“National model energy codes are advancing the way we approach building commercial and residential exterior walls by emphasizing the use of continuous insulation systems,” said Jared Blum, president of PIMA. “Building-science experts have known for some time that continuous insulation is a very effective way to insulate building envelopes for energy savings. Now, modern building codes are putting this knowledge into practice.”

Polyiso insulation, when used for continuous insulation on exterior wall assemblies, offers many advantages including:

• The highest R-value in class– Polyisocyanurate continuous insulation has at least 20 to 70 percent greater R-value per inch than other common types of continuous insulation (rigid foam plastic sheathing). This means more energy savings and/or more manageable wall thicknesses.

• Code-compliant wind pressure resistance– Foam sheathing industry testingfor code compliance at an independent laboratory has demonstrated that polyiso continuous insulation provides code-compliant wind pressure resistance for exterior wall sheathing.

• Wall moisture-resistant design flexibility– Polyiso is available with a variety of facer types to provide water resistive barrier performance or to provide water vapor permeability as required by climate or code-compliant wall design preferences.

• Fire test compliant– Polyiso, a thermoset material, stays intact during fire exposure in the ASTM E84 or “Tunnel Test.” It forms a protective char layer and remains in place during this test, thereby meeting all building code requirements and contributing to a fire-safe building.

For more information, visit www.polyiso.org.