Author: ThermalBuck

January 11, 2017

Continuous Insulation – Making the Right Choice

If you’ve made the decision to include continuous insulation on your building, it’s time to pat yourself on the back.

The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) has required continuous insulation since 2012. When the building envelope is insulated on the outside, it not only improves the energy efficiency, it also helps to reduce the possibility of moisture damage through thermal bridging.

WATCH: ThermalBuck installation using polyiso CI 

Which type of continuous insulation should you choose? Good question.

Each type of insulation has different thermal properties, costs, features, and installation requirements, so you really need to consider what matters most in your application.

ThermalBuck is compatible with all types of continuous insulation, and will simplify the installation process. It solves many of the common challenges builders find when installing windows with continuous insulation, and make the installation more energy-efficient by insulating the rough opening – typically a source of energy-loss in the building envelope.

Types of Continuous Insulation

There are three main types of continuous insulation: rigid foam, mineral wool, and cork. The most widely used is rigid foam, which is split into three main categories: EPS, XPS, and Polyiso.

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS): R-4 per inch

EPS is the most commonly used rigid foam. While it has the lowest R-value, it’s also the least expensive around .31 cents per sq. ft., which makes it a favorite for code compliance within budget. EPS does absorb water, and has the lowest compressive strength of the rigid foams.

Structured Insulated Panels (SIPS) and Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFS) are comprised of EPS. Insulfoam, a division of Carlisle Construction Materials, is largest manufacturer of block-molded expanded polystyrene (EPS) in North America.

It is important to note that EPS should be used over housewrap, and supported by OSB or plywood when used as sheathing.

Extruded Polystyrene (XPS): R-5 per inch

Many green builders discount XPS right off the bat, because it is the least environmentally friendly option. It contains the flame retardant HBCD, and its blowing agents have high global-warming potential.

However, with it’s higher R-value and moderate pricing at .47 cents per sq. ft. it is widely used. It’s stronger than EPS, and more water resistant, making it a preferred choice for under-slab and below grade applications.

XPS is available faced or unfaced, which affects the vapor permeability. Owens Corning Foamular “pink board” is some of the most widely recognized XPS on the market.

Polyisocyanurate (Polyiso or ISO): R-6.5 per inch

Polyiso is the most expensive of the three types of rigid foam, as much as .70 cents per sq. ft. for a 1″ thick panel. However, the higher R-values often make the added expense worthwhile in the long run. All polyiso is faced on both sides, most often with foil.

Polysio is considered the most-environmentally friendly of the three foams. It does absorb water, and generally cannot be used below grade. Johns Manville is a leading manufacturer of polyiso foams.

One of the primary benefits of polyiso, is that it can often be used as a WRB behind your cladding. While it may cost more upfront than EPS or XPS, not installing a separate WRB component can save a considerable amount. It really depends on your climate, if this feature will be a long-term benefit, or present a building science challenge.

Mineral Wool: R-4 per inch

When you think mineral wool, you think of Roxul, easily the best known brand on the market. Mineral wool is also known as stone wool because it is made of basalt rock and steel slag, making it a favorite choice of green builders. Easy to work with, fire-resistant, sound resistant, and water resistant. It’s the only insulation recognized by code as a firestop.

ComfortBoard is Roxul’s exterior insulation. With an R-value of 4, it is lower than most rigid foams, however, there is no reduction in R-value over time, which will happen with foam insulation materials that rely on lower-conductivity blowing agents that slowly leak out or allow air to leak in.

Mineral wool is highly vapor-permeable and easy to install. Roxul is approximately .64 cents per board foot.

Cork: R-3.6 per inch

Thermacork, is the most widely recognized an all-natural rigid insulation material made from expanded cork. It offers excellent acoustic control, is highly durable, has high vapor permeability, and meets fire-safety requirements without flame retardants. It is labeled Red List Free for use in Living Building Challenge projects.

Cork is by far the greenest of the green in the insulation category, but it’s significantly higher cost and limited availability make it more of a niche product.

It’s important to take your specific climate into consideration when evaluating building materials.

EPS and XPS increase in R-value as the temperature drops. A great thing if you’re in Wisconsin. However with Polyiso, the R-value actually decreases when the temperature drops. Not such a great thing when you’re in Wisconsin.

To choose the best continuous insulation for your project, analyze all of the variables: performance needs, climate, building codes, and budget.

No matter which continuous insulation you choose, proper installation is critical to achieving the desired performance.

Our energy-efficient homebuilders in Utah, Thomas & Melissa Griffiths, did extensive research on the features and benefits of the different types of exterior insulation, and decided on Atlas EnergyShield Polyiso for their dream home.

