According to a recent United Nations report, the negative impact of the ongoing climate crisis is approaching faster than expected. Delays in the member countries will cause a 1.5-degree Celsius increase in global temperatures – which would have a wide-reaching impact on all life on earth. In order to prevent this from happening, there needs to be a global reduction of carbon emissions by around 45 percent. Unfortunately, achieving this goal seems to be moving slowly but efforts are being made. For example, more and more companies are switching to insulated metal panels for energy conservation and reduction of Greenhouse Gas.
What Are Insulated Metal Panels?
Insulated metal panels (IMPs) are lightweight composite wall and roof panels designed for exterior use. These panels come with a metal skin and a foam core that helps with insulation. As the demand for decreased carbon emissions becomes prevalent, engineers and architects have started switching to IMPs in order to create greener buildings.
But how do IMPs make this possible? One thing you need to understand is that buildings today are responsible for around 40% of carbon emissions. The process of operating those building, on the other hand, account for around 28% of the total annual emissions. By simply making changes in how these buildings are built and operated, a large percentage of problematic emissions can be radically reduced. This is where IMPs come in.
How Insulated Metal Panels Help Conserve Energy
IMPs contribute to decreased carbon emissions from the sheer fact that they’re easier to make. Here’s what you should know about these new materials:
- IMPs are the perfect alternative to precast concrete since creating them involves only carbon-neutral efforts. In contrast, the creation of concrete requires massive carbon emissions. In fact, making concrete is responsible for around 8 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions produced globally. All of these are completely skipped with the creation of IMPs.
- The installation of IMPs is also beneficial for the operation of buildings. These panels are airtight, rigid, moisture-resistant, and offer continuous insulation. This helps maintain or contain greenhouse gas emissions while reducing energy costs to sustain comfortable temperatures within a building. The benefits of IMP outshine those of concrete at the same level of thickness.
The reduction in carbon emissions using IMP is also significant. According to a recent study, the use of IMP can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 28% compared to other cladding options like tilt-up concrete or insulated concrete.
Insulated Metal Panels Cost
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why companies fail to make the shift to sustainable products is due to the cost. After all, making green changes typically costs more compared to traditional methods.
Fortunately, this is not the case with IMPs. A study encompassing 18 different cities across Canada and the United States found that IMP wall systems are actually cheaper. Using a 150,000-square-foot area, IMPs have been found to be less expensive with savings of anywhere from 18 to 32 percent, depending on the actual location of the structure.
Beyond financial costs, however, IMPs are also easier to install compared to concrete cladding. Since they’re lightweight, it’s fairly easy to install IMPs with a very little learning curve to get the job done.
Compliance With Legal Requirements
IMPs – when sourced from reliable providers – have been found to comply perfectly with legal mandates on construction. Checks have shown that IMPs consistently pass or even exceed building code requirements. This includes not just thermal performance but also air, water, and vapor factors. Some IMPs are also made specifically with wool-insulating cores and non-combustible minerals, making them ideal for fire-resistant needs. Topped off with the industry-tested sealant along the side joints, the IMPs turn buildings into solid protection that envelops the whole space even during extreme weather conditions.
Sourcing IMPs for Property Construction
Note that IMPs are still fairly new in the market so finding reliable providers can be tricky. A trusted provider like Extreme Epoxy Coatings is a good place to start as they’ve already made their mark in the industry. Since the installation process itself require in-depth knowledge, seeking experts is non-negotiable if you want to make the most of IMPs.
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