Given the growing adoption of rigorous energy codes, most wall professionals have encountered the need to use continuous insulation in commercial buildings. According to ASHRAE 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, CI is “Insulation that is continuous across all structural members without thermal bridges other than fasteners and service openings.”
The exception for fasteners is largely a matter of practical necessity, because components of the wall assembly must be attached together somehow, of course. But, to maximize a wall’s energy efficiency, it is important to remember that some cladding attachment systems do a better job of minimizing thermal bridges, than do other attachment methods.