Thomas wanted the highest R-value his budget would permit, and appreciated the fact that he could use the continuous insulation as his WRB. To eliminate the thermal bridge around their Alpen 525 Series windows, they chose ThermalBuck. Take a look at their recent ThermalBuck installation below.

ThermalBuck simplifies the installation of windows with all types of continuous insulation, making a truly high-performance building envelope. To see additional installation steps, strength and installation challenges, view the ThermalBuck Installation page.

For an in-depth conversation about rigid foam types, we recommend the experts at Green Building Advisor. For additional videos of polyiso installation, we recommend this one by Synergy Construction. Of course we would recommend the use of ThermalBuck over the plywood bucks, to limit thermal bridging and improve the performance of the window installation.

While written in 2010, this piece from Green Building advisor about Using Rigid Foam as a WRB, still has merit. Updated in January of 2016, ICC document AC71 Foam Plastic Sheathing Panels Used as Weather-resistive Barriers establishes guidelines for evaluation of foam plastic sheathing panels used as water-resistive barriers in combustible construction. See your rigid foam manufacturer specifications for more information.

November 2, 2016

ThermalBuck Goes Rogue with Austin Builder Matt Risinger

Texas has always been famous for cowboys, gunslingers, and rodeos (not to mention the best steaks and BBQ you’ll find anywhere). But you may not have realized that it’s also the home to one of the fastest growing construction industries in the U.S.

Led by multi-family housing starts, construction growth is fueled by an increasing population, a healthy housing market, and a strong environment for investment. Drive anywhere across this beautiful state and you’ll witness construction cranes, and rapid building progress in all shapes and sizes.

WATCH: Risinger Goes Rogue featuring ThermalBuck 

Matt Risinger

Where construction is booming, you’ll find award-winning homebuilders. At the recent Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) Conference in Dallas, TX, ThermalBuck had the good fortune to cross paths with the most famous builder to call the Lone Star State home, Matt Risinger. Not only a well-known builder, Matt is also a respected media personality in the building industry. Matt was the closing speaker for the 3 day event held at the end of September, 2016. The close-knit and collaborative nature of this particular conference invites plenty of opportunities to interact with attendees, presenters and manufacturers alike. Matt’s keen interest in emerging products and new technology brought him to ThermalBuck on the trade show floor, where he spent some time with our president, John Brooks.

Risinger Homes

To meet Matt in person, is to realize right away that he is the real deal. Smart, humble, hard-working and passionate about good building science, Matt has earned a considerable following of nearly 34,000 subscribers to his You Tube channel, Build with Matt Risinger. Since it’s launch in 2008, Matt’s building videos have earned him nearly 10 million views. Pretty impressive for this full-time builder and owner of Risinger Homes, and part-time marketer.

Matt has earned his reputation for excellency the old-fashioned way, through years of hands-on construction work, and the innate desire to do things the right way.

“I build homes that are dramatically more energy efficient, durable, healthy, and comfortable than most new homes in America.”

Risinger Homes is doing just that – building some of the finest homes in Texas. Combining Matt’s work ethic with his passion for technology, easy manner and marketing savvy, Matt has crafted a great reputation as a building science expert.

Risinger Goes Rogue

Not only does Risinger Homes build multiple high-end homes a year, he also spends countless hours appearing at building events and trade shows, as well as creating videos for Risinger Goes Rogue. Matt maintains a strong presence on social media, building his audience through his natural presentation ability, straight-talk and credibility. His strong family values, faith, and outlook on life are a bonus to those who seek out his expertise. Followers of Matt’s social media accounts can watch day-to-day progress of the homes he is working on, and learn proper building techniques along the way.

Risinger Goes Rogue recently featured ThermalBuck, a smart, simple solution to the challenges builders face when installing windows with continuous insulation.

We appreciate Matt sharing ThermalBuck with his avid followers, and look forward to collaborating with Risinger Homes in the future. One thing we can be certain of, is that we will learn a thing (or two).

Risinger Homes started building exclusively for architects in 2005. Matt’s building science expertise has been documented in Fine Homebuilding, The Journal of Light Construction, and Custom Home Magazine, to name a few. He is also an award winning blogger, the two-time winner of the JDR Best Blogger Award. Enjoy the beauty and craftsmanship of Matt’s work through his instagram account, twitter, or facebook. The Texas building statistics sourced for this post were found at investopedia.com.

