To future-proof a product is to design it in such a way that it will continue to perform in the future if situations change. Today, changing situations related to weather patterns and evolving sustainability standards and regulations are having a major impact on the building construction and design sector.
When it comes to future-proofing buildings against changes like these, Kingspan insulated metal panel wall and roof systems are ideal building materials that can stand the test of time.
Changing weather conditions
Climate change is associated with widespread changes in weather patterns including extreme heat and higher levels of participation. Today, heatwaves are occurring more often, and heavy rainfall is intensifying. According to scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS), this summer was Earth’s hottest since global recordkeeping began in 1880, and Climate Central found that rainfall hours became 13% wetter on average from 1970 to 2022 across all 150 U.S. locations analyzed.
As weather conditions shift, buildings will need to be constructed with materials that can stand up to these changes. Kingspan’s insulated metal wall and roof panels can help future-proof buildings to withstand harsh weather conditions.
Made of durable steel, Kingspan’s panels are weather-tight and provide a strong thermal and moisture barrier with engineered panel joints that provide protection from wind, rain and moisture. These high performing panels last for decades with little or no maintenance, standing up to weather and use better than almost any wall or roofing system on the market.
Evolving sustainability standards and regulations
As the impacts of climate change continue, sustainability standards and government regulations are evolving to help mitigate the climate crisis.
At the state level, California recently became the first state to set general code standards that require the reduction of embodied carbon emissions in the design and building process. The three alternative compliance paths established to meet these new standards include: the reuse of at least 45% of an existing structure; the use of materials that fall within specified emission limits; and a performance-based compliance path that allows the use of a whole building life cycle assessment analysis.
These new standards are expected to provide a framework that other states can follow.
On the federal level, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced a pilot program of new requirements for the procurement of substantially lower embodied carbon construction materials in GSA projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. The GSA interim requirements are based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Interim Determination, which set global warming potential limits for the most carbon-intensive materials prioritized by the federal interagency Buy Clean Task Force.
GSA will share these new requirements with other federal agencies to inform government-wide construction procurement.
With the continuing expansion of sustainability standards and regulations, building materials must meet or exceed these requirements to play a part in decarbonizing buildings.
Kingspan insulated metal panel wall and roof systems are already playing a role in this effort. Kingspan produces panels that have been shown to be lower in embodied carbon than other traditional concrete wall assemblies, providing high performing thermal efficiency that helps to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
These panels are also made with no less than 50% and as much as 85% of recycled steel when sourced from an electric arc furnace mill, which helps reduce the demand for raw materials and are recyclable when they reach the end of their useful life.
With changing weather conditions and public and private sector commitments to decarbonizing building projects increasing, building materials must be future-proofed to withstand shifting weather patterns and align with evolving sustainability requirements. Building materials that can’t stand up to these changes won’t be a viable choice for projects of today and tomorrow.
Kingspan insulated metal wall and roof panels are an excellent choice for durable, energy-saving building enclosure solutions that can help future proof buildings.