ETICS and curtain walls/cavity wall insulation can be planned and implemented for external insulation.

The cavity should be at least 5 cm wide everywhere and be filled up with insulation material completely.

With external insulation, insulation layers 20 to more than 30 cm thick are technically feasible.

ETICS are available with different insulation materials: insulation foams, synthetic mineral fibres, mineral foam panels, plant-based insulation materials.

Thermal bridging in the external wall can occur at all component joints, particularly with protruding elements which are not thermally decoupled, such as balconies or canopy roofs.

The airtight layer can also be provided within the adhesive layer of the ETICS. In this case adhesive must be applied over the entire surface and must cover cracks properly. In addition, the joints between plaster and openings (e.g. windows and doors) must be made with care and be airtight throughout.

They generally consist of an insulation layer mounted on the outer face of the load-bearing external wall, and façade panels mounted externally, usually with an air space behind.

An advantage is the free choice of materials; a disadvantage is that the anchoring system involves thermal bridges.

Cavity wall insulation is worth considering for double-shell external walls. It is important that the cavity is at least 5 cm wide everywhere and can be filled up with insulation material completely, in order to avoid thermal bridging as much as possible.