Continuous Insulation or is it Convoluted Insulation?

If you have not heard about continuous insulation, then you must have been on the moon the last year. If you are reading this, you should know that impetus for CI was a strong reduction in the true R value of a steel framed wall. The premise that metal is a great conductor of energy led ASHRAE to re-calculate the presumptive R value used for decades. The new, improved science led us to use the U factor, which was far more accurate than simply stuffing the cavity with R-13 insulation and calling the wall R-13. The U factor looks at the heat loss or gain from all materials, including the framing members. And steel framing did not fare so well. The term is “thermal shorts or bridging” and refers to transfer of energy through the stud.

The steel framing industry was rightfully upset, as this was not good news for steel stud manufacturers that are competing against wood studs for market share. The continuous insulation issue was brought about by higher energy cost, the desire for more sustainable buildings and a push for green buildings. Because there was so much political push in the same direction, reversing the ASHRAE mandates was hopeful at best. True to many predictions, the energy codes have been morphing and changing faster than departmental agencies can print data.