Continuous Insulation
Continuous insulation is a layer of insulation installed on the outside of the structural framing, with no thermal bridges through the layer. Common materials are rigid foam (EPS, XPS, polyiso), wood-fiber boards, or mineral-wool boards. Because continuous insulation runs across the studs, plates, and rim joist, it dramatically improves effective R-value compared to cavity-only insulation. Modern energy codes increasingly require continuous insulation in cold climates; Passive House always uses it.