Product Spotlight: Zero GWP Styrofoam Exterior Insulation Visibly Slows Heat Flow

This Product Spotlight video is excerpted from Building Resilience, a show about extreme climate, healthy homes, and sustainability. In it, Michael Anschel of OA Design + Build + Architecture uses a thermal camera to illustrate the efficacy of continuous exterior insulation.

Thermal camera sees heat flow

One of the coolest parts of a show like Building Resilience, which focuses on extreme climate construction, is getting to explore real solutions, like continuous insulation.

When we pull out our thermal camera, the results are immediate.

• At the base of the foundation, where there's no insulation, we’re leaking energy.
• Move up a bit, where there are some penetrations and minimal insulation, and we’re still losing heat—but not as much.
• Then go higher, to the section with just one inch of exterior foam, and the thermal camera shows a much colder surface. That’s exactly what we want.

Exterior continuous insulation slows heat flow

A cold surface on the outside means the energy inside the house stays inside, not escaping into the world.

See the whole Building Resilience episode on continuous insulation here.