The End of Itchy Insulation?

New energy codes require large amounts on insulation. While this is good for energy consumption and interior environment quality it adds another thing architects and engineers have to put thought into. It used to be an after though just filling the stud cavity with rolls of fiberglass insulation, no longer.

If you live in New York even in down state you need roof insulation of R30 if your insulating over top the structure and R49 if your insulating between the joists. Sure Fiberglass batt insulation is cheap but it now takes deep joists or rafters. You may find that insulating with spray foam to be just as cost effective if your building a small house with a sloped roof. For a flat roof it is a no brainer insulate over top the deck.

For high rise construction you now need to either encapsulate your balcony with insulation, a near impossibility. The alternative is to provide isolation between the balcony structure and the interior structure. For a steel building this is easier with isolation pads bolted between the members. For cast in place concrete this makes the structure more complicated. You can scratch build on site or purchase custom made isolation like Schock Isokorb. If your daring you could add balconies using steel beams bolted to your concrete structure with precast panel floors, I have used this solution of a renovation of an old concrete factory.

No matter what we are moving toward super insulated structures which is going to encourage more rain screen type façade systems. These types of systems always require a little more thought and design and don't lend themselves to say a traditional colonial house but there is always room to innovate and make that happen.