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Insulated metal panels: a smart choice for lowering long-term utility costs

Name: Summit Steel Buildings
Address: 22420 Dewdney Trunk Road, Maple Ridge, BC, CA
Telephone: 877-417-8335

Frank Melo • September 27, 2024

Regardless of hot or cold climates, insulation is a critical component that improves the effectiveness of steel buildings to provide ideal comfort. Be sure to add insulated metal panels early into the design of your next project.

Written by Frank Melo

Insulation is a crucial component in steel construction, enhancing energy efficiency, temperature control and overall performance of any finished structure. By incorporating insulation into our buildings, Summit Steel Buildings offers clients even greater value by reducing long-term energy costs and improving comfort. Proper insulation keeps a structure warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer so that operations rely less on mechanical heating and air conditioning systems and HVAC usage.

Summit Steel Buildings exclusively uses pre-engineering systems to ensure structural integrity and durability of every structure. An important component of these systems is its reliance on Insulated Metal Panels (IMPs). As you will read, including IMPs in the climate control systems of buildings is important, as they have become a popular and highly efficient choice in climates like Canada’s.

Read how pre-engineered building systems get a bigger building that requires less maintenance.

In this explainer, we cover insulation needs for steel buildings and why insulated metal panels are an excellent choice for your project.

How much insulation does my metal building need?

It’s always much easier to plan and install insulation systems when your structure is being built. It’s only natural to wonder how much will be needed so as to not over- or under-supply at the outset and then either spend too much or not have the adequate level of comfort later on. The preferred amount of insulation depends on a few factors:

Climate at building site
Type of heating/cooling system to be installed
Area of the building that is being insulated

Choosing the ideal insulation system

Every building is unique and the best insulation to use will vary from project to project. When deciding on which insulation system to use, consider the key factors:

Construction budget
R-value requirements
Climate at the site location

In general terms, the more insulation that gets installed increases the effectiveness of climate control (known as its R-value). It also tends to increase in price. Non-residential and industrial/commercial buildings have requirements for minimum R-values. These requirements vary based on location. Our experienced leadership and tradespeople teams have the expertise to verify requirements so your insulation will meet local building codes.

What are insulation R-values?

An R-value is the measure or rating given to insulation that determines how well it can prevent heat or cold from entering or leaving a building. It also determines the quality of the insulation in a comparable, quantitative way so designers and engineers can calculate costs and anticipate the future energy demands of your building. The higher the R-value, the better the quality of insulation.

Factors that contribute to the R-values for insulation:

Type of insulation (and materials)
Density
Thickness

Comparing the types of insulation

Building construction typically incorporates a variety of insulation types. Insulation comes in many different forms and is certainly not a one size fits all product. The main varieties of insulation include spray foam, rigid board, batt and blanket, loose-fill, foil bubble insulation and insulated metal panels (IMPs). Each type has its advantages depending on the specific use case, climate, cost and building structure.

Our preferred building installation partner, Double Black Construction, recently write about the different types of building insulation systems. Read their article (opens as a new window).

For pre-engineered buildings (PEBs), especially in Canada, insulated metal panels are the ideal choice for exterior wall systems and are most used for their performance in cold climates and ease of installation. Other forms of insulation, such as blanket or spray-in fill, are used for internal walls or within the roofing system respectively. Batt and blanket insulation works well for residential purposes but is less effective in exterior steel walls that require more thermal protection, air containment and wind resistance.

Insulated metal panels tend to be more expensive upfront compared to traditional insulation types like batt and blanket or rigid board. However, they often pay off in long-term energy savings and durability. They are faster and easier to replace if an accident causes damage to the exterior wall systems and they can be reused in later building expansions. Other forms of insulation usually get destroyed in the teardown process.

Overview of insulated metal panel
Insulated metal panels are prefabricated panels that consist of an insulating foam core sandwiched between two layers of metal (typically steel or aluminum). These panels provide both insulation and structural support (attached and supported by girts, making them an especially efficient option for pre-engineered steel building systems.

Here are a few advantages of incorporating IMPs into your building construction:

High thermal performance – They offer excellent R-values per inch of thickness, which is crucial in cold climates like Canada’s. They help maintain consistent temperatures inside the building, reducing heating and cooling costs. With integrated insulation and steel cladding, insulated metal panels prevent thermal bridging and air infiltration more effectively than traditional insulation.
Ease of installation – Arriving pre-made as a single unit (insulation and steel skin), IMPs are quicker and easier to install than multi-layer systems. This can reduce labor costs and construction time, making them ideal for large-scale steel building projects.
Air and moisture control – They act as an air and vapor barrier, helping to prevent condensation issues that can be common in industrial buildings. This is particularly important in environments with drastic temperature changes.
Durability and aesthetics – Insulated metal panels are not only functional but also provide a sleek, modern look for building exteriors. They are durable and low-maintenance, resistant to weathering, corrosion and impact.
Fire resistance – With more protective fire-resistant cores, IMPs are compliant with fire safety codes and a better option for buildings with strict safety requirements. Read more: "Prepare for wildfires with resistant structures built from steel" or "Nothing protects your business like steel".
Sustainability – Metal panels are considered a green building material because they offer superior energy efficiency, and the metal facings are recyclable.

Choose insulated metal panels in your next build to lower costs over the long run
Choosing Insulation is a valuable investment into the long-term operation and function of your building. Whether it is to keep employees comfortable and productive, to maintain steady temperatures for manufacturing or to ensure valuable products and equipment (including servