New Hampshire Residential Energy Code: R-Values

When architecturally designing a residential building, the New Hampshire Energy Code is a factor that must be considered throughout the design process. New Hampshire has the adopted the IRC 2015 Energy Code and these, as well as locally amended, requirements must be met in all new construction projects.

Often these include prescriptive R-values. An R-value refers to insulation’s ability to resist heat flow. Each insulation type has a certain R-value per inch thickness of material. For example, the R-value of Blown-in Fiberglass is approximately 2.4 per inch. So, if you have 4 inches of Blown-in Fiberglass then the total R-value is 9.6. The energy code provides required total required R-values for walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, slabs, crawlspace, etc. The values vary depending on the project’s location, which often is driven by average temperature of that area.

When Team Engineering is designing a project, we decide which types of insulation both perform the best and are the most cost effective for your project. We then provide the specifications in assembly details, which show the material make-up of the floor, ceiling, wall, and roof components. Effective insulation is also important for a homeowner because it regulates heat loss and, therefore, reduces energy costs. Making sure that your project meets code requirements is an essential part of your building and our design process at Team Engineering will help you to get the best design possible.