The “Insulated” Slab Edge – NCC Version

Slab edge insulation would seem to be a really sensible addition to NCC2022, and it would be if it
had been implemented to achieve the intended outcomes. It doesn’t, in fact it is worse than this, it
ends up costing real time and real money and achieves essentially nothing more than adding
significant expense without any benefit.

The problem would appear to come from trying to keep things simple enough that it did not
confuse anyone. The NCC is somewhat limited in only being able to understand heat flow via a
one-dimensional calculated estimate, this is called up in the NCC by the use of AS4859.2. This is
the standard that determines how we in Australia must calculate the R-value (resistance to heat
flow) of our constructions being roof, wall and floor. The slab edge it is of course the junction of the
wall and floor but this is where 1D heat flow is unable to be used. It is then not adequately
understood and accounted for to reflect the reality of the heat flow at this junction.
In AS4859.2 we only consider heat flow in one dimension (1D) perhaps think of this as either up
and down (floor and roof) or side to side (wall) in either case this is a simplification of heat flow
happening from inside to outside (for the most part in the cool climate of Canberra). This works
well enough to understand the heat flow for these large areas of our building (except for when
there is steel within these areas see here) but does not work at all for the junctions of these areas,
where the wall meets the floor in this case.
Heat flows in three dimensions, but for the purpose of accurately understanding the reality of most
junctions in our buildings we can simplify this to only two dimensions (2D) and then account for the
third dimension by multiplying by the length of the junction (the perimeter of the building).
We can accurately model and calculate the heat flow in 2D with the software Flixo. This allows us
to understand the heat flow with graphical output from the model to clearly show us what is
happening.

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Another way to think about this is to understand that this tool is able to precisely calculate the heat
flow in two dimensions simultaneously. That means up and down at the same time as left and right
(always inside to outside the building in a cool climate) when analysing the slab edge.
A quick tutorial for understanding 2D heat flow analysis graphical output (below). These are
showing the heat flowing through cross sections of the slab and wall of the building (as well as the
ground).
The temperature at each point in the construction is represented by both colour (key on the far left)
as well as the black lines running through the model which are called isotherms (iso = same, therm
= temperature) these are also with the temperature noted at the ends.
In this model the outside is on the left/bottom and is at either -3oC (Canberra cold climate) and the
inside on the right/top at 20oC. The outside is set at 80% and inside at 50% relative humidity. This
scenario is representative of typically worst 12-hour average winter conditions in Canberra.
Materials that are more insulative will show the isotherms running parallel, straight and closer
together, see within the insulated wall (the vertical lines parallel to the wall edges)
Materials that are less insulative (more conductive) will distort the lines and move them further
apart. This can be seen in the concrete and earth where it spreads the lines almost radially from
the slab edge. The heat loss is measured in heat flow, W/m or Watts per metre.
I have also added the so-called stream lines, the really busy curved lines. These are a really nice
visual representation of the heat flowing from inside surface to the outside surface. The more lines
in an area the more heat is leaking out through that pathway of the material in the structure.

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Now in order to create models that represent the reality of the situation we need to understand
clearly what the NCC2022 is telling us is necessary to do with slab edge insulation. We will need
to look at the NCC requirement under Section 13, Energy Efficiency, Building Fabric, Floors and
subfloor walls (13.2.6) link here. Bear with me whilst I decipher just what this clause is telling us
we must do.

So, the only buildings required to have slab edge insulation are those that have in-slab or in-
screed heating or cooling.

This makes sense, if we are adding energy to condition the building, we should aim to keep it in
the building, not just leak outside, this would be like turning on the air conditioner and then
opening the front door. This is what the NCC is attempting (but failing) to achieve in ensuring that
people don’t have this problem built into their homes without knowing about it.

Part (4) tells us any slab with heating/cooling must have insulation better than R1.0 around the
vertical edge of the perimeter. That is clear. Then part (6) clarifies what that must look like in
saying in (a) it must be material that is water resistant, this makes sense because it will get wet,
and likely stay wet around the slab edge and wet insulation is no longer insulation, it is in fact a
great conductor of heat, just think about clothes they keep us insulated until they are wet, walking
around in wet clothes is great in summer not so good in winter.

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The next part of the clause, (b) is the most important clarifier, it must be continuous from the
finished ground level downwards to either (i) a depth of 300mm or (ii) at least the full depth of the
vertical edge of the concrete slab-on-ground. This is easier to use the referenced figure 13.2.6.

