Instructions / Assembly

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WHY CONTINUOUS INSULATION?
Meeting Demanding Standards and Changing Codes
What Is Continuous Insulation (CI)?
ASHRAE 90.1 denes continuous insulation as:
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“...insulation that is continuous across all structural members without
thermal bridges other than fasteners and service openings. It is installed on the interior or exterior, or is integral to any
opaque surface of the building.”
ASHRAE Standard 90.1 is one of two primary baseline building energy codes that may be adopted by states and local
jurisdictions to regulate the design and construction of new buildings. ASHRAE 90.1 is limited to commercial buildings, while
the International Energy Conservation Code
®
(IECC) addresses both residential and commercial buildings.
Energy eciency codes are becoming more stringent. Note the changes in ASHRAE R-value requirements in recent years
(red text denotes the changes).
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Benets of Continuous Insulation
• Reduces thermal bridging and increases overall R-value. Thermal bridging is a type of heat loss that occurs when heat
ows through the building envelope via a continuous path, such as through wood or, more commonly, highly conductive
steel framing members. Thermal bridging dramatically affects whole wall R-value. For instance, a steel stud wall
assembly with batt insulation could lose up to 50% of its R-value through thermal bridging.
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• Creates barrier continuity. Air and water barriers can be installed as a single material adjacent to wall sheathing, keeping
barriers continuous.
• Reduces moisture concerns. CI reduces the possibility of condensation within the wall when warm, moist air is
prevented from reaching a dew point temperature.
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ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2016—Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
https://www.ashrae.org/resources--publications/bookstore/standard-90-1.
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https://www.energycodes.gov/sites/default/les/becu/2012iecc_commercial_envelope_BECU.pdf.
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https://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/total-r-values-and-thermal-bridging.