Commercial building insulation is a critical building component for both energy efficiency and building longevity. Insulation works hard to keep your building comfortable and to reduce energy consumption. Knowing the options lets you decide when selecting the right insulation.
What is Insulation?
Most people have heard of insulation but may not fully understand what it means. Insulation is simply a material used to slow down the transfer of heat, whether into or out of a building. Insulation is one component of a wall assembly, either inside the wall cavity or as a continuous layer that is part of the wall. Continuous insulation performs better and is increasingly required in building codes because there are no gaps in the insulation for heat to leak through.
Why is Continuous Insulation So Important?
Continuous Insulation provides a host of benefits, from energy efficiency to providing air & moisture control and meeting advanced energy code requirements. Keep the following features in mind when choosing the type of continuous insulation for your building.
Energy Efficiency
With rising energy prices and the increased importance of efficient energy usage, continuous insulation is becoming more important than ever. Inside and outside temperatures naturally want to come to equilibrium or the same temperature. Building occupants typically want commercial buildings to be warmer or cooler than the outdoor environment depending on the season. Central HVAC systems are good at conditioning indoor environments, however, it is continuous insulation that keeps those environments comfortable and reduces the energy required to keep them that way.
Occupant Comfort
Thermal comfort is an absolute must for commercial buildings. Continuous Insulation eliminates thermal breaks through the studs and helps keep a commercial building at a consistent temperature and also reduces air leakages. Without continuous insulation, buildings are more likely to have hot and cold spots throughout the building.
Moisture Control
Continuous Insulation and cladding systems play a critical role in moisture control, an issue that can begin to slowly - or, sometimes, quickly - start to degrade structures. Utilizing a modern continuous insulation system will also help provide moisture protection in the exterior wall.
Fire Resistance
When specifying continuous insulation in a commercial building, wall components must be tested together and meet NFPA 285 (National Fire Protection Association) requirements.
Improve the Bottom Line
Climate control isn’t just about comfort and cold storage; it’s really about financial efficiency. When insulation performance is average, HVAC systems are forced to work harder at additional costs. If the insulation system is pretty good, same story - the air will be conditioned or heated, and costs will be saved. Imagine then that builders seek the best insulation system possible, a continuous insulation system featuring the best insulation material. Stretched across a larger building or structure, the financial benefits of this one investment will pay dividends for decades.
What are the Most Common Types of Continuous Insulation?
The three most common types of continuous insulation are:
1. Polyiso
Polyisocyanurate is a closed-cell, rigid foam board insulation with facers bonded to both sides. Used in roof, wall, ceiling, and below-grade applications, polyiso is used in commercial buildings of all types. At 6.5 R-value for one inch, Polyiso provides the highest thermal performance of widely used continuous insulation options. Additionally, polyiso has fire-resistive properties that make it the insulation type of choice for many architects, builders, and building owners.
2. XPS
Extruded polystyrene (XPS) is a type of foam plastic insulation. XPS is a thermoset material, and when exposed to high heat it softens or turns to a liquid. At a 5 R-value for one inch, XPS provides the second-best thermal performance of widely used continuous insulation options. Available as a foam board, XPS is similarly easy to install as polyiso.
3. Mineral Wool
Made from spinning molten rock, mineral wool is a soft, fibrous form of insulation. At 4 R-value for one inch, mineral wool provides the third-best thermal performance of widely used continuous insulation options; however, as an insulation batt material, it provides exceptional sound and fire resistance. Mineral wool’s lack of compressive strength means it can be harder to install and keep in place as a continuous insulation solution. Mineral wool tends to sag over time requiring conductive and costly Z-furring, hat channels, or proprietary clips for installation.
Polyiso: the Superior Choice
Polyiso reigns supreme on many fronts. Rmax polyiso blends high performance, ease of use, and competitive prices into one product, making it the superior choice for most commercial building applications.
Typically, polyiso has been used for roofing insulation and is the industry standard; however, it is now the leading choice of architects and designers for exterior wall continuous insulation because of its superior thermal and fire-resistive properties. Additionally, foil-faced polyiso can serve as the building’s primary air & water-resistive barrier, eliminating the need for wraps and liquid-applied sprays, which reduces material & labor costs and provides less environmental impact. Rmax is pushing the envelope with polyiso to create a complete insulation solution for builders, attaining the same great insulation results found in roofing installs with walls.
Fire Resistance
As a thermoset, polyiso irreversibly cures when exposed to high heat. Since it is permanently rigid and cannot return to liquid form, polyiso is an excellent choice for high-temperature applications. Under fire conditions, polyiso chars where other types of insulation can melt and drip.
Rmax Polyiso, the Commercial Insulation of Choice
Rmax polyiso provides a well-rounded profile of performance characteristics and cost that makes it an excellent choice for commercial insulation applications. For a long-lasting, high-performing building, use insulation you can count on. To learn more about why Rmax polyiso outperforms other options, reach out to our experts today.