EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS Refl ective Insulation Produces Real Results
Energy conservation is the fi rst step toward improving the baseline energy performance for buildings seeking certifi cation under the LEED Green Building Rating System from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). ASHRAE 90.1-2007 is the current standard for
calculating the baseline building performance as LEED requires. Adding insulation, improvements to HVAC and energy-effi cient lighting are the three best ways to achieve a percentage improvement in energy cost savings as the relevant LEED Energy and Atmosphere prerequisite and credit require. New and existing metal buildings can be made
more energy effi cient, comfortable and attractive with refl ective insulation systems applied to the ceilings and walls. Systems are defi ned as having a refl ective insulation and an enclosed air space along with an air fi lm on the assembly’s building side. Hybrid systems can include refl ective insula- tion combined with other insulating materials to provide other benefi ts such as air sealing, lower va- por transmission and higher thermal performance. Refl ective technologies, like other insulation tech- nologies, are evaluated by a number of consensus standards published by the American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM).
Refl ective air spaces According to a recent paper titled “Turning Empty Air Space into Thermal Resistance,” by David Yar- brough, PE, Ph.D.: “Much of the commonly used building insulation relies on the low thermal con- ductivity of air to provide thermal resistance. This is true of fi brous or mass insulations like fi berglass, rock wool, cellulose or open-cell foams. The same is true for refl ective insulation systems. “Metal building structures have many oppor-
tunities for creating enclosed refl ective air spaces that have demonstrated thermal resistance (R-val- ue). Refl ective insulation reduces heat fl ow across the region it occupies by blocking thermal radiation from the warm side to the cool side. Enclosed re- fl ective air spaces (refl ective insulation assemblies) are regions with a low-emittance material on at least one surface. The low-emittance surface that is part of a refl ective insulation is installed in the walls, ceiling or fl oor of a building so that it is per- pendicular to the direction of heat fl ow. Emittance is a property that indicates how readily a surface gives off thermal radiation (heat). A low-emittance surface, such as metalized fi lm or aluminum foil, gives off radiant energy at a much lower rate than high-emittance surfaces like steel.”
By Paul Nutcher and Bill Lippy Attain energy effi ciency, comfort and compliance with metal building insulation Refl ective insulations can be combined with
other insulating materials, such as spray-foam or fi berglass insulation, to form a hybrid insulation assembly. This can be done in new or existing buildings; the latter often includes a fi berglass batt draped over the purlins installed when the building was constructed. The image on this page illustrates the addition of a refl ective insulation on the bottom of the purlins to create an enclosed refl ective air space. The total R-value is the sum of the fi berglass R-value and the R-value for the enclosed refl ective air space. Combinations of insulation technologies like this greatly increase the possibilities for effec- tive and economical insulation packages.
A solution Refl ective insulation manufacturer, Fi-Foil Co. Inc. of Auburndale, Fla., assists contractors in achiev- ing energy effi ciency with its RetroShield System. The system consists of a refl ective insulation and a revolutionary fastening device called the Clip & Pin. The Clip & Pin simply snaps onto the lip of the C or Z purlin, structural beam, bar joist or wall girt. The insulation is impaled on the pin and secured with a lock washer. The edges of the insulation are over- lapped on the purlin or beam and are sealed by an integrated tape tab. The double layer of refl ective provides an R-2 thermal break over the exposed purlin. There is no support strapping needed. This allows each section of the building to be insulated in a single pass thus minimizing the impact on the use of the building space during the installation. That is especially important with retrofi t installa- tions for building owners that need to continue to use their facility during the installation. The facing colors provide other benefi ts, espe-
cially for project teams seeking certifi cation under the LEED rating system. It provides a strategy to enhance the energy effi ciency of interior lighting due to its refl ectivity. This important feature benefi ts a building owner from an initial cost perspective and long-term due to the lower energy costs associated with less lighting fi xtures. This is especially desir- able in metal buildings without many windows, skylights or clerestory glazing systems.
Paul Nutcher is president of Green Apple Consult- ing, Maitland, Fla., and Bill Lippy is president and chief marketing offi cer of Fi-Foil Co. Inc., Auburn- dale, Fla. To learn more, go to
www.fi foil.com.
Adding refl ective insulation to the bottom of purlins creates an enclosed refl ective air space.
40 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS November 2013
www.metalconstructionnews.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68