So, the insulation that must be greater than R1.0 that starts at ground level and continuously
covers the edge of the concrete slab to either a nominal 300mm or the full depth of the slab.
This is a curious, we must insulate continuously just one small part of the slab but the whole rest
of the slab need not be insulated. This is perhaps like designing an insulated coffee cup with only
the edge of the lid being insulated (perhaps it also makes it easier to hold?) and wondering why
your coffee doesn’t actually stay warm. The heat flow analysis will make this clear, we will get to
this after deciphering the rest of this clause.
A further side note to point out is that we must interpret the slab as actually being the footing (edge
beam) based on the figure illustrating this requirement. So, we must assume that the slab is a
monolithic structure of slab and footing, this is not always true but often will be. It is the case in the
most common slab used in residential construction being a waffle-pod slab. The figure is not
illustrating a waffle-pod but rather a raft slab.
The waffle-pod slab is dealt with in (5) where it actually provides an exemption to the need for
slab edge insulation if using this construction because it is believed to be inherently providing
insulation within the structure of this system. But this is just not quite as much insulation as the
NCC understands this to be judging from the R-values specified.
Perhaps the problem is again the limited understanding and inaccuracy that use of a 1D heat flow
calculated estimate produces.

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Part (5)(a)(i) and (ii) outline that in climate zones 6 and 7 (remember that Canberra is 7) any slab
other than a waffle-pod slab requires insulation on both the edge and under the slab that is at least
R0.64. This very precise number would suggest that this is based on a value that represents
something, that it is not just arbitrary like the R1.0 is for any other slab edge.
We could infer that the reason a waffle-pod slab is exempt is that this is reasonably the R-value it
already achieves? Yes, but actually it doesn’t always achieve this minimum legal requirement in
reality.
Only if a solid EPS waffle pod is used and it needs to be taller than 225mm (a standard size). This
will achieve an R-value of 0.70 (m2K)/W. The hollow (moulded pocket pod) core pods actually only
achieve R0.55, not the specified minimum of R0.64. The basis for these values come from a
specialist engineering firm in Aotearoa New Zealand (here). They have done this calculation for
waffle-pod slabs using specialist 3D heat flow software to understand the reality of the heat flow
through the waffle-pod slab which is made up of a grid of the pods and the concrete beams that
these form, all of which is in contact with the ground. We use the same product in the same way in
Australia.
Another aside but important to understand is to draw your attention to part (7) that deals with
“bathroom or amenity areas or the like”. All wet areas in a waffle-pod slab will use a step down to
allow for a screed bed to create fall for water drainage. The pods used here are generally only
150mm tall to allow a 75mm screed. That is the bathroom floor actually has less insulation than
anywhere else in the house (albeit not that much less)!
Further to understand that this part (7) actually exempts wet areas with screed heating and cooling
from meeting this insulation requirement. We will have to assume that they are also exempt when
there is no in-screed heating or cooling? Our code legally requires some insulation under a slab
(as well as to the edge of the slab) except in the area of the home where we are naked and wet?
My last commentary before showing you the modelling is concerning the reality of how buildings
are designed and built. And why it is so critical that the NCC is able to be written so that it is much
more clearly defined in what you must do as well as being clearly useful to do, it is neither of these
two essential things at present.
It is open to interpretation and dispute between all of the people involved in the process of making
it happen. This is aside from the reality that as it is written it is not actually achieving anything of
value for all of time and cost to all involved in trying to find solutions and affordable ways to meet
these requirements. This is not in the best interests of Australians at any time, yet alone in the
midst of a housing affordability crisis. But this is not to say we should not insulate slabs in cool
climates to save energy and ensure comfort and health in our buildings, we just need to do it
properly. So back to the actual process involved in dealing with clause.
The NCC requirements must be legally met and this is the job of a building certifier to who has to
sign off on the work to confirm that it meets the NCC requirement under Section 13, Energy
Efficiency, Building Fabric, Floors and subfloor walls (13.2.6).
This all starts with the building designer who must interpret the NCC requirements in designing the
building who then hands this design onto engineer who must design and specify the slab structural
design. This is usually detailed with generic details that have been used for ever without an
understanding nor responsibility for meeting 13.2.6. Slab edge insulation, even under-slab
insulation is a relatively new and unusual construction in Australia.
These plans then need to be constructed on site under the supervision of the builder who has
interpreted the plans in order to inform the concreter who will actually construct the slab.

