An information series from the national authority on concrete masonry technology

R-VALUES OF MULTI-WYTHE TEK 6-1C

CONCRETE MASONRY WALLS Energy (2013

INTRODUCTION tems, should not be confused with the long established term
“masonry cavity wall.” Cavity walls are comprised of at least
Multi-wythe concrete masonry construction lends itself two wythes of masonry separated by a continuous airspace
to placing insulation between two wythes of masonry when (cavity).
the wythes are separated to form a cavity. Placing insulation Under current building code requirements a 1 in. (25-mm)
between two wythes of masonry offers maximum protection clear airspace between the insulation and the outer wythe is
for the insulation while allowing a vast amount of the thermal required (2 in. (51 mm) is preferred) to help ensure free water
mass to be exposed to the conditioned interior to help moderate drainage (ref. 5).
temperatures. Masonry cavity walls can easily meet or exceed Cavity walls are typically designed and detailed using
energy code requirements, because the cavity installation allows actual out-to-out dimensions. Thus, a 14-in. (356-mm) cavity
a continuous layer of insulation to envelop the masonry. When wall with a nominal 4-in. (102-mm) exterior wythe and 8-in.
properly sealed, this continuous insulation layer can also increase (203-mm) backup wythe has an actual cavity width of 23/4 in.
energy efficiency by mitigating air infiltration/exfiltration. (68 mm), allowing for 11/2 in. (38 mm) of rigid board insula-
Cavity wall construction provides hard, durable surfaces tion.
on both sides of the assembly, efficiently utilizing the inher- Typical cavity walls are constructed with a 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12
ent impact resistance and low maintenance needs of concrete in. (102, 152, 203, 254 or 305 mm) concrete masonry backup
masonry. While these needs are most commonly associated wythe, a 2 to 41/2 in. (51 to 114 mm) wide cavity, and a 4-in.
with multi-family dwellings, hospitals, schools and detention (102-mm) masonry veneer. By reference to Specification for
centers, the benefits of resistance to damage from hail, shop- Masonry Structures (ref. 6), the International Building Code
ping and loading carts, gurneys, motorized chairs, and even (ref. 7) allows cavity widths up to 41/2 in. (114 mm), beyond
sports make cavity construction ideal for any application. which a detailed wall tie analysis must be performed. More
This TEK lists thermal resistance (R) values of multi- detailed information on cavity walls can be found in References
wythe walls. Single wythe R-values are listed in TEK 6-2C, 8 through 11
R-Values and U-Factors of Single Wythe Concrete Masonry Changing the interior finish materials of a multi-wythe
Walls (ref. 1). assembly does not typically change the overall assembly R-
The R-values listed in this TEK were determined by value significantly, unless the finish material itself is insula-
calculation using the code-recognized series-parallel (also tive. For cavity assemblies with interior-side finish materials
called isothermal planes) calculation method (refs. 2, 3, 4). installed on furring, such as wood paneling, the R-values for
The method accounts for the thermal bridging (energy loss) 1
/2 in. (13 mm) gypsum wallboard on furring in Table 4 can
that occurs through the webs of concrete masonry units. The be used as a very close approximation.
method is fully described on page 4 of this TEK. Alternate code-
approved means of determining R-values of concrete masonry CONCRETE MASONRY ENERGY
walls include two-dimensional calculations and testing (ref. 2). PERFORMANCE

CAVITY WALLS Although this TEK presents concrete masonry assembly

R-values, it is important to note that R-values or U-factors
The term cavity insulation, which in some codes refers alone do not fully describe the thermal performance of a
to the insulation between studs in lightweight framing sys- concrete masonry assembly.

