Failure to properly insulate below-grade can be a costly misstep for the design-build sector. Materials like expanded polystyrene (EPS) rigid foam insulation are a cost-effective solution, affording proven moisture resistance, long-term thermal performance, and compressive strength.
When one comes across the R 13 + 7.5 ci wall insulation requirement in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) commercial provisions, it can be tempting to just add the two R-values and install R-20.5 rated insulation in the cavity with the assumption being that the same performance can be achieved with fewer steps.
The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has released findings from research conducted to support the development of a calculation methodology for determining the U-factors and R-values for wall assemblies containing cold-formed steel.
Many conflate R-value with good thermal performance or insulating value. The belief is the higher the R-value, the better the thermal performance. However, as a blanket statement, this could not be any further from the truth.
Flagpole specifications commonly found in institutional, commercial, and other requests for proposals (RFPs) have numerous errors, which, albeit not catastrophic, affect the aesthetic and functional life of the flagpole, as well as the project cost.