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If everyone is in agreement then no problem, if anyone disagrees with the interpretation then there
could be a very expensive mass of concrete, steel and foam problem that really can’t be dealt with
any other way than ignoring the fact that this does not actually conform to the NCC requirement
under Section 13, Energy Efficiency, Building Fabric, Floors and subfloor walls (13.2.6).
What this really means is that the designer needs to understand this clause and make certain that
it is both absolutely clear on the plans and within any specifications as to how this needs to be
built, and this extends to after the engineer has added any details and specifications. If anyone
else then varies from these there will likely be a problem.
So, what is needed? Actually, a change to standard construction to allow slab edge insulation to
result in meaningful outcomes that have been thought through. This unfortunately requires a shift
in standard construction and that is much more of an imposition than the NCC2022 clause 13.6.2
imposes on the industry. The current requirements are essentially being seen to be addressing
something without actually doing it.
This is adding to the cost of housing in a significant way but not actually improving anything in
reality. I believe we have a problem.
The critical detail here is that for slab edge insulation to work there needs to be a continuous line
of insulation around the whole of the slab bottom and edge (and then onto the wall and finally the
roof). There can be no concrete in contact with the ground or the air in cooler climate zones. Any
discontinuity of the insulation around the concrete will result in a thermal bridge. The NCC2022
clause wording and demonstrative figure achieve absolutely none of this. A quick summary of what
we are actually talking about when we say thermal bridge.
A thermal bridge is where material that has a high thermal conductivity (or low thermal resistivity)
interrupts the insulation material. In this situation any concrete that is in contact with the ground or
the air. This thermal bridging is clearly shown in the following thermal bridge analysis models in
the “insulated” slab edge example.
On the next page (7) we can see the NCC “insulated” slab allows 12% more heat flow through it to
the ground and air outside the building compared to the uninsulated Waffle-pod slab.
The temperatures towards the corner where the wall meets the slab are essentially the same in
both cases, just slightly below 10oC. This is a problem as it will cause condensation on the slab
and likely also within the wall frame.
The stream lines show where the heat is most easily able to leak out of the building, that is largely
to the uninsulated slab edge that is exposed to the air. It is also flowing through the slab to the
ground as there is little thermal resistance. The only difference between the slabs being the small
amount of insulation that the waffle-pods provide slows this heat loss and the stream lines are
then observed to be further apart.
Neither of these slabs are actually doing anything much to reduce the heat loss of any energy
added to heat this building if we assume that they both have in-slab heating (and even if they don’t
they will lose this heat). This is an expensive building to heat as it is essentially losing most of any
heat added through to the ground and the outside air at the slab edge.
The distressing part of this is that the very expensive to add slab edge insulation is actually not
doing anything that would justify it being used. It is a complete waste of time and money.
The following page (8) shows the difference that continuous insulation (Passivhaus) both under
and beside the slab can make. It loses less than half (55%) of the Waffle-pod slab, look at the
even and wider space between the stream lines, much less heat flow. And look at the slab surface
temperature next to the wall, it’s only just below 18oC!

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The direct comparison of the Waffle-pod above, and below the raft slab, with NCC
insulation modelled to show the total heat flow from inside to outside the building (to the
ground and air).

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The direct comparison of the Waffle-pod above and the Passivhaus below modelled to
show the total heat flow from inside to outside the building (to the ground and air).

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A quick explainer of this strange set of numbers. The top number being the minimum surface
temperature inside (7.14oC) Below this is the fRsi . This is a relatively robust metric that describes
the risk of condensation in a construction. This metric uses the lowest internal surface temperature
and consequential relative humidity at that point on the surface to understand the risk of mould
growth. The closer 1 the less risk of condensation and mould, this is 0.441. Don’t worry about the
other numbers at this point the most important is perhaps the top figure of the lowest temperature.
The NCC slab shows the coldest internal surface being just over 7oC, this will indicate a risk of
condensation forming on this surface if the internal and external conditions are as discussed in the
notes at the end of the paper. If this corner is also hidden behind furniture this will provide a high
risk of mould forming.
The same conditions also exist in the wall cavity, particularly at the frame base plate where any
water that may form will collect.
The factors that will limit the likelihood of this happening are many, but primarily include not
heating the house to 20oC (and this would be common), if the construction is so air leaky that air is
able to pass freely through this junction, under the architrave, under the base plate and into the
wall cavity (again this would be very common) or the floor being kept clean often enough to limit
this happening.
Is the Waffle-pod slab any better?

