passoire thermique

05:46 Aug 25, 2020
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Energy / Power Generation / Energy efficiency
French term or phrase: passoire thermique
Hi, the context is a scheme to turn poorly insulated homes into more energy efficient spaces. Just wondering if anyone has a short and snappy translation for this?

"...accélérer la transition vers une économie à très faible émission de carbone ... en opérant des exemples concrets de business bas-carbone : écovillage d'habitats minimalistes réversibles et des *passoires thermiques* transformées en coliving ultra bas-carbone après rénovation complète."

Many thanks!
katiej
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:43


Summary of answers provided
4 +3thermal sieve
philgoddard
4homes that are leaking heat
CKSTraductions
3poorly insulated house
Barbara Schmidt, M.A. (X)
3thermal sinkhole
mrrafe
3 -1thermal bridge
SafeTex


Discussion entries: 13





  

Answers


29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
thermal sieve


Explanation:
A literal translation works perfectly well.

...improve the energy performance of a building whose occupants have described it as a “thermal sieve” in order to achieve Paris City Council's Climate Plan
http://www.archdaily.com/428770/square-vitruve-atelier-du-po...

http://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/french-englis...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 30 mins (2020-08-25 06:17:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or you could say colander, of course.

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michael Roberts
50 mins

agree  Suzie Withers: Or perhaps a heat sieve or energy sieve? Sieve is definitely used in this context
2 hrs
  -> Yes, heat sieve would work, too.

neutral  ormiston: Your link is an attempt at translation
4 hrs
  -> I don't understand.

agree  Tony M: Right idea, though I think it needs rephrasing to sound idiomatic in EN
4 hrs
  -> Thanks. I think it sounds perfectly idiomatic, and it's actually a nice image.

neutral  B D Finch: Not idiomatic English. The occupants of that Paris building would have said it in French and it's been insensitively translated.
7 hrs
  -> You're missing the point. It's a humorous coinage to describe something that leaks heat. My translation (and theirs) is not "insensitive", it's deliberately literal.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
poorly insulated house


Explanation:
see also
https://www.voseconomiesdenergie.fr/actualites/economies-d-e...

Barbara Schmidt, M.A. (X)
Germany
Local time: 05:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  B D Finch: You haven't translated either the metaphor of "passoire thermique" or the way that metaphor emphasises that they leak a great deal of heat
7 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

53 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
thermal sinkhole


Explanation:
This is somewhat colloquial in the US industry, and you will get a few hits by googling it in quotation marks. It can be intended as humorous exaggeration, for those who understand that a true thermal sinkhole is a geological formation.


    Reference: http://www.greenbuildingtalk.com/Forums/tabid/53/aff/16/aft/...
    https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=20371
mrrafe
United States
Local time: 00:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Definitely not for GB, though.
3 hrs

neutral  B D Finch: Not for the UK. Even in US usage, it seems to apply to specific elements of a building, rather than the entire building.
7 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
thermal bridge


Explanation:
Hello
This is a term often used for points where heat escapes. The reference gives a number of alternative phrases


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_bridge
SafeTex
France
Local time: 05:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Tony M: That's not what this context is talking about: here, it is referring to "houses that lose heat", and there's no way your suggestion could fit into the context as given. But that's not all what the s/t says, and 'thermal bridges' is only one issue.
1 hr
  -> Come on Tony. "Houses with multiple thermal bridges"

agree  Wendy Streitparth: I think cold bridge is more usual. (If I understand the text correctly!)
1 hr
  -> Thanks Wendy

disagree  B D Finch: No, it isn't only thermal bridging that makes buildings thermally inefficient. An uninsulated loft or wall leaks heat, but is not a thermal bridge. @ Wendy, "cold bridge" used to be widely used by laypersons, but isn't the correct technical term.
4 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
homes that are leaking heat


Explanation:
This seems to be a popular way of expressing the idea in English.




Example sentence(s):
  • ...we help our customers to understand whether their homes are leaking heat
  • Is your home leaking heat?

    https://www.haringey.gov.uk/environment-and-waste/going-green/green-home-improvements/heat-loss-homes
    https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/environment/climate-change/heat-loss-your-home
CKSTraductions
France
Local time: 05:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  B D Finch: You haven't translated either the metaphor of "passoire thermique" or that it means they leak a great deal of heat// Difference of tone between "it leaks" and "it leaks like a sieve".
51 mins
  -> Maybe not, but it seems to be a common phrase that has essentially the same meaning as "passoir thermique" which a British audience will understand.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search