Continuous Insulation
CSI Division 07, Thermal & Moisture Protection
A layer of rigid or semi-rigid insulation installed continuously across a building's exterior wall assembly, uninterrupted by framing members such as studs, which would otherwise create a direct thermal path, a thermal bridge, around the insulation between the framing cavity's insulation and the outside.
Why it matters
Energy codes now require a minimum amount of continuous insulation in most climate zones specifically because cavity insulation alone, insulation placed only between studs, leaves the studs themselves as an uninsulated thermal bridge, and continuous insulation is the standard way of closing that gap.
On a real project
A wall assembly is designed with both cavity insulation between the studs and a separate continuous layer of rigid foam insulation installed over the sheathing, meeting the energy code's combined requirement rather than relying on cavity insulation alone.
Who this matters most to
A Carpenter or specialty insulation crew installs continuous insulation over the sheathing, and coordinates its thickness with whoever installs the cladding attachment system, since thicker continuous insulation means longer fasteners and different attachment details.
Where this goes wrong
A general contractor specifies continuous insulation to meet the energy code on paper, but the cladding attachment subcontractor uses standard-length fasteners that don't account for the added insulation thickness, compressing the insulation at every attachment point and creating dozens of small thermal bridges the code requirement was specifically meant to eliminate.