The demand for energy efficiency in buildings is on the rise and as energy costs climb, more people are looking towards insulation to reduce their energy costs and ensure energy efficiency in their buildings.
Continuous insulation is a phrase that is gaining popularity in the building performance space and for a good reason – it increases the value, thermal performance, and comfort of your building by reducing thermal bridging.
There are many types of insulation to consider when you are constructing your home or building and we have come a long way from crawling in small places with itchy batts.
There are now many different types of insulation that can offer better results with much less pain and greater reward.
It’s time to start looking outside of the box and understanding the benefits you can receive by simply adopting different insulation methods. This includes drawing continuous insulation and thermal bridging in to your thinking.
Say goodbye to thermal bridging
What is thermal bridging? Well, to put it simply it is a bridge that heat uses to move through the envelope of your building (be it walls, floors, doors or windows…), between the inside and outside of your building. It is something building designers, architects, and home owners have been trying to eliminate for years.
Letting in the heat of a hot summer’s day, or letting the heat out on a cold winter’s night, because you haven’t addressed thermal bridging is not only ineffective, it is also draining your energy. It is costing you more in heating and cooling operation and making your building generally less comfortable.
Thermal bridging is found in the breaks of a building envelope and can be eliminated by effectively insulating problem areas and blocking or reducing the thermal transfer. By doing so you will achieve optimal thermal comfort and energy efficiency.
Say hello to continuous insulation
Continuous insulation is exactly that, insulation isn’t broken by a thermal bridge. When it comes to building an energy efficient building with high thermal performance and avoiding thermal bridging, continuous insulation is key.
Eliminating gaps in your building envelope removes thermal bridging and therefore reducing the amount of heat transfer.
Obviously, you can’t completely avoid gaps in your insulation. You do need windows and doors, but the more continuous you make the insulation in your walls, floors, and roof, where gaps are at a minimum, the better your overall thermal performance will be.
Traditional insulation moves to rigid board
Rigid board insulation is the latest insulation technology and comes with a bunch of characteristics that are perfect for increasing the energy efficiency of your building.
A superior product when it comes to reducing the effects of thermal bridging, rigid board insulation can provide continuous insulation, tighten your building envelope and increase your building’s value. Don’t forget the thermal comfort, health benefits and energy cost savings that come along with it!
The thinner profile of board insulation compared to other insulation systems, allows for your walls to be thinner. This means you maximise space whilst still achieving the same thermal performance and enjoying the same level of thermal comfort.
Rigid board insulation is also lightweight and easy to install. A faster install time makes for lower installation costs to contractors and a faster build.
Wrapping your building
Flexible insulation can be used individually or in conjunction with other insulation methods to help provide continuous insulation and seal your building’s envelope.
Flexible insulation can be used in a huge variety of applications from new installs to retrofit applications for homes, offices, sheds and commercial warehouses.
It is the perfect solution to give your existing insulation that extra boost, and provide the thermal barrier you need for an energy efficient home.
Ask your local provider to find best way flexible insulation can be used in your building to help close your building envelope, increase your building’s thermal performance, or provide a continuous insulation solution.
Close the envelope
It may be no surprise that nearly 30% of heating and cooling loss in a building occurs through its doors and windows.
Thermal bridging occurs at any gap in the building, and your windows and doors are no exception. Extra attention is needed in these areas to make sure all the hard work your insulation is doing, isn’t going to waste.
Simple additional steps can be taken to help reduce the thermal transfer occurring in these areas. Installing double glazed windows and insulated doors, sealing seams and openings around windows, and installing curtains or blinds can all help reduce the thermal transfer.
Increasing the energy efficiency of your building is an important step in creating a comfortable and affordable space to live, work and play.
Thermal bridging is a major factor hindering us from building energy efficient buildings. Armed with your new found knowledge on continuous insulation, you are ready to take the first steps towards building an energy efficient building.
