Roundtable on Insulation
Posted
02/1/2010
Insulation is becoming increasingly important in metal building
construction thanks to the green building movement and the demand
for increased energy efficiency. Metal Construction News asked
insulation insiders about the currentissues and future trends
facing this market segment.
MCN: Why should a builder choose a particular
insulation system or product/material over another? What are the
advantages of one type of system over another?
Blaine
Bancks, LEED AP, High-R Insulation Systems: The choices
available on the market today are many. The best way to insulate a
building envelope is to insulate the space for the activity or
intended use. An example would be that a dry storage space would
require less R-value than an occupied space that produces products
using components that require a constant ambient temperature be
maintained. Condensation can be minimized by with minimal R-values
used to change the temperature of the surface of the structure,
thus changing when the dew point temperature is achieved.
Climate controlled spaces require energy,equipment and expense to
keep the space cool in the summer and warm in the winter.The
R-value- which measures the resistance to energy flow from cold to
warm-needs to be increased. Several insulation systems and
materials can be incorporated into the building envelope to provide
an energy-efficient and well-insulated building. These types of
insulation range from 1.9-pound (0.9-kg) spray foam,fiberglass
blankets with vinyl scrims or rigid panel systems with blow-in
fiberglass insulation.The intended use and climate zone of a
building will dictate what insulation may bebest suited for the
building.
Dan
Harkins, CEO, Thermal Design: Design-build contractors and
architects should first determine what the most economic energy
design is for a particular building and use. Nearly 100 percent of
the time, maximizing the installed thermal performance utilizing
fiberglass insulation is the best and least expensive option. This
is easy to do with structural member depths of 8 to 10 inches (203
to 254 mm). An R-30 or better can be easily achieved.
This does not mean compressing the insulation, but installing it
in a manner that maximizes the installed thickness and installed
thermal performance. Any system that create the space for
inexpensive fiberglass insulation to fully expand and also isolates
the conductive metal framing members from the conditioned space
will perform well. The direct result of achieving good insulation
performance is about a 50 to 60 percent savings in HVAC equipment,
gas piping, wiring circuits, etc. Bright white colors also result
in 25 percent or more saving in lighting equipment, wiring and
lighting energy use which often are the largest energy consumers in
metal buildings. Generally, upon careful analysis, the savings of
HVAC, lighting equipment, wiring, etc., can offset most or all of
the added cost to insulate properly to the higher level.
For any specific use, there are typically several choices to be
made for various end use reasons. Products suitable for the
particular use first must be selected. Then, a life cycle economic
cost vs. benefit analysis should be done with the suitable products
to determine the most economic of the qualified products to use. In
all designs, however, the installed performance of the products is
only what is relevant, and only those should be considered.
Products that make advertised performance claims based upon "back
of the truck," "to the job site," or have warranties that are void
when a product is installed are products that should be
avoided.
MCN: What are the newest innovations in
insulation systems and products?
Bancks: The tipping point-changes in codification
and higher energy costs-brought innovation to the insulation
marketplace. In recent times, energy costs were considerably lower
and minimal insulation being used was common place. Currently,
utility companies and the federal government offers tax incentives
and rebate programs to building owners that use the technology to
be more energy efficient. The demand for better ways to insulate
has led to buildings that may incorporate more than one insulation
product or system.The increased activity of insulating existing
buildings has introduced a few systems that clip to the structure
to hold either blankets or panels in place.
Harkins: The newest innovations are products that
provide multiple functions and warrant the installed performances.
Single products not only provide thermal insulation, but also
provide finishes, light reflectivity,acoustical absorption,
installation safety, high-quality vapor barriers, air infiltration
barriers and reinforce the structural systems of the roof and wall
systems. Often the synergistic benefits come at little added cost
and typically result in significant collateral system savings. It
is not unusual for superior, energy efficient buildings to actually
cost less to build than the energy-obsolete designs. It is all
about informed design.
The sum of the cheapest components is NOT the lowest cost building
to build, own and use. People that think this is the case are doing
a great disservice to their customers and are building
energy-obsolete buildings and needlessly polluting the earth.
MCN: Where does the growth for insulation
and building wraps lie? What new market segments are ripe for your
product(s) to enter and explore?
