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
