A growing number of today’s commercial wall assemblies contain exterior foam insulation. Prior to publishing the 2015 International Building Code (IBC), industry standards for these assemblies were hard to come by. In fact, compared to older IBC versions, the 2015 edition offers much more information about incorporating plastic foam insulation into exterior wall assemblies.
This newest version of the model building code contains simple, practical updates to address fire safety compliance and good assembly practices. These updates provide direction for: use of vapor retarders with impermeable foam insulation; wall assembly fire resistance rating; NFPA 285 testing; wind resistance of foam sheathing; and how to attach exterior cladding through foam.
Go here for a summary of chapters with updated plastic foam insulation regulations that could help you on your next job