Related TEK: Keywords: avity wall, energy efficiency, insulation, multi-wythe wall,
2-5B, 3-6C, 5-1B, 6-2C, 6-4B, 6-11A, thermal mass, thermal performance, thermal properties, R-value, U-factor
6-12C, 6-12D, 6-12E, 16-4A, 19-5A

NCMA TEK 6-1C (replaces TEK 6-1B) 1

 Concrete masonry’s thermal performance depends on masonry assemblies may require additional insulation, particu-
both its steady-state thermal characteristics (described by R- larly when designed under more contemporary building code
value or U-factor) as well as its thermal mass (heat capacity) requirements or to achieve above-code thermal performance.
characteristics. The steady state and mass performance are For such conditions, there are many options available for
influenced by the size, type, and configuration of masonry insulating concrete masonry construction.
unit, type and location of insulation, finish materials, density Although in general higher R-values reduce energy flow
of masonry, climate, and building orientation and exposure through a building element, R-values have a diminishing
conditions. impact on the overall building envelope energy use. In other
Thermal mass describes the ability of materials to store words, it’s important not to automatically equate higher R-value
energy. Because of its comparatively high density and spe- with improved energy efficiency. As an example, consider a
cific heat, masonry provides very effective thermal storage. two-story elementary school in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Masonry walls retain their temperature long after the heat or If this school is built using single wythe concrete masonry
air-conditioning has shut off. This, in turn, effectively reduces walls with cell insulation only and a resulting wall R-value
heating and cooling loads, moderates indoor temperature of 7 hr.ft2.oF/Btu (1.23 m2.K/W), an estimate of the building
swings, and shifts heating and cooling loads to off-peak hours. envelope energy use for this structure is approximately 27,800
Due to the significant benefits of concrete masonry’s in- Btu/ft2 (87.7 kW.h/m2), as shown in Figure 1. If we increase
herent thermal mass, concrete masonry buildings can provide the R-value of the wall to R14 by adding additional insula-
similar energy performance to more heavily insulated light tion while holding the other envelope variables constant, the
frame buildings. building envelope energy use drops by only 2.5%, which is
These thermal mass effects have been incorporated into not in proportion to doubling the wall R-value. Figure 1 il-
energy code requirements as well as sophisticated computer lustrates this trend: as wall R-value increases, it has less and
models. Due to the thermal mass, energy codes and standards less impact on the building envelope thermal performance.
such as the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) In this example, a wall R-value larger than about R12 no
(ref. 12) and Energy Efficient Standard for Buildings Except longer has a significant impact on the envelope energy use. At
Low-Rise Residential Buildings, ASHRAE Standard 90.1 (ref. this point, it makes more sense to invest in energy efficiency
2), require less insulation in concrete masonry assemblies measures other than wall insulation. The effect of adding in-
than equivalent light-frame systems. Although applicable to sulation to a multi-wythe wall is virtually the same.
all climates, the greater benefits of thermal mass tend to be When required, concrete masonry can provide assemblies
found in warmer climates (lower-numbered Climate Zones). with R-values that exceed code minimums. For overall project
Although the thermal mass and inherent R-value/U- economy, however, the industry recommends balancing needs
factor of concrete masonry may be enough to meet energy and performance expectations with reasonable insulation
code requirements (particularly in warmer climates), concrete levels.

ENERGY CODE COMPLIANCE

Compliance with prescriptive

energy code requirements can be dem-
onstrated by:
• the concrete masonry wall by it-
self or the concrete masonry wall plus a
prescribed R-value of added insulation,
or
• the overall U-factor of the wall.
The IECC prescriptive R-value
table calls for “continuous insulation” on
concrete masonry and other mass walls.
This refers to insulation uninterrupted
by furring or by the webs of concrete
masonry units. Examples of continu-
ous insulation include rigid insulation
adhered to the interior of the wall with
furring and drywall applied over the
insulation, continuous insulation in the
cavity of a masonry cavity wall, and
exterior insulation and finish systems.
These and other insulation options for

