0.29
0.16
0.30
0.20
0.37
0.30

Typical example of insulating system

Outside installation: 9 cm of insulation (polystyrene, =0.38)
PVC and Argon floor-to-ceiling windows (U = 1.90)
Outside installation: 20 cm of insulation (polystyrene, =0.38)
Floor-to-ceiling windows with double windows, PVC frames
with double glazing (U = 1.40)
Insulation 20 cm of glass wool
Insulation 20 cm of glass wool
Insulation 8 cm of polyurethane
Insulation 20 cm of polyurethane
Insulation 15 cm of fibrastyrene + insulation on 3 sides of
beams
Insulation of screed + insulated interjoints
Insulation 6 cm over the entire surface area
Insulation 10 cm over the entire surface area

Depending on the particular case, compliance with these criteria will mean adopting one or
several of the following measures:
Limiting the surface area of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Using higher performance glazing (for instance triple glazing).
Double windows.
Use of thicker or higher performance thermal insulation.
Total absence of thermal bridges.

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SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO HOT CLIMATES

4.1.1 MEDIUM WARM CLIMATES
These are areas where the climate or temperature very rarely exceeds 36C, DJU < 2,000.
For instance, equatorial climates.

Facades (excluding the glazing) - The installation of thermal insulation and/or an external
vapour barrier will be determined by specific study. Advice:
Minimum thermal insulation: 2 W/(m.C)
Mandatory vapour barrier in areas where the relative humidity is high.

Blind gable walls; a large surface wall exposed to the sun can generate uncomfortable
conditions. (rooms at building ends).
Advice: Minimal thermal insulation U = 1.6 W(m.C )
Mandatory vapour barrier in areas where the relative humidity is high.

Glazing
Double windows may be necessary depending on the night temperature and
the risks of condensation on the outside.

Roofs

Thermal insulation of the terrace roof will always be necessary. Its average
coefficient U shall not exceed 0.30 W/(m.C)
If it consists of the roofing, a generously ventilated roof space is essential.

Roofs over spaces in the open air.

The thermal insulation of the roof will be indispensable if guests are liable to
shelter under it (to avoid the radiation of heat).
To be checked case-by-case but installation is not indispensable otherwise.

4.1.2 VERY HOT CLIMATES

These are areas where the climate or temperature exceed 40C, for instance in the Persian
Gulf. Furthermore, a major temperature deviation between the inside and outside air,
combined with the sun irradiating the walls, raises the surface temperatures considerably.
The entering energy being potentially greater, the building needs proper insulation.
The thermal insulation coefficients will be close to those of temperate countries, in particular:
AVERAGE FACADE AND GABLE COEFFICIENT U

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< 0.9 W/(m2.C)

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AIR-TIGHTNESS
5.1

EXTERIOR WOODWORK
Cold or hot and damp outside air entering the building without any control causes a great
deal of energy waste. Good external wood tightness is essential.
The air tightness of this woodwork will be combined with other essential functions: resistance
to wind - water tightness - acoustic insulation.
The woodwork will have the following characteristics:

5.2

Air permeability: Reinforced class (air flow rate less than 7m /h/m for a pressure
difference of 100 to 500 Pa EN 1026 standards)
Water-tightness: Reinforced class (no infiltration at a pressure differential of between
300 and 500 Pa)
Wind tightness: Reinforced class (sag < 1/50 at a pressure of 1000 Pa - EN 947-1
standards)

BUILDING
Air leaks throughout the building will be kept to the minimum. This means using not only
high-quality windows (as defined above) but also designing the doors to control drafts
entirely. The airlocks must be designed with great care and must be long enough (more than
3.5 m) with automatic fast opening/closing doors. Except in areas where the weather is mild,
rotary airlocks for guests are recommended solutions.

SOLAR PROTECTIONS
6.1

OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM

The sun is a considerable source of energy. In a building, this energy can be:
Beneficial: free participation in winter central heating
Inconvenient: overheated rooms in summer call for considerable air-conditioning.
This energy enters the building in 2 different ways:
Directly through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Influencing parameters:
Size of windows
Quality of glazing (reflecting, filtering)
Shadow areas (shade screens )
Indirectly, by raising the surface temperatures of the walls. Influencing parameters:
The colour of the exposed surfaces.
The study will allow for the overall efficiency of the various systems, for instance
Gas heating has efficiency of 0.9
But air conditioning has COP of 2.5 AND recovers energy to produce domestic hot
water.
Overall, air conditioning may be far more efficient than central heating: solutions exist to find
a good balance between winter solar gain and summer solar gain. Calculation in energy
(kWh) and environnementale (harmful CO2 emission) is mandatory to optimise the solution
and select the best solar protection strategy.

