There’s a reason that snowbirds flock to Florida each winter. The warmer temperatures and humid climate provide relief from the cold and dry winters that many of them have to face throughout a big chunk of the year. The unique climate of Florida is only shared with a few other locations, such as South Texas and the southern tips of the states between Florida and Texas.
The unique climate also brings unique challenges when it comes to construction and building design requirements. With such a large cooling load, high humidity, and coastal considerations, structures in Florida require some special attention.
That’s where building codes come in. Brush up on the fundamental code requirements in the state of Florida to make sure your next project is up to code.
The Basics of Florida Building Codes
Building codes are a set of guidelines that help keep buildings safe, accessible, and energy efficient.
Common Building Codes
There are many different building codes. Here are a handful of some different realms that building codes can cover:
Energy Code
Structural Code
Life Safety Code
Plumbing Code
Fire Code
Electrical Code
Accessibility Code
Zoning Code
A Focus on Energy Code Requirements
For the purpose of this article, we’ll be focusing on energy codes for Florida. Energy codes are designed with geographical location at the forefront in order to ensure buildings are energy-efficient for the local climate. In other words, the Florida building code roof insulation R-value will vary greatly from the R-value requirements in Maine.
The energy code sets the standard for the following building systems:
Insulation Requirements
Heating and Cooling System Requirements
Windows and Lighting
Florida Building Codes
Generally, building codes are written on a national scale by organizations, such as the International Code Council (ICC), and then adopted at the local level. Florida and other states, as well as local governments, adopt and modify these model codes while also writing their own laws to deal with the various factors impacting local construction.
Florida’s energy code is called the Florida Energy Conservation Code, or FECC. This code, last updated in 2020 as the 7th edition, applies to both residential and commercial buildings. This set of regulations adopts the model code known as 2018 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2016 as its basis.
Florida Building Code Insulation Requirements
Before you build in Florida, one of the first steps to planning requires a review of code requirements. Even within the state borders, these code requirements can vary depending on geographical location, particularly for energy codes. The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) provides a climate zone map as a starting point and the Florida energy code further breaks down this map by county.
Inside Florida, there are two major climate zones, according to the IECC Climate Zone Map. They include:
Zone 1A: Very Hot and Humid - Includes a handful of the southernmost counties of Florida including Miami-Dade county
Zone 2A: Hot and Humid - Includes most of Florida
Commercial Buildings in Florida
Florida building code insulation R-value requirements for commercial building envelopes are listed in Chapter 4 [CE] of the FECC and shown in the table below:
*Florida building code attic insulation requirements can be reduced from R38 to R30 if one of the following conditions is met:
Continuous insulation is used over 100% of the ceiling area and over the top plates at the building eaves.
There is insufficient space to accommodate the R38 requirement in the roof or ceiling assembly.
Residential Buildings in Florida
Florida building code exterior wall insulation R-value requirements for homes and residential structures are found in Chapter 4 [RE] of the FECC. These values match the similar requirements as commercial structures and are listed below in the table:
*R38 values can be reduced to R30 if one of these conditions is met:
Insulation continues over the entire ceiling area and over the top plates at the eaves.
There is a lack of space to meet the R38 requirement in the roof or ceiling.
Insulation Products that Meet Florida Building Code
Insulation is an essential building material required to meet Florida building code. Meet code insulation requirements by choosing materials that pack a punch with high thermal resistance R-values per inch while also meeting testing requirements.
One insulation product category that exceeds both of these prerequisites is polyisocyanurate, or polyiso. Rmax polyiso products offer superior R-value with minimal thicknesses. For example, R30 ceilings can be achieved in less than 5” with two layers of 2.5” Rmax Durasheath® insulation, for a cumulative R-value of 30.6.
Walls and floors can achieve R13 insulation in 2” with Rmax Thermasheath® insulation or ECOMAXci® FR insulation. For an all-in-one solution that combines continuous insulation and air barrier, the Rmax ECOMAXci® FR Air Barrier is an ideal solution.
Meet Florida Building Code with Code-Compliant Insulation
If you’re ready to select your building materials for your construction project in Florida and want to make sure you’re meeting Florida building code insulation requirements, Rmax can help. We offer a wide variety of code-compliant, energy-friendly, and easy-to-install insulation solutions.
Let our representatives help you today to pick the right products for your project’s building envelope.