Figure 1—Diminishing Returns of Added Wall Insulation

2 NCMA TEK 6-1C

concrete masonry assemblies are discussed in TEK 6-11A, now allowed by ASTM C90. The additional wall assemblies
Insulating Concrete Masonry Walls (ref. 13). are based on:
If the concrete masonry assembly will not include con- • CMU having two full-height 3/4 in. (19 mm) thick webs, and
tinuous insulation, there are several other options to comply • a ‘hybrid’ system of CMU, intended to maximize thermal
with the IECC requirements—concrete masonry assemblies efficiency. The hybrid system uses the two-web units described
are not required to have continuous insulation in order to meet above for areas requiring a grouted cell, and a one-web unit
the IECC, regardless of climate zone. where grout confinement is not required.
Other compliance methods include prescriptive U-factor
tables and computer programs which may require U-factors R-VALUE TABLES—TRADITIONAL THREE-WEB
and heat capacity (a property used to indicate the amount of UNITS
thermal mass) to be input for concrete masonry walls. See TEK
6-4B, Energy Code Compliance Using COMcheck, (ref. 14) Table 2 presents R-values of uninsulated concrete masonry
for more detailed information. Another compliance method, cavity walls with 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 in. (102, 152, 203, 254
the energy cost budget method, incorporates sophisticated and 305 mm) backup wythes and a 4 in. (102 mm) hollow unit
modeling to estimate a building's annual energy cost. concrete masonry veneer. These R-values should be added to
A more complete discussion of concrete masonry IECC the applicable R-values in Tables 3 and 4 to account for cavity
compliance can be found in TEKs 6-12C (for the 2006 edition insulation and/or interior furring with insulation, respectively.
of the IECC), 6-12D (for the 2009 IECC)and 6-12E (for the Table 5 contains the thermal data used to develop the tables.
2012 IECC) (refs. 15, 16, 17). To convert the R-value to U-factor (as may be needed for
code compliance), simply invert the R-value, i.e.: U = 1/R. Note
CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT CONFIGURATIONS that U-factors of various wall components cannot be directly
added together. To determine the overall cavity wall U-factor,
Revisions in 2011 to ASTM C90¸ Standard Specifica- first add the component R-values together, then determine
tion for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units (ref. 18) have overall U-factor by inverting the total R-value.
significantly reduced the minimum amount of web material As an example, to determine the R-value of a concrete
required for CMU. Values in this TEK are based on concrete masonry cavity wall with 8 in. (152 mm) 105 pcf (1,682 kg/
masonry units with three webs, with each web being the full m3) backup insulated with 2 in. (51 mm) of extruded polysty-
height of the unit, and having a minimum thickness as provided rene insulation in the cavity, first determine the R-value of the
in historical versions of ASTM C90 (see Table 1). uninsulated wall from Table 2 (4.22 ft2.hr.oF/Btu, 0.74 m2.K/W),
The changes in C90, however, allow a much wider then add the cavity insulation R-value from Table 3 (10 ft2.hr.oF/
range of web configurations, with corresponding changes in Btu, 1.8 m2.K/W), to obtain the total R-value of 14.2 ft2.hr.oF/
R-values and U-factors (because the webs of a CMU act as Btu (2.5 m2.K/W). The corresponding U-factor for this wall is:
thermal bridges, reducing the CMU web area increases the U = 1/R = 1/14.2 = 0.070 Btu/ hr.oF/Btu (0.4 W/ m2.K)
R-value of the corresponding concrete masonry assembly). A Note that tables of precalculated R-values and U-factors,
full discussion of these changes can be found in TEK 2-5B, including the various insulation and finish systems, are avail-
New Concrete Masonry Unit Configurations Under ASTM able in Thermal Catalog of Concrete Masonry Assemblies.
C90 (ref. 19). The values in Table 2 are based on an ungrouted backup
The Thermal Catalog of Concrete Masonry Assemblies wythe. However, the addition of grout to a hollow concrete
(ref. 20) lists R-values and U-factors based on traditional units, masonry backup wythe does not significantly affect the overall
as included here, as well as units with smaller web areas, as R-value of an insulated cavity wall. For example, the R-value
of a cavity wall with 8 in. (203 mm) ungrouted 105 pcf (1,682
kg/m3) backup and insulated cavity decreases only about 5%
Table 1—Unit DimensionsA when the backup wythe is solidly grouted. With a partially-
grouted backup, the difference in R-value is smaller than 5%.
Nominal unit Face shell thick- Web thick- Calculations are performed using the series-parallel (also
width, in. (mm) ness, in. (mm) ness, in. (mm) called isothermal planes) calculation method (refs. 2, 3, 4). The
4 (102) 0.75 (25.4) 0.75 (25.4) method accounts for the thermal bridging that occurs through
6 (152) 1.00 (31.8) 1.00 (25.4) the webs of concrete masonry units. The method is briefly
described below, and its use is demonstrated in Appendix C
8 (203) 1.25 (31.8) 1.00 (28.6)
of Thermal Catalog of Concrete Masonry Assemblies.
10 (254) 1.25 (31.8) 1.125 (28.6)
12 (305) 1.25 (31.8) 1.125 (28.6)
A
Table lists unit configurations used to calculate values
in Table 2. Units have three full-height webs. Web and
face shell thicknesses meet the minimum requirements
historically required by ASTM C90 prior to the 2011b
version of the standard.