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The Waffle-pod slab shows essentially the same distribution of temperatures at the slab edge and
this makes sense as both are essentially without any useful insulation to the outside air.

The exception is that the Waffle-pod slab is remaining slightly warmer throughout as the EPS foam
does have some thermal resistance to the heat loss, so this is a better situation but as we will see
it is still awful compared with a properly continuously insulated slab of the Passivhaus.
How much better can we make the slab perform?

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Clearly the difference in the distribution of temperatures in the continuously insulated slab is
remarkable. It is resisting heat loss in the same way that the wall is able to, because it actually has
a useful amount of insulation under it.
The bigger difference is of course the slab edge, there is continuous insulation her from the under-
slab to the wall. This is actually achieved with the use of Foamglas structural insulation under and
XPS on the outside. The Foamglas is a structural block sitting under the wall that transfers the
load of the roof through the wall and slab to the footing below it. Importantly it is able to do this
without breaking the continuity of the slab to wall junction insulation.
The corner is above 15oC and will never be at any risk of condensation, that is also true for the
wall frame that is kept warm by the external insulation.
This is what a Canberra climate needs to keep the heat energy added to slab from leaking out.
However, if you building a house this well you will not need in-slab insulation, it will be too slow to
work and particularly too slow to stop working, that is you will very easily overheat the house and
have very likely have limited control of the indoor temperature.
If I were building a house on a slab in Canberra, I know what decision I would make and simply
build it so that it works, unfortunately very few have the benefit of knowing this to build a house
that works. Certainly, the changes in NCC2022 won’t help you with this problem.

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Notes
This modelling was conducted in Flixo a finite element 2D heat transfer modelling software that is
able to accurately understand the heat flow of constructions in two dimensions such as wall and
floor junctions, or in this case the slab edge. Flixo models to the ISO 10211 standard. This tool is
the benchmark tool of this type available today.
The modelling parameters are set to represent a generic cold climate with an external temperature
of 0oC and 80% relative humidity (RH) and an internal of 20oC and 50%RH. Altering these
parameters won’t change the wall or floor thermal transmittance (U-value) or it’s inverse the
thermal resistance (R-value) but will change the models representing the heat flow to understand
the risk of condensation and mould (fRsi).
The fRsi is a relatively robust metric that describes the risk of condensation in a construction. This
metric uses the lowest internal surface temperature and consequential relative humidity at that
point on the surface to understand the risk of mould growth. There are of course more rigorous
methods to assess this risk (WUFI being one of these softwares) but this should not be necessary
in most scenarios, rather just design the construction to provide an appropriate level of risk with
the other methods of managing this risk being also considered.
The performance values of the waffle-pod slab came from Sustainable Engineering who modelled
this with a 3D finite element 3D heat transfer tool to obtain an accurate real-world performance
figure for this construction type (here). If you want to understand how to build a better building,
just read everything on the website (perhaps twice or three times).
I have used a 90mm timber stud frame with R2.5 insulation. The waffle pod slab is 225mm with a
100m slab and 40mm of XPS slab edge insulation. The Passivhaus slab uses 100mm of XPS
insulation and the Foamglas blocks. The Passivhaus slab detail comes from Craftbuilding in
Canberra (here).
The NCC Insulated slab edge detail comes from the NCC as discussed. NatHERS has been made
to increase the star rating when using this detail. This is perplexing as I cannot understand how
this was determined that this set of solutions could be appropriate or yet alone of benefit in these
cool climates, actually any climate.
The motivation behind writing this paper is personal. I have trained in building science (via
Passivhaus) and also Building Design as well as having built buildings (and things) all of my life. I
have interrogated many projects and understood what works, what doesn’t (what is practical) and
largely have leveraged the wealth of shared learnings, experience from around the world and most
particularly used all of this to then make use of the tool Flixo. It quite simply tells you precisely
what you need to do to make a junction work and just how well it will work in that climate. Most
critically how much risk of cold spots that equal mould spots the junction has due to the way it is
detailed. Otherwise, you may spend money building things that don’t work or are not worth doing.
Across the way in Aotearoa New Zealand, they build slabs that are fully insulated, and they have to
additionally contend with earthquakes. There is no reason that we shouldn’t already do the same,
it’s no harder, the NatHERS modelling just has to be capable of discerning the actual difference
that this can make to a building in any climate, but it can’t. This is an example of such a system, I
have no affiliation nor am I recommending this product but I am demonstrating that it is better
than we currently do and it is available in Australia today.

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