Proper insulation helps buildings feel comfortable and can bring significant savings on energy bills over the entire lifetime of a building. It’s critical to get it right during the initial construction phase (or remodel) so that you can enjoy your investment and reap the rewards.
In Georgia, proper insulation in the Northern mountainous part of the state may look very different from the coastal region requirements. In this article, we help you understand Georgia building code insulation requirements for your project.
What are Building Codes?
Building codes provide a set of rules to follow in construction. These codes exist for everything from specialty trades, like plumbing and electricity, to energy code compliance, which spans multiple trades. In Georgia, we turn to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for instructions to meet code for insulation requirements. These rules help guide architects, contractors, homeowners, and business owners during the design and construction process. Following building codes ensures safe, efficient, and code-compliant buildings.
Local Building Code
Building codes vary by location since local governments determine which set of codes to adopt for their particular geographical region. Georgia adopted the 2015 IECC code with state-specific amendments. This amended document is called the Georgia State Minimum Standard Energy Code and was recently updated in January 2023. Chapter 4 of the Georgia State Minimum Standard Energy code includes Georgia building code insulation requirements for both residential and commercial structures. Before building, always check your local government at the county and city level for variances to the state-wide codes.
Decoding Georgia Building Codes
In order to determine the building code insulation requirements for your new construction project, you must first determine which climate zone your building is located inside. According to the IECC map, there are three climate zones in Georgia:
Zone 2: South Georgia & Coastal Lowlands
Zone 3: Central Georgia & Greater Atlanta
Zone 4: Northern Georgia Ridges
Once you have identified which zone your build resides in, you can take a look at the charts inside the Georgia State Minimum Standard Energy Code to find location-specific code requirements. In commercial construction, some parts of the envelope require continuous insulation. Continuous insulation must be installed at a constant thickness across the entire surface area and not interrupted by studs or other framing members.
Georgia Building Insulation Code Requirements
Below are the insulation requirements for Georgia new construction projects. There is one table for residential construction, taken from the amendments in the Georgia State Minimum Standard Energy Code. The other table is for commercial buildings, taken from the IECC 2015.
Residential Georgia Building Code Insulation Requirements
Commercial Georgia Building Code Insulation Requirements
To find the most up-to-date code adoption for Georgia, including energy codes, reference Georgia's government website.
Wall Insulation Requirements in Georgia
The insulation required on walls depends on three factors:
Climate Zone
Residential Vs Commercial
Wall Type
Once you’ve narrowed down your climate zone by geographical location, you can check the Georgia State Minimum Standard Energy Code table in either the residential or commercial sections. These tables will include minimum R-value requirements for several wall types, from wood-framed walls to masonry walls, and foundation walls.
For example, let’s find the insulation requirement for a home with wood-framed walls in Northern Georgia. First, we would look at the IECC map to determine the climate zone: Zone 4. Next, we would find the residential section of the IECC 2015 code (Chapter 4 [RE]) and look for the column for wood-frame walls. Our result is R-20 or R13+5 per the IECC table, but the Georgia-specific amended table shows R-13 + R3.8 or R-20.
In this case, the amended code requirements take precedence and you can use R-13 cavity wall insulation plus R3.8 continuous insulation on these wood-framed walls. Alternatively, you could forgo cavity insulation and simply use R-20 continuous insulation.
Roof Insulation Requirements in Georgia
The same three-step process can be used to determine the roof insulation requirements for a commercial building in Georgia. A commercial building in Atlanta would be in Zone 3, requiring a continuous insulation value of R-25 above the roof deck.
Materials to Meet Georgia Building Code
Now that you have a good understanding of how to meet Georgia building code insulation requirements, you may be wondering what type of insulation to use on the building envelope. Polyiso is one of the best materials to use for insulating the building envelope. Here’s why:
Versatility: Can be used on roofs, walls, slabs, foundations, and more
Performance: High R-value per Inch (R25 can be achieved with just over 4” thickness)
Easy to Install: Lightweight and Easy to Install
Rmax Polyiso: Building Envelope Experts
Understanding building codes can be complicated. Get help from the insulation experts at Rmax to help you pick the right product to meet building codes in Georgia or wherever your build is. Contact your local representative today.