NCMA TEK 6-1C 3

 SERIES-PARALLEL R-VALUE CALCULATION

The series-parallel calculation method is recommended (refs. 1, 5) for estimating R-values of concrete masonry
walls. This calculation treats the block as a series of thermal layers, as illustrated in Figure 2. The face shells form
continuous outer layers, which are in series with the layer containing webs and cores. The total R-value, RT, of the
block is the sum of the R-values of each layer, as outlined below. An example illustrating use of the equation is
provided in Appendix C of Thermal Catalog of Concrete Masonry Assemblies. Note: When the core is partially
filled (i.e. when using insulation inserts), the core is divided into multiple layers.

R f Rm Rw Rc
RT = Ri + + + Ra + Rv + Ro
a f Rm + am R f ac Rw + aw Rc

where:
ac = fractional core area, see Section A-A
af = fractional face shell area, see elevation tfs tfs
SectionSection
A-A A-A
am = fractional mortar joint area, see elevation A A A
Atw
aw = fractional web area, see Section A-A tw
Ra = thermal resistance of cavity
Rc = thermal resistance of cores tfs tfs
Rf = thermal resistance of both face shells, rc x (2tfs)
Ri = thermal resistance of inside air surface film
Rm = thermal resistance of mortar joint, rm x (2tfs)
Ro = thermal resistance of outside air surface film Elevation
Elevation of unit of unit face
face
RT = total thermal resistance of wall
Rv = thermal resistance of veneer Figure 2—Concrete Masonry Unit Thermal Model
Rw = thermal resistance of concrete webs, rc x tw
rc = thermal resistivity of concrete
rm = thermal resistivity of mortar
tfs = face shell thickness
tw = length of concrete webs

4 NCMA TEK 6-1C

 Table 2—R-Values of Uninsulated Cavity Walls With 4-in. Concrete Masonry Veneer (hr.ft2.oF/Btu) A
Nominal thickness Density of concrete used in concrete masonry backup unit, pcf
of backup, in.
85 95 105 115 125 135
4 4.17 4.01 3.86 3.73 3.60 3.49
6 4.40 4.26 4.13 4.00 3.89 3.78
8 4.47 4.34 4.22 4.11 4.00 3.90
10 4.50 4.38 4.27 4.16 4.07 3.97
12 4.53 4.41 4.30 4.20 4.10 4.02

