Spray Foam Insulation Building Science Principles
Practicing building science means accounting for the ways all building components interact with each other (systems approach), including the foundation, walls, roof, floors, doors, windows, insulation and mechanical systems. Spray foam building science is critical to optimize building performance and occupant comfort while preventing commercial building durability issues. Building science principles include:
- Creating a continuous air barrier and combining it with proper mechanical ventilation
- Providing sufficient thermal resistance
- Managing moisture effectively to prevent building durability issues
- Improving indoor air quality for occupants
- Using appropriate heating and AC systems to optimize energy use
Icynene addresses these building science principles to help commercial building and design professionals practice building science techniques and meet building performance objectives. The benefits are verified through extensive research and testing performed on all Icynene products as well as field investigations.
Spray Foam Insulation Building Science
Building scientists stress the importance of air barriers like Icynene spray foam insulation in commercial building design and construction. This is partly because many buildings constructed in the past decades without air barriers have already experienced major failures in terms of moisture damage and mold caused by condensation, which often stemmed from air leakage.
Research shows that without an air barrier, insulation cannot deliver optimal building energy efficiency or occupant comfort. This is why air barriers are now a critical part of code and industry standards such as ASHRAE 90.1 and the International Energy Conservation Code for Commercial Energy Efficiency and air leakage testing requirements for commercial buildings are appearing.
