What Is Commercial Insulation About

A great commercial building is the right balance between commercial viability and aesthetic appeal. While new designs and innovative facades are essential for the aesthetic, a functionally sound structure includes detailed services and is well planned for occupant and energy efficiency.

One of the key aspects of energy efficiency is proper commercial insulation. Building insulation refers typically to any object or material in a building used to insulate or offer protection for any purpose.

Forms and Uses of Commercial Insulation

While commercial building insulation is primarily used for thermal purposes, it is also used for fire, acoustic, and impact insulation.

Thermal Insulation

This form of insulation was traditionally used in homes with extreme climes – either too hot or too cold. The thermal insulation was important to maintain conducive temperature levels inside the house. In cold conditions, insulation aims to reduce heat loss from the building. Windows, roofs, walls, doors, etc. are sources of heat loss. In warm regions, the best and most economical source of heat energy is solar radiation. This enters buildings directly through windows, or it can heat the building shell to higher temperatures than the ambient, increasing the heat transfer through the building envelope.

Fire Insulation

Also referred to as Fireproofing, it is a method of using insulating materials to make buildings resistant to fire. Fire insulation is a technique of Passive Fire Protection, which is an integral component of structural fire protection. It aims to contain the spread of the fire by limiting damage to the building and providing more time for the safer evacuation of the building occupants.

Acoustic Insulation

Acoustic insulation is also known as soundproofing. It includes methods of minimizing the sound pressure with respect to a specified sound source and receptor. There are two distinct explanations for soundproofing through Insulation – to reduce sound leakage to/from adjacent rooms and to improve sound within a room.

Impact Insulation

Impact Insulation is applied to cushion from shock and vibration. This is particularly useful in industrial and manufacturing buildings to reduce the vibration from heavy machinery, which creates a lot of stress on the building structure.

Advantages of Commercial Insulation

Adhering to the latest building energy codes leads to greater energy efficiency. Building to the laid-out codes only meets the legal minimum, it does not deliver customer value. Besides using high-quality commercial building insulation materials, it is important that one can deliver buildings that are more energy-efficient, quieter, and healthier.

• • Greater Energy Efficiency, Lower Energy Bills

As the cost of energy goes up, both regulatory authorities and customers have become conscious of carbon impact. Cost-saving is a fundamental mandate for any business. Many companies incorporate effective energy efficiency to manage overhead costs. The value of insulation in this context is obvious: it saves the occupants money on energy bills.

• • Acoustic IMPACT

A recent survey by Cambridge Sound Management revealed, “30 percent of office workers are distracted by coworkers’ conversations. Similarly, another survey revealed that 60 percent of employees report being more productive when the office is quiet. As the trend toward more floating walls, open workspaces, and glass elements continues to grow, so does the issue of noise.” A combination of sound masking, acoustic insulation, and smart and systematic acoustic design, can help the building chin mitigating people from losing their concentration and focus from their work project. It is also important to keep confidential conversations secure to the intended listeners.

 

 

• • Meeting Occupant Needs for Comfort

Regulated or monitored temperature in the commercial building will ensure occupants are more comfortable. Thermal comfort is a major driver of renters’ satisfaction. While localized control of heating and cooling may appear to be an easier option for managing building temperatures, there is a high chance of temperature fluctuations without proper insulation and air sealing. A building that has significant temperature disparities is likely to result in disgruntled occupants.

Resources and References:

• Sources of Heat Loss