According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 80% of the 5.9 million commercial buildings in the U.S. were built before the year 2000. Many of these aging buildings lack the energy efficiency needed to help fight climate change.
This needs to change to help the building and construction sector achieve decarbonization by 2050. A United Nations 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction revealed that this sector is not on track to reach this goal. The report noted that “the gap between the actual climate performance of the sector and the decarbonization pathway is widening.”
The design and construction industry has a significant opportunity to curb carbon in construction by focusing on retrofitting rather than razing and rebuilding. Retrofitting buildings can save between 50-75% of a building’s embodied carbon (the carbon emissions released during the lifecycle of building materials).
Selecting low carbon construction materials like insulated metal panels (IMPs) is one of the most effective ways to reduce carbon emissions in retrofit projects. These metal panels not only deliver high thermal performance and energy efficiency but provide durability that maintains performance over the lifetime of the building.
Thermal performance and energy efficiency
IMPs are an excellent choice for delivering the thermal efficiency that buildings in need of retrofitting lack. These metal panels can feature thermal resistance ratings of over R-8 per inch, reducing a building’s carbon emissions while increasing energy efficiency.
As an all-in-one building envelope solution with a full air, water, vapor and thermal barrier, IMPs are designed to deliver thermal resistance that significantly reduces energy consumption and helps meet increasingly stringent energy codes.
Kingspan’s portfolio of IMPs deliver immediate reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions that help aging buildings become more climate friendly.
The Daytona International Speedway retrofit project is an example of how Kingspan’s IMPs can make an immediate impact on a building. The International Speedway Corporation chose Kingspan’s IMPs for the retrofit because of their high thermal performance and wide variety of design options. The retrofit project used more than 125,000 square feet of Kingspan Optimo panels and Benchmark Designwall 2000 architectural wall panels.
Improved indoor environmental air quality
Older buildings often have problems with ventilation and moisture infiltration that can lead to the growth of unhealthy mold and mildew. Kingspan IMPs provide a full air, water and vapor barrier, preventing moisture leakage that could contribute to conditions favorable for mold growth.
Kingspan IMPs also deliver high thermal efficiency. This thermal performance also allows temperatures to be maintained at a more constant level across entire spaces, which helps facilitate improved occupant comfort.
IMPs are also considered a closed assembly, meaning that harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) cannot leak and cause indoor air pollution. Kingspan’s PIR and QuadCore® products are GREENGUARD Gold certified as products that have zero VOC emission levels.
Durability and long-lasting performance
The durability of IMPs also makes them ideal for retrofit projects. Designed to last for decades with minimal upkeep, IMPs require less maintenance than other exterior wall systems. They remain both air and weather tight and provide consistent high thermal performance over the life of the building.
In addition to these major benefits, IMPs are easy to install, which cuts costs and speeds up construction compared to traditional multi-component wall assemblies. They also offer endless design possibilities to help modernize buildings and cause little to no disruption to internal occupancy or building operations as they are being installed.
These and other benefits make retrofitting buildings with IMPs an effective, cost-efficient way to rejuvenate aging buildings and accelerate decarbonization.