Building Science Gains
Recognition of insulation’s importance to the overall home’s efficiency has grown as the reliance on building-science techniques and quantitative measures has risen. “Building science is a bigger factor overall,” says Huber’s Sealock. “The entire industry has blossomed with the understanding that all factors interact, so builders have to look at all the products they’re using and how they integrate. It’s leading them to have a hunger for more education.”
 ThermaWrap R5.0 from DuPont offers the air- and water-management benefits of all DuPont’s Tyvek water barriers along with an R-value of 5.0. Its structure ensures any moisture that gets inside the wall can dry and escape to the outside, helping to prevent the accumulation of water in the wall and reducing the chance of water damages and mold. |
CertainTeed’s Winslow concurs. “Building science is absolutely a bigger part of the conversation today. In all our talks with consumers or homebuilders, we address building science and how insulation fits into the system overall. All of the factors—moisture, air, acoustics and thermal—have to be controlled and balanced, and they all impact each other. There have to be multiple layers of control and response. You need checks and balances to make it all work effectively.”
The interest in building science is leading MFM Building Products to examine product options, says David Delcoma, product marketing manager. “There’s more talk about building science and creating a system of products for the building envelope. We’re looking at the potential for a housewrap product to provide a more complete overall system as the value of that grows for customers. Systems of products usually offer longer warranties, and that’s a draw for customers. We don’t have a building wrap product to fill out our line, and it might be beneficial.”
But it takes more than talking about it to make customers understand. “Building science is more important today, but it’s tough to translate at the homeowner level,” says Chris Yount, president of Fortifiber Inc. “There are a number of scientific principles that have to be taken into account and explained. The details of why energy codes require certain things in the envelope usually go past the homebuyer, along with the requirements in plumbing, electrical and other systems. The builder and architect have to understand them and deal with the ramifications. They usually bring a broader, simpler version of what is happening to the homeowner that’s not as deep. It helps them grasp the concepts and the key points.”
