December 12th, 2017
Meeting Energy Star levels of performance is one of the criteria for constructing homes to BuildingAmerica levels of performance – levels defined by the Building Science Consortium and others. Homes constructed with basements require some degree of basement insulation to meet Energy Star.As a result all BuildingAmerica homes with basements constructed by the Building Science Consortium have basement insulation. In any event, heat loss from basements accounts for such a significant portion of the energy loss from a home that it is clear that a home with a basement must have basement insulation to be called “energy efficient.”Additionally, in many jurisdictions, basement insulation is a building code requirement. Finally, most homeowners with homes with basements finish the basement area for additional living space. When they do, they typically insulate the perimeter walls. Homes with basements often end up with basement walls that are finished and insulated.