Table 3—R-Values of Cavity InsulationA

Insulation type: Insulation thickness, in.: R-value, hr.ft2.oF/Btu
Cellular polyisocyanurate, gas-impermeable facerB 1 8.5
1.5 12.3
2 16.2
2.5 19.6
3 23.0
3.5 26.4
Closed-cell spray polyurethane foamed insulation (SPF)C 1 6.8
2 13.0
3 19.0
3.5 22.0
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) C
1 4.0
1.5 6.0
2 8.0
2.5 10.0
3 12.0
3.5 14.0
Extruded polystyrene (XPS) C 1 5.0
1.5 7.5
2 10.0
2.5 12.5
3 15.0
3.5 17.5
A
Values should be added to the values presented in Table 2 to achieve the total R-value of an insulated cavity wall.
B
Values adjusted to include the effect of a reflective air space.
C
A nonreflective air space is included in the values in Table 2, so this value is not included here.

NCMA TEK 6-1C 5

 Table 4—R-Values of Finish SystemsA

System: R-value, hr.ft2.oF/Btu

1
/2 in. gypsum board on furring B 1.1
1
/2 in. foil-faced gypsum board on furring C
2.9
Continuous rigid insulation, /4-in. min. furring (for electrical rough-in) and /2-in. gypsum wallboard:
3 1

3
/4 in. extruded polystyreneB 4.9
3
/4 in. polyisocyanurateC 7.4
1 in. extruded polystyrene 6.1
1 in. polyisocyanurate C
9.0
1 /2 in. extruded polystyrene
1 B
8.6
11/2 in. polyisocyanurateC 12.8
2 in. extruded polystyreneB 11.1
2 in. polyisocyanurate C
16.7
21/2 in. extruded polystyreneB 13.6
2 /2 in. polyisocyanurate
1 C
20.1
3 in. extruded polystyrene B
16.1
3 in. polyisocyanurate C
23.5
Continuous polyisocyanurate, heavy duty (HD) (joints taped or butt caulked) attached directly to masonry:
2 in. 13.0
2 /2 in.
1
15.8
3 in. 19.0
31/2 in. 22.0
Metal furring at 24 in. o.c., insulation (between furring), and /2 in. gypsum wallboard :
1 D

R-11 batt E 6.6

R-13 batt E
7.2
R-15 batt E 7.8
R-19 batt E
8.6
R-21 batt E
9.0
Wood furring at 24 in. o.c., insulation (between furring) and 1/2 in. gypsum wallboard:
3
/4 in. extruded polystyrene 4.0
3
/4 in. polyisocyanurate 5.2
1 /2 in. extruded polystyrene
1
7.6
11/2 in. polyisocyanurate 10.4
R-11 batt E 10.6
R-13 batt E
11.6
R-15 batt E
12.5
R-19 batt E 15.4
R-21 batt E
16.7
A
Add values to the appropriate R-values in Tables 2 and 3. After adding the R-values, determine the U-factor using U
= 1/R.
B
Values include a nonreflective air space.
C
Values include a reflective air space.
D
Values from Reference 2, Appendix A.
E
Due to the susceptibility of batt insulation to moisture, its use is not recommended.

6 NCMA TEK 6-1C

 Table 5—Thermal Data Used to Develop TablesA

Material: Thermal resistivity (R-value/

in.), hr.ft2.oF/Btu.in (m2.K/W.)
Cellular polyisocyanurate, gas-impermeable facer 6.7- 7.2 (1.2 - 1.3) B
Closed-cell spray polyurethane foamed insulation (SPF) 6.3 - 6.8 (1.1 - 1.2)C
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) 4.0 (0.70)
Extruded polystyrene (XPS) 5.0 (0.88)
Wood 1.0 (0.18)
Concrete
85 pcf 0.30 (0.053)
95 pcf 0.25 (0.044)
105 pcf 0.20 (0.035)
115 pcf 0.17 (0.029)
125 pcf 0.14 (0.025)
135 pcf 0.11 (0.019)
Grout 0.10 (0.018)
Mortar 0.10 (0.018)

Material: R-value, hr.ft2.oF/Btu (m2.K/W)

