Currently, approximately 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions and energy use in America comes from commercial buildings. Per year, this translates into roughly $63 billion at today’s utility rates. Around 27% of commercial building energy usage is devoted to cooling and heating loads. That means, of the energy used in the nation, 5% is used by commercial buildings. So, just to cool and heat these structures, every year, $17 billion is used.
To reduce a building’s cooling and heating loads, there are a couple of different practices: Reduce the system load or replace the entire HVAC system with one that is more energy efficient. Energy-efficient, aluminum cladding can help serve the purpose of system load reduction. This cladding has fewer thermal breaks and higher thermal resistance than other cladding systems, so to cool and/or heat a building, less energy is required.
Where energy efficient cladding systems are concerned, the two most common types on today’s market are insulated metal wall panels and EIFS (exterior insulation and finish systems).
Insulated metal wall panels are made up of two metal panels (typically re-fabricated aluminum or steel) with a foam core that is polyurethane in nature. In the form of liquid chemicals, the foam is applied and then expands. As it expands it fuses with the metal skins and fills the cavity. Directly to a building’s supporting structure, the insulated metal wall panels are attached. To prevent water from entering the system, it relies on the impermeability of the metal.
Compared to standard exterior wall insulation, both insulated metal wall panels and EIFS have similar insulation design. Within the cladding system, both have insulation. Around the exterior of a building, this provides a continuous insulated barrier. A building’s thermal energy load is thereby reduced courtesy of the wall system’s ability to prevent heat transfer.
The thermal resistance anywhere from R30 to R14 is provided by insulated metal panel systems, which is dependent upon the thickness and type of insulating core.
In refrigerated environments, the preferred construction method is insulated metal panels which have up to 95% thermal efficiency.
For insulated metal panels, a vast array of finishes, textures, colors, and sizes are available. What’s more, to create visually interesting structures, these panels can also be oriented both horizontally and vertically. Insulated metal panels, during a renovation, can be easily installed on a different building or removed and reinstalled on the same building. When the panels are no longer useful, their metal content can be recycled. The use of these panels can also help save money in that they are easy to install and lightweight.
We are Clearview Cladding Concepts. Whether it’s aluminum cladding or some other aspect of construction, our highly educated representatives can answer all your questions and discuss whether or not your project can benefit from certain materials or concepts. We specialize in various areas of architectural cladding including intricate accessories and complex structures. We also design and engineer advanced aluminum systems.
Currently, we feature products such as Reynobond, Alpolic, and Vitrabond composites, as well as CV200 and CV300 cladding systems. Contact us today to book a consultation or with any questions you may have. Feel free to phone us at 917-731-4331 or email us at [email protected]. If you wish, you can also use our convenient online form to start a conversation. We look forward to working with you.
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