Interior insulation refers to insulation applied to the interior side of the concrete masonry, as shown in Figure 1. See TEK 6-12C, International Energy Conservation Code and Concrete Masonry and TEK 6-4A, Energy Code Compliance Using COMcheck (refs. If the concrete masonry wall will not include continuous insulation, there are several other options to comply with the IECC requirements-concrete masonry walls are not required to have continuous insulation in order to meet the IECC. Examples include rigid insulation adhered to the interior of the wall with furring and drywall applied over the insulation, continuous insulation in a masonry cavity wall, and exterior insulation and finish systems. This refers to insulation uninterrupted by furring or by the webs of concrete masonry units. One of the options, the IECC prescriptive R-values (IECC Table 502.2(1)) calls for “continuous insulation” on concrete masonry and other mass walls. There are several methods available to comply with the energy requirements of the IECC. Note, however, that depending on the specific code compliance method chosen, insulation position may not be reflected in a particular code or standard. The effects of insulation position are discussed in the following sections. The effectiveness of thermal mass varies with factors such as climate, building design and insulation position. For overall project economy, however, the industry suggests a parametric analysis to determine reasonable insulation levels for the building envelope elements. When required, concrete masonry can provide walls with R-values that exceed code minimums (see refs. When they do, there are many options available for insulating concrete masonry construction. 6), permit concrete masonry walls to have less insulation than frame wall systems to meet the energy requirements.Īlthough the thermal mass and inherent R-value/U-factor of concrete masonry may be enough to meet energy code requirements (particularly in warmer climates), concrete masonry walls often require additional insulation. 5) and Energy Efficient Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1 (ref. Energy codes and standards such as the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) (ref. The benefits of thermal mass have been incorporated into energy code requirements as well as sophisticated computer models. Due to the significant benefits of concrete masonry’s inherent thermal mass, concrete masonry buildings can provide similar performance to more heavily insulated frame buildings. This, in turn, effectively reduces heating and cooling loads, moderates indoor temperature swings, and shifts heating and cooling loads to off-peak hours. Masonry walls remain warm or cool long after the heat or air-conditioning has shut off. Because of its comparatively high density and specific heat, masonry provides very effective thermal storage. Thermal mass describes the ability of materials to store heat. Lower density concrete masonry mix designs result in higher R-values (i.e., lower U-factors) than higher density concretes. The steady state and mass performance are influenced by the size and type of masonry unit, type and location of insulation, finish materials, and density of masonry. The thermal performance of a masonry wall depends on its steady-state thermal characteristics (described by R-value or U-factor) as well as the thermal mass (heat capacity) characteristics of the wall.
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