Commercial Building - Multiple Savings with Icynene
Synopsis:
- Icynene® lowered energy costs by 43%
- Icynene® reduced the HVAC equipment size by 10 tons
- Icynene® reduced construction time
The Problem
American Outdoor Adventures was constructing a 20,000 sq. ft. freestanding structure in Albany, Georgia that
would operate primarily as retail space with some offices located on the first and second floors. Within the
structure, there would be 15,200 sq. ft. that would require heating and cooling. The owner, Mr. Shingler,
originally planned to construct the building with 4 inch vinyl backed fiberglass insulation for the roof and R-19
fiberglass batts in the exterior wall assemblies.
Based on the original insulation specifications, the electric heat pump system was sized at 35 tons for the
main sales floor area. Based on the data provided by Georgia Power Co. the average utility bill for this
building was estimated to be $1,600 per month.
Mr. Shingler then decided to evaluate methods of improving the energy efficiency of his building and reduce
his utility expenses, as well as the capital cost of the HVAC system.
The Solution - Insulate with Icynene®
The local Icynene Licensed Dealer, Barnes Spray Foam Insulation, was contacted to review the project and
asked to design an insulation system that would reduce the utility bills and HVAC size. The Shinglers had
seen The Icynene Insulation System® in use on the television program, This Old House and were hoping that
the product's benefits as seen in a residential construction project would also be applicable for their store.
Barnes Spray Foam recommendations:
- Approximately 4 inches of Icynene® be applied into the steel stud exterior wall cavity and
interior side of the metal roof deck.
- Reduce the HVAC equipment for the main sales floor area (15,200 sq. ft.) from 35 tons
to 25 tons, as recommended by the HVAC consultant to Barnes Spray Foam.
Why The Icynene Insulation System®?:
- Insulating the building requires control of both conductive heat flow and convective heat
flow (air movement). Icynene® foam insulation is both a conductive insulation and air
barrier. The expanding characteristics of this spray applied foam insulation ensures that all
penetrations in the building envelope are effectively sealed.
- The tenacious adhesion characteristics of Icynene® will guarantee that the insulation in the
steel stud wall cavities will stay in place without settling or sagging. There will be no
gravity effect over time and the hollow area within the interior of the steel stud will be
filled with Icynene® insulation.
- External temperature changes will cause expansion and contraction in the metal roof
deck. The flexible and soft characteristics of the Icynene® applied to the underside of the
roof deck will allow it to move with the expansion and contraction of the roof deck and
eliminates any concerns of de-lamination.
- As an air barrier,The Icynene Insulation System® will block out any air borne noise from
entering the store, thereby providing a more peaceful / controllable shopping environment.
The Results
- Mr. Shingler sought out a second opinion on the HVAC downsizing attributable to the use of
Icynene®. The mechanical engineering firm Driggers and Associates Inc. was retained to
independently verify the proper sizing of the HVAC equipment if Icynene® was used. In the final
report, Drigger and Associates concluded that:
"Icynene®, when sprayed on, eliminates the infiltration of outside air through various seals and metal
laps, and eliminates the "fin" effect of roof purlin at insulation. The fin effect will reduce the "R" value at
and near the purlin. The combination of the two above items, in my estimation, reduced the initial tonnage
from 35 ton to 25 tons in the main sales floor."
- Georgia Power estimated that the utility bill for this building would be approximately $1600 per
month. This would include the cost of running the electric heat pump and lights. In the warmer
months with more daylight hours, the majority of electricity would be used for the air conditioning
units. In the cooler months with less daylight hours, the electricity would be required for heating
and the exterior 1000 watt lights.
- Mr. John Reese, who is the owner of LRA & Associates (the company hired by Mr. Shingler to build
the store) indicated that the installation of The Icynene Insulation System® was 1-2 days quicker than
if they had installed the standard 4 inch vinyl backed insulation on the roof deck and fiberglass in
the exterior walls.
Icynene® in a Commercial Application:
- Saved money with lower energy costs - 43% in the first 5 months
- Reduced the HVAC equipment required from 35 tons to 25 tons
- Reduced the time required for insulation installation from 9 days to 7 days
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