Thermal break
Also called: thermally broken, thermal barrier, broken bridge aluminium
Aluminium is strong and slim but it conducts heat extremely well — which is a problem for a window frame in a 45°C summer, because a plain aluminium frame carries outside heat straight indoors and, in an air-conditioned room, can sweat with condensation. A thermal break is an insulating barrier (usually a polyamide strip) set inside the frame profile, splitting the outer and inner halves of the aluminium so heat can't travel straight across. In the UAE it matters for two reasons: efficiency (less heat gain, lower cooling load) and condensation (a thermally-broken frame stays closer to room temperature, so it doesn't drip). Pairing thermally-broken frames with double glazing is what makes a genuine difference to comfort and the DEWA bill; the frame and the glass have to be specced together. Fitting is an aluminium specialist's work.
Related terms
Double glazing
Two glass panes with a sealed gap between them — cuts heat and noise, and the whole sealed unit is replaceable if it fogs.
Tempered vs laminated glass
Two kinds of safety glass — tempered is heat-strengthened and shatters into blunt pebbles; laminated is bonded and holds together when broken.
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