October 13, 2016

BRINC BP Announces ICC-ES Approval for ThermalBuck

BRINC Building Products, Inc. is proud to announce the publication of the International Code Council Evaluation Services, LLC (ICC-ES) Evaluation Report ESR-3753 for ThermalBuck, Division: 07 00 00 – THERMAL and MOISTURE PROTECTION, Section: 07 21 00 – Thermal Insulation. The properties evaluated by the ICC-ES are as follows:

Thermal Resistance (R-value)
Surface-Burning Characteristics
Physical Properties

The completed evaluation report for BRINC BP confirms that ThermalBuck complies with the thermal insulation requirements of the following codes:

2015, 2012 and 2009 International Building Code® (IBC)
2015, 2012 and 2009 International Residential Code® (IRC)
2015, 2012, and 2009 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC)

This confirmation, as evidenced in ICC-ES Evaluation Report ESR-3753, provides guidance and assurance to code officials, architects, builders, and energy consultants that ThermalBuck will perform effectively as thermal insulation under the applicable codes.

“ThermalBuck’s innovative design provides a simple, energy-efficient solution for the challenge of installing windows with continuous insulation, and limits thermal bridging in the building envelope.”

-John Brooks, President of BRINC BP

The ICC-ESR provides third-party verification that individual products meet the rigorous requirements of the International Codes. The ICC-ESR Evaluation Report is confirmed evidence of a product’s code compliance, as well as a summary of relevant installation requirements and testing references. ICC-ES is an independent subsidiary of the ICC, which was developed in 2003 when four national building product evaluation services combined forces to provide consistent, professional evaluation of building components, products, methods, and materials.

September 23, 2016

ThermalBuck to Exhibit at EEBA in Dallas, Sept. 27th-29th

ThermalBuck will exhibit at the 2016 Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA) Conference & Expo in Dallas, TX, on September 27th – 29th.

“Sustainable Building” may seem like a recent concept, but for over 30 years, EEBA has been a well-respected platform for collaboration and education across multiple fields in sustainable building. EEBA members are committed to being “good stewards of the resources used in the construction of residential and light commercial buildings.”

The EEBA Conference & Expo isn’t a typical trade show, in that the expo hours are a small portion of the event. Much like EEBA itself, the conference is truly all about collaboration, and education. Over 90 presenters will offer informative sessions over three days, multiple networking opportunities, and because it’s Texas, a little bull-riding for good measure.

Notable presenters include Martin Holladay, Green Building Advisor, known for his weekly blog “Musings of an Energy Nerd”, and Achilles Karagiozis, Owens Corning, who developed some of the most advanced hygrothermal models worldwide – including WUFI.

The event wraps up with a closing presentation featuring well-known Texas builder Matt Risinger (originally a Pittsburgh native, extra points in our book). Matt is a nationally known and respected expert in building science for hot/humid climates. With his successful blog “Build with Matt Risinger”, fast-growing You-Tube following, and marketing savvy, Matt truly emulates the ideal EEBA standard – a mix of responsible building practices in the design, marketing, and execution of the building process.

If you’re in the Dallas area next week, be sure and visit ThermalBuck at the EEBA show. For a schedule of the 2016 EEBA Conference program, click here.

Throughout the year, EEBA presents educational sessions across the U.S. Their courses often qualify for CEU credits for AIA, AIBD, BPI, RESNET, NAHB, and is approved by the USGBC for GBCI CE hours towards LEED credentialing. To keep up-to-date with sessions in your area, visit eeba.org.

September 22, 2016

ALPEN Window Installation at NAPHC2016 to Feature ThermalBuck

Alpen High-Performance Products will feature a window installation with ThermalBuck at the 11th Annual North American Passive House Conference Sept 21-25th in Philadelphia, PA.

Known for manufacturing super-insulating, thermally efficient residential and commercial fiberglass windows & doors (as well as architectural glass), this Colorado-based window manufacturer has over 30 years of experience in glazing technology, and an excellent reputation for craftsmanship and performance.

In 2013, Alpen HPP was the very first manufacturer to receive certification under the Passive House Institute -US (PHIUS) Certified Product Performance Data Program. This certification uniformly and independently verifies product performance for use in the passive building industry.

Alpen HPP has since been joined by 10 other major window manufacturers in receiving this certification, including Intus, Marvin, and Zola.

Continuous insulation throughout the building envelope without any thermal bridging is one of the key building-science principles of a passive building. Testing an installation of their 725 Series window with ThermalBuck, is just one of the ways Alpen is committed to finding the best ways to solve their customer’s challenges, and continually provide exceptional service.

The PHIUS is a non-profit organization committed to making high-performance passive building the mainstream market standard. It’s membership-based branch, the Passive House Alliance US (PHAUS) was formed in 2010, and now supports over 800 members across the US. For more information on the key building-science principles of a passive building, please visit phius.org.

