AIR-CELL Insulbreak®

Energy Efficiency Compliance Solution for Steel-Framed Homes

If you’re building in steel frame, you’ll definitely want to read on given the hot topic these days of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) Energy Efficiency requirements for thermal break in steel-framed wall and roof applications.

Addressing the issue of heat conductivity, or thermal bridging, across building elements, the provision requires a thermal break of at least R0.2 to be installed between the roof or wall cladding and the steel framing for all walls and roofs with raked ceilings*.

Perhaps an even hotter topic is how to achieve that in a practical sense.  The BCA offers a few suggestions – plastic strips, 12mm polystyrene sheeting, or 20mm timber battens – but many owner builders and building professionals question the practicality of these options in terms of labour, given that insulation is still required in the walls to achieve required minimum R-value performance on top of the thermal break requirements.

As a solution specifically designed to meet both the thermal break and insulation requirements, Air-Cell Insulation, Australian pioneers of thermo cellular reflective insulation, has introduced a new product range called Insulbreak®.

Air-Cell Technical Services Manager, Mr. Keith Anderson, explains, “Insulbreak® is manufactured with a patented closed-cell, flame resistant foam structure sandwiched between highly reflective anti-tear foil surfaces, giving the product all the benefits of thermo reflective insulation with the added benefit of delivering the required thermal break.”

Mr. Ken Watson, Executive Director of the National Association of Steel-framed Housing (NASH), adds, “We are pleased that Air-Cell Insulation has provided the steel-framed housing industry with an innovative solution with its new Insulbreak® range of products.”

Insulbreak® represents the latest addition to Air-Cell Insulation’s clean, safe, fibre-free insulation alternatives and is compliant with AS/NZS 4859.1 and AS/NZS 4200.1. 

* Refer BCA 2007: Vol. 2 Section 3.12.1.2(c), Section 3.12.1.4(d).