1
/2 in. (13 mm) gypsum wallboard 0.45 (0.08)
Surface air films:
Inside surface air film 0.68 (0.12)
Outside surface air film 0.17 (0.03)
Air spaces:
3
/4 in. (19 mm) minimumE nonreflective air space 0.97 (0.17)
3
/4 in. (19 mm) minimumE reflective air space 2.8 (0.49)
5
/8 in. (16 mm) cement stucco 0.13 (0.02)
5
/16 in. (7.9 mm) synthetic stucco 0.2 (0.04)
4 x 8 x 16 in. hollow concrete masonry veneer (135 pcf) 0.94D (0.17)
4 in. solid concrete masonry veneer (135 pcf) 0.41D (0.07)
4 in. clay brick exterior wythe 0.44 (0.08)

A
Thermal resistivity data may vary from one insulation manufacturer to another. Users of this TEK should verify the
thermal properties of the specific insulation product they are using with the insulation manufacturer.
B
The R-value of polyisocyanurate insulation does not vary linearly with thickness. R-values by thickness are 1 in. = R6.7;
1.5 in. = R10.5; 2 in. = R14.4; 2.5 in. = R17.8; 3 in. = R21.2; 3.5 in. = R24.6.
C
The R-value of SPF insulation does not vary linearly with thickness. R-values by thickness are 1 in. = R6.8; 2 in.= R13;
3 in. = R19; 3.5 in. = R22.
D
Applies to both full- and half-high units.
E
Note that Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures (ref. 5) requires a minimum 1 in. (25 mm) air space be-
tween wythes. This is considered appropriate if special precautions are taken to keep the air space clean (such as bevel-
ing the mortar bed away from the cavity or placing a board in the cavity to catch and remove mortar droppings and fins
while they are still plastic. Otherwise, a 2 in. (51 mm) air space is preferred.

NCMA TEK 6-1C 7

REFERENCES
1. R-Values and U-Factors of Single Wythe Concrete Masonry Walls, TEK 6-2C. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2013.
2. Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2010. American Society
of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., 2010.
3. ASHRAE Handbook, Fundamentals. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., 2009.
4. Guide to Thermal Properties of Concrete and Masonry Systems. ACI 122R-02. American Concrete Institute, 2002.
5. Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures, TMS 402/ACI 530/ASCE 5. Reported by the Masonry Standards Joint
Committee, 2005, 2008, 2011.
6. Specification for Masonry Structures, TMS 602/ACI 530.1/ASCE 6. Reported by the Masonry Standards Joint Committee, 2005,
2008, 2011.
7. International Building Code. International Code Council, 2006, 2009, 2012.
8. Concrete Masonry Veneers, TEK 3-6C. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2012.
9. Concrete Masonry Veneer Details, TEK 5-1B. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2003.
10. Design of Concrete Masonry Noncomposite (Cavity) Walls, TEK 16-4A. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2004.
11. Flashing Details for Concrete Masonry Walls, TEK 19-5A. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2008.
12. International Energy Conservation Code. International Code Council, 2006, 2009, 2012.
13. Insulating Concrete Masonry Walls, TEK 6-11A. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2010.
14. Energy Code Compliance Using COMcheck, TEK 6-4B. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2012.
15. International Energy Conservation Code (2006 ed.) and Concrete Masonry, TEK 6-12C. National Concrete Masonry Associa-
tion, 2007.
16. Concrete Masonry in the 2009 Edition of the IECC, TEK 6-12D. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2012.
17. Concrete Masonry in the 2012 Edition of the IECC, TEK 6-12E. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2012.
18. Standard Specification for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units, ASTM C90-11. ASTM International, 2011.
19. New Concrete Masonry Unit Configurations Under ASTM C90, TEK 2-5B. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2012.
20. Thermal Catalog of Concrete Masonry Assemblies, Second Edition, TR233A. National Concrete Masonry Association, 2012.

NCMA and the companies disseminating this technical information disclaim any and all responsibility and liability for the accuracy
and the application of the information contained in this publication.

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8 NCMA TEK 6-1C