Insulation & R-Values

Introduction

Any space or structure is constantly fighting against the weather to keep its inhabitants comfortable and dry. At a very basic level, architecture should keep its inhabitants dry. Beyond this, it will (or should strive to) keep its inhabitants warm and comfortable.

Because energy is equal to value, and is typically a constant ongoing cost for buildings, it's one of the most important parts that works behind the scenes in a building design.

Insulation: Used to control unwanted heat flow.

• The best insulation is a vacuum. The next best is air that is kept absolutely motionless in a space between two materials. In reality, neither of these perfectly occur. Convection causes air flow in a cavity to move a little bit.

Strategy

The most basic passive energy conservation strategy is to properly insulate and seal a building against air infiltration. How much insulation to use will vary depending on the local climate.

• In most buildings, the cost spent on insulation, caulking, and weather-stripping is recovered within a few years.
• In addition to reducing heat flow, insulation will also improve acoustic qualities.
• Most insulation needs to be installed with a vapor barrier (in its correct location) in order to be effective.

Hot vs Cold

Insulation will not only help keep warm air inside a building during cold weather, but will also help keep the inside of a building cold during hot weather. It's for this reason that insulation is very valuable in buildings that experience the extremes of both hot and cold.