Which is an example of conductive system loss?

The example of conductive system loss refers to the transfer of heat through materials that are in direct contact and can facilitate heat flow without the movement of air. An uninsulated boiler pipe that contacts the rim joist area is a classic case of conductive heat loss because the pipe will conduct heat directly into the rim joist, which can lead to energy waste.

Conductive losses occur because materials such as metal (in the case of the boiler pipe) have a high thermal conductivity. When these materials are not insulated, they allow heat to flow from a warm area (the boiler pipe) to a cooler one (the rim joist), leading to a reduction in energy efficiency. This situation is particularly problematic in the rim joist area, which is often a point of thermal bridging in building construction.

In contrast, uninsulated ductwork, while it could potentially lead to similar losses, does not specify direct contact resulting in conductive heat loss in the same way as the boiler pipe scenario. Heat transfer through air leakage and radiation from hot surfaces pertain to different mechanisms of heat loss, namely convection and radiation, respectively, which differ fundamentally from conduction in their processes.