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6.2

VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES

Reducing the size of glazed surface areas

Optimum orientation of the building with the large floor-to-ceiling windows as little
exposed to the sun as possible. This is particularly true in equatorial areas where the
windows of a building on an East-West axis are less exposed than those of a building on
a North/South axis
Shade screens:
Balconies
Canopies or shade shields
Windows inside a building not aligned with the facade
Store-ban blinds (light colour towards the sun)
Quality of glazing
Filtering
Reflecting
Light colour for
Wall exposed to the effects of sun
Glazing unit woodwork
Roof (for terrace roofs, gravel protection)

Note: For the rooms mobile elements such as metal blind systems that can be oriented and
adjusted by guests are prohibited (even when they are electrified).
6.3

ADVICE
A definitive specification cannot be established; here are a few words of advice. A case-bycase study is indispensable

6.3.1 HOT COUNTRIES, MILD WINTERS (AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST)

Particularly efficient solar protection is indispensable everywhere:
On all of the floor-to-ceiling windows
Priority to shade screens (more efficient than special glazing)
Filtering/reflecting glazing (efficiency> 85%) where shade screens cannot be
used.
Light glazing units with a thermal bridge break
Wall exposed to the effects of sun : light colours
Roof: Light colours
Large floor-to-ceiling windows: Minimal surface areas must include the most efficient
glazing possible.
6.3.2 TEMPERATE COUNTRIES (CENTRAL EUROPE)
Solar protections as described above are indispensable and efficiency can be slightly lower.
Floor-to-ceiling windows: shade screens will not form an obstacle to the winter sun.
Filtering/reflecting glazing (efficiency 50%)
Roof and wall: No requirements
Large windows: Minimized surface area, filtering /reflecting glazing (efficiency 80%)
6.3.3 COLD COUNTRIES WITH HOT SUMMERS (EASTERN EUROPE, NORTHERN USA)
Large floor-to-ceiling windows: Filtering/reflecting glazing (efficiency 80%)
6.3.4 ATRIUM WINDOWS
Inclined atrium windows on the facades or the roof will be the subject of specific design to
ensure that they are compatible with comfortable conditions and do not result in the
oversizing of the central heating and/or air conditioning equipment. Generally, their glazing
must be of a highly reflecting type.

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The active contribution of manufacturers is essential to guarantee resistance to thermal

shock, climatic overload etc and to fire.
Easy access must be available for cleaning.
6.3.5 CURTAINS
The rooms will have blackout curtains. For windows facing the sun, the outer faces must be
in light colours to reflect the energy and not absorb it.

TREATMENT OF SINGULAR POINTS

7.1

THERMAL INSULATION WITH RESPECT TO THIRD PARTIES

"Third parties" refer to facilities on the premises not directly run by the hotel management
like shops, offices, housing.
When the hotel has adjacent or superimposed premises assigned to third parties, the shared
walls or separating floors between the hotel and the third parties must be thermally insulated

in the same way as outside walls according to the values indicated previously (while
considering them to third-party premises may not have the air conditioning or central
heating).
These walls or floors will be taken into consideration in these surfaces determining the
average U coefficients defined previously, as if they were outside walls.
EXCEPTION - when it can be certain that the premises assigned to third parties are constantly
heated, the U coefficients of the separating walls or floors will be = 0.50 W(m.C) . (Note:
The contract will stipulate that the third party will construct proper insulation if the building is
destroyed). Being considered as internal walls, they will not be included in the average U
coefficients.
7.2

VAPOUR BARRIER*
Vapour barriers to be installed as applicable to the inner face of the thermal insulation
(temperate and cold climates) or to the outer face (hot climates) will be determined according
to the (inside and outside) relative humidity and the permeability properties of the wall
materials
The choice of the product and its implementation conditions will ensure the durability of the
vapour barrier continuity, especially where there are joints.

7.3

THERMAL BRIDGE BREAK

The thermal bridge breaks will depend on the average U coefficients defined previously and
on the condensation risks
Floor thermal bridges

Wall thermal bridges

Thermal bridge breaks

External insulation

This point will also refer to metal framing or to atrium windows in rooms where the relative
humidity level is high requiring the use of "thermal bridge break" profiles.
The "external installation" solution is highly recommended.

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7.4

INSULATION OF FLOORING UNDER COLD STORES

In all cases, floors in cold stores must be at the same level as kitchen floors or floors in
adjacent rooms.

Positive temperature cold store: Insulation will be necessary when the floor of the cold
store is above a heated room.
Negative temperature cold store: the thermal insulation of the bottom floor of the cold
store will be laid on the floor of the building with thermal insulation continuity between the
floor and the walls of the store. It will be necessary to drain off water from beneath the
insulation to prevent any risk of freezing. In the case of installation on a platform, the
ground must be protected from freezing.

Insulating floor
Floors at same level

Drainage

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Alternative: concrete slab on insulation

Ventilation or
antifreeze heating
for floors on
platform.

Floors at same level

Drainage

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