Dealing with balcony anchors is a highly complex process. Structurally, anchors are the essential elements of the balcony, despite being out of sight. But getting them right is crucial for improving the balcony’s strength and the entire building’s thermal performance. When balcony anchors are not fitted correctly, it can increase dampness within the building and raise costs for the developer and the tenant. These balconies could also feel bouncy and be a significant safety risk for the residents of the building.
Strength and thermal performance must be considered when selecting a suitable anchor for your balcony. A sound anchor system optimises the strength and thermal performance to improve the overall performance of the building and significantly reduce the project’s embodied carbon. Let’s take a closer look at the factors to understand the role this highly complex system plays:
Strengthening the Balcony Anchor Connection and Reducing Bounce
The anchor connects the balcony to the façade of the building, so it needs to be rigid enough to carry the weight of the protruding structure. According to the latest British Standard 8579: 2020, various aspects of balcony design like structural, acoustics and wind effects need to be considered when calculating the deflection parameters of a balcony. The finished product should not deflect more than 5mm under a 2kN concentrated load. Additionally, to minimise the bounce on the balcony, the deflection of the balcony under load should not be more than 3mm at any given time.
To reduce the deflection and bounce on balconies, a suitable anchor must be chosen, strong enough to handle the structure’s weight and provide stability and security to the resident. We recommend selecting an anchor that can pass the 2kN point load test to ensure performance.
Thermal Performance and the Role of Anchors in Reducing Thermal Bridging
The other aspect that needs to be considered while selecting the proper anchors for your project is the effect it has on the thermal performance of the building. Thermal bridging occurs when a material penetrates the insulation layer with high thermal conductivity. If not insulated, it can create condensation dampness and lead to mould. Also, buildings with poor thermal performance are not environment friendly as they require more energy for heating and cooling during extreme weather conditions.
While selecting the anchors for your project, you should consider the number of anchors to be used. The fewer you use, the better it is for reducing thermal bridging. Hence, you will need to select an anchor that provides excellent thermal performance and has tremendous structural performance. This will reduce the number of penetrations in the façade of the building and truly improve the thermal performance overall.
Choosing an anchor with excellent thermal performance but poor structural performance is likely to cost more and provide the thermal benefit of having a similar performing thermal anchor that enables fewer connections.
Reducing Embodied Carbon
Lastly, our Sapphire Balconies anchor system is designed to reduce on-site and crane time dramatically. Additionally, our Glide-On technology balconies are entirely recyclable and are lightweight, making them far more efficient to transport and install. This helps bring down the embodied carbon of the building.
Additionally, the lightweight system reduces the number of brackets and connections required for installation. This reduces the risk of cold bridging and dampness and makes the building more energy efficient for occupants, driving significant cost savings.