ASTM standards have been and continue to be developed to provide criteria for material classification and establish best practices for building envelope components. They provide the test methods needed to evaluate the behaviors and properties of different materials such that these materials can be compared and contrasted. However, the wide variety of materials and material applications for the building envelope can make the application of ASTM standards for specific project conditions challenging for designers and industry professionals to properly assess. The standardization process creates consistency in the methods used to identify and define material properties; however, the test methods used to evaluate a specific type of material may differ among materials that could be used for similar applications. As a result, this limits the ability of the design professional to accurately compare different materials that would be installed in the same application in order to select the most appropriate overall assembly to achieve the goals for building performance. When evaluating the thermal performance of the building envelope, there are several types of thermal insulation products that are commonly used in exterior cavity wall applications, yet the test methods contained within the standard specifications for each insulating material are not entirely coordinated. Although the methods used to determine thermal resistance are generally consistent between different material types, impacts of moisture and dimensional stability are often evaluated differently, which can be misleading when comparing materials for the same application. This paper presents the challenges that are faced by the design professional when evaluating different materials on the basis of the current guidance provided in ASTM standards and recommendations for methods to coordinate requirements for materials installed in similar applications.