How should curtain wall interfaces with balconies and rooflines be detailed to avoid thermal bridging?

Interfaces between curtain walls and balconies or rooflines are common sources of thermal bridging and air leakage if not carefully detailed. To avoid thermal bridging, provide continuous thermal breaks at the interface: where balcony slabs penetrate the thermal envelope, isolate the slab from the curtain wall frame with thermal break connectors or insulated cantilever supports. Use thermally broken balcony connectors and thermal isolation plates sized to carry structural loads while limiting conductive heat flow. At rooflines and parapets, extend insulation continuously over the parapet or incorporate insulated capping detail that bridges the curtain wall head and roof insulation to maintain thermal continuity. Ensure that drainage at balconies does not create cold wet paths adjacent to heated interiors; incorporate waterproof membranes that are separated from the curtain wall drainage system and provide positive fall away from the building. Prevent air leakage by sealing the frame-to-slab joint with compressible weather seals and backer rods, and provide movement joints to accommodate differential thermal and structural movement without compromising the thermal break. Where balconies are exposed, specify non-conductive handrail fixings and thermally isolated supports. Use hygrothermal modelling to confirm that internal surface temperatures at these junctions remain above condensation thresholds and that effective R-value targets are preserved. Early coordination between structural, façade, and roof designers reduces rework and ensures that the combined detailing mitigates thermal bridging while achieving structural and waterproofing requirements.