September 9, 2016

Building Codes – Get Into the Zone

Building codes provide the minimum requirements for what all builders have to do (in order to follow the law, that is) when constructing and maintaining buildings.The variances between building codes in different states or even different regions within states has everything to do with one main consideration – the climate.

Climate has a significant impact on building codes, energy codes in particular.

What makes perfect sense for good moisture management in one climate varies wildly from that of another region. It can even be quite different within one state. California is the most varied state – Marine, Hot-Dry, Mixed-Dry, and Cold. Builders really have to understand the particular climate they’re working with in order to follow good building science principles.

ICC Climate Zone Map

Surprisingly, prior to 2004 there was no universal climate zone map for the U.S. for use with building codes. At that time, ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) used 38 different climate groupings, while the IECC used 33 different zones based on county boundaries. That’s a lot of climate chaos.

Recognizing the need for an easier way to define climate, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (in conjunction with Building America) prepared a simplified map, and the 2004 IECC Supplement was the first model energy code to adopt this new climate zone map (map from ICC shown above).

Temperature & Humidity

Temperature and humidity are the two primary factors that influence the 8 climate zones in the U.S. Each of the eight zones are further divided into five climate “categories”:

8 Subarctic (Alaska only)
7 Very Cold
6 Cold
5 Cold
4 Mixed Humid or Mixed Dry
3 Hot-Humid or Hot-Dry (some Marine)
2 Hot-Humid or Marine
1 Hot-Humid

If you’re a true building science guru, you’ll want to better understand something called “degree days”, or accumulated temperature calculations. The Energy Vanguard Blog has an excellent piece by building science expert Allison Bailes III, that dives deeper into temperature and moisture divisions.

Climate-Based Resources for Builders

Considering that several states are in multiple climate zones, the DOE Building Best Practices Series issued the “Guide to Determining Climate Regions by County”, a helpful resource for builders listing every county within that state, and which climate category to follow in each county.

There are multiple climate-based Best Practices guides available for builders through the DOE Building America Program, which focus on real-world case studies that demonstrate solutions to improve whole-house energy performance for new and existing homes in the five major climate regions.

For a direct link to these climate-based case guides for all climates, visit energy.gov.

The DOE Building Technologies Program works to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in the U.S. through educating builders on better building practices, and technological advancements in materials and techniques. Energy-Star and Zero-Energy Ready are just a a few of their recognizable efforts in place and on track to meet significant goals by 2020.

August 26, 2016

Code is Not a Four-Letter Word…

One thing you realize pretty quickly while researching building codes, is that there is a lot more information out there, than there is time to read it.

ICC – International Code Council

The starting point for all building code information is the ICC, International Code Council, whose mission is: to provide the highest quality codes, standards, products and services for all concerned with the safety and performance of the built environment.

The ICC develops the most comprehensive guide to building safety and fire codes used across the U.S. Each individual state operates uniquely in their legislative process to adopt codes, and code adoption isn’t necessarily statewide. Local governments can make their own decisions, and states can pick and choose what sections they want to adopt, change, or remove completely. Wondering how it works in your state? Start with this code adoption process by state link.

International Code Adoption by State

The next logical step is to find out which codes they adopted through their process. Start with the International Codes-Adoption by State chart (updated May 2016), which lists each of the states and U.S. territories, and which codes they have adopted. Energy code, residential code, mechanical code – you name it. If it’s related to building, it’s regulated, and it’s on this list.

Once you know which version of the code the state has accepted, the nitty-gritty research begins. Detailed publications for each state are available for purchase through the ICC. They also have a great feature called “toolkits“, which offers federal, state, and local overviews. A link called “Who to Call?” lists each state’s Chapters, Board Liaisons, and Government Relations Representative.

Which Codes Matter?

Of course the short answer is – all of them. But it really depends on what answers you’re looking for. Read more

June 23, 2016

ThermalBuck Outperforms Wood Bucks 2:1 – Thermal Transfer Testing

Improving the energy-efficiency of new and existing construction has long been a focus of the building industry. When it comes to insulation, exterior is the choice of many architects and builders, because it eliminates the thermal bridging through the studs.

However, continuous insulation presents its own unique challenges with installing windows and flashing the rough openings. The mounting point is no longer flush with the sheathing, it must be extended out to meet the exterior insulation depth. Rough openings are always a weak spot for potential water infiltration – and extending the mounting point for windows compounds the problem.

Until ThermalBuck hit the market, there really wasn’t a good way to insulate and create a thermal break around the mounting points of windows & doors. The traditional method to bump out windows was to build a wood window buck. Wood does extend the mounting point, but it doesn’t hold up well to moisture, and it has a low insulating value. With an r-value range of 4.4 per inch, ThermalBuck is a better insulator than wood. But how much? We performed some third-party testing to find out.

