Insulation products limit heat exchange between the inside and outside of a building in order to make it more efficient. For the highest thermal performance, the construction must be designed to have high thermal resistance (R-value). It is a proven fact that continuous insulation is the most effective method to generate energy savings, as it eliminates thermal bridges through steel, wood and concrete structures.
Continuous insulation is defined as “insulation that is continuous across all structural members without thermal bridges other than fasteners and service openings. It is installed on the interior, exterior, or is an integral part of any opaque surface of the building envelope.” Moreover, it can be used with a variety of wall systems and cladding materials.
Furthermore, continuous insulation can be placed on the interior or exterior side of the wall, thus meeting climate-dependent moisture vapour control code requirements. Finally, it is possible to use continuous insulation alone to meet energy code requirements without any cavity insulation, for the ultimate “warm wall” design.
Continuous insulation of a building comes with several benefits:
- Elimination of thermal bridges, which increases the overall performance of the wall assembly
- Money and energy savings, which greatly increases the building’s energy efficiency
- Properly sealed joints minimizing air movement, which reduces infiltration and leaks
- Lower risk of condensation and moisture infiltration