Bancks: Growth lies in the changing of property
from one person to the next. The next owner will more than likely
have a different use and cash flow for the building.This change,
along with incentives to be more energy-efficient, will mean more
insulation in metal buildings. Performance and ease of installation
will be key factors in increasing market share. The code
requirements that ASHRAE is promoting will for various climate
zones will change the way metal buildings are insulated. Depending
on the final decision for the code, some insulation systems will
not measure up and be replaced by insulation systems that are
effective in meeting the new code.
Harkins: Growth for insulation in metal buildings
lies in simply changing outdated design practice from "the sum of
the cheapest components" to the "lowest cost of ownership." This
change requires designers to consider the optimal performance of
the entire building and include energy cost. Maximizing the
installed performance of envelope insulation is the foundation of
all energy efficient metal buildings. Surprisingly,the savings from
correctly designed HVAC, lighting, wiring, service sizes, finishes,
etc.,typically more than offset the added cost of properly
insulating. If contractors are not installing 8 inches or more of
"in-place insulation thickness" in the roofs and walls, they are
likely producing an energy-obsolete building design.
New products and methods of insulating buildings with systems that
provide multiple functions can be extended to all types of
commercial and industrial building types, including truss building
roofs, bar joist roofs,precast concrete roofs and walls, etc.
Variations of these same systems are adaptable for these other
building types and result in superior energy efficiency, and
collateral benefits and savings effectively displacing older design
practices.
MCN: What role do insulation products and
accessories play in the 'green' building movement?
Bancks: When looking at "green" or "sustainable"
building practices, insulation plays a key role improving energy
efficiency. Insulation can reduce the amount of resources needed to
power the heating and cooling equipment for the building. Creature
comfort can also be considered with insulation and the thermal
aspects of the space. We all know that when the temperature and
humidity of a room is comfortable, our performance is better.
Harkins: Insulation systems play a major role in
green buildings by leveraging the performance benefits of variable
individual system components to create synergistic savings in
collateral systems. For example, making the interior surface 85
percent light-reflective rather than 50 percent reflective saves a
tremendous amount of lighting equipment, wiring, maintenance,
energy,etc. Obtaining such savings with four or five different
building systems can result in the buildings actually costing less
to build and operate.
MCN: What advancements/changes do you expect
to see in the insulation market over the next 12 to 24
months?
Bancks: My understanding is that we will see
several introductions of insulated wall panels to be used with
metal buildings. Maybe some ceiling panel systems for the same
reason.
Harkins: Major changes will take place in the
insulation market-and the entire metal building industry-as the new
energy codes move requirements beyond the capabilities of the
traditional products and methods to much higher levels. Also, there
will be more accountability in the installed performance mandated,
which will create major consequences for designers and contractors
that do not produce conforming installed systems. Traditional
methods of insulating metal buildings, for example, have been
proven to perform significantly less than advertised, and they have
not met the intended minimum thermal performance requirements of
existing energy conservation codes.
MCN: What sets your product(s) apart from
your competitors?
Bancks: Although the High-R system was
specifically designed for pre-engineered metal buildings,it can
easily be adapted to many different structural configurations of
buildings. High-R can be used on the ceilings and walls. The bottom
load system is installed after the metal roof and wall sheets are
put on, so there are no weather delays. The interior surface is
reflective, can be power washed, painted and performs as the vapor
barrier. The appearance is consistent and grid-like by using the
rigid panels and the PVC trim. A building with typical 8 inch
purlins will perform at R-45.
Harkins: Thermal Design's Simple Saver System has
been developed and constantly improved to provide the ultimate in
synergistic benefits to the designers, installers and users of the
product. Our company and its licensed distributors will be
providing all of the Synergy Design services that designers and
contractors need to optimize the energy efficient design of their
buildings, considering all collateral systems.
We also offer special high-efficiency HVAC products, lighting
fixtures, control systems,energy management programs, safety and
security products to make the energy system of the building one
inter-working, whole building system. We are now adding the power
generation products of wind generators and solar panels to our
product offerings to make net zero energy-use buildings. We have
our first 20,000-square-foot (1,858-m2) Net Zero Building under
construction and it should be completed by June 30, 2010.
High-R
Ames, Iowa
www.high-r.com
Thermal Design
Stoughton, Wis.
www.thermaldesign.com
www.thermaldesign.com