Thermal Transfer Performance: ThermalBuck vs. Wood Buck

Using thermal imaging, we recorded the performance of ThermalBuck against a traditional wood buck in a controlled environment. In the two mock-ups below, three temperature sensors were placed on both the ThermalBuck installation (l) and the wood buck installation (r). The temperature condition on the exterior of the structure was -6.67 ºF, and the indoor of the structure 72.76 ºF.

Performance -Thermal Image wood buck vs. ThermalBuck thermalbuck vs. wood window buck

These photos show two window installations side by side. (l) ThermalBuck (r) traditional wood buck.

54% More Heat Transfer with Wood vs. ThermalBuck

On the exterior of the structure (point A) the wood buck looses 7.88 ºF, or 14.55 ºF total degrees from the outside temperature. ThermalBuck only loses .11 ºF , or 6.78 total degrees from the outside temperature. The wood window buck allows twice as much energy to escape, while the window installation with ThermalBuck is effectively limiting thermal bridging.

thermalbuck vs wood buck thermal transfer testing drawings

thermalbuck insulating value data charts with Rockwool photo vertical

ThermalBuck High-Performance window buck creates a significant thermal break at the mounting points of windows & doors. Using ThermalBuck as part of your continuous insulation solution is an effective way to limit the amount of thermal bridging that occurs through your building envelope.

To learn more about thermal bridging, see what the experts have to say at greenbuildingadvisor.com

Editor’s Note: This article was updated in July 2018. The testing results and thermal images were not changed.

April 25, 2016

Two Premier Building Publications Take Notice of ThermalBuck

It’s a great day when the largest residential construction magazine finds your product, and writes about it.

ThermalBuck had that good fortune on April 1st when Scott Gibson, former editor at Fine Homebuilding, wrote “An Alternative to Wood Bucks “, which was also featured as “Green Building News” at greenbuildingadvisor.com on April 4th.

Scott covered the basics of using bucks, and compared the benefits and features of ThermalBuck with the drawbacks of using wood, which had really been the only material choice until now. He also reviewed the product components, dimensions, and purchasing information. The piece finished with a mention of ThermalBuck receiving recognition at Greenbuild 2015 as one of the “Top Ten Greenest of the Green.”

Fine Homebuilding has been a sought-after resource for over 30 years for individuals focused on residential homebuilding, remodeling, and design. It’s content includes in-depth best practices, along with industry trends, tool and material reviews, and interviews with key figures in the building industry. Nearly 20,000 paid subscribers look to finehomebuilding.com for information, and circulation for the print edition tops 160,000.

Green Building Advisor is for the reader more focused on building science expertise. Designing, building and remodeling high-performance, energy-efficient homes is a niche that continues to explode, and this digital-only publication provides easy access to the latest advancements. With a highly active social media platform, and a number of blogs with dedicated followers such as “Musings of an Energy Nerd” , Green Building Advisor is an excellent resource, packed-full of accurate, reliable information.

Both sites offer unique conversational interaction with subscribers, allowing comments and Q&A’s at the end of each piece. What a great way for ThermalBuck to answer readers questions and concerns on the spot, and it also provided us with some excellent feedback to consider as our product develops and evolves.

Fine Homebuilding and Green Building Advisor are both publications of Taunton Press. Their editors are former builders, remodelers, and designers, offering real experience and in-depth knowledge on a full complement of information. For subscription information for Fine Homebuilding, click here. For a free trial membership to GBA, click here.

April 7, 2016

ThermalBuck to Exhibit at the Architecture and Design Event of The Year

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is hosting their annual convention in the historic city of Philadelphia, May 19th -21st.

Billed as the architecture and design event of the year, attendees from all over the world will gather to attend workshops, seminars and events, and collaborate with experienced and emerging professionals in their field.

Some of the unusual and highly coveted experiences such as the tour of “Historic Boathouse Row” sold out early. But plenty of great workshops are tours still have spots available. First on our list is “The New Building Envelope”, featuring presenters Douglas Noble and Karen Kensek of the University of Southern California School of Architecture, and co-founders of the Facade Tectonics Institute. Also part of the presentation panel for this session are Mic Patterson and Jeffrey Vaglio, of Enclos, one of the largest specialty contractors in the US.

ThermalBuck joins nearly 800 exhibitors displaying the latest in products and technology. Please be our guest on the expo floor at AIA 2016, and view our wall displays in person to see exactly how ThermalBuck outperforms traditional wood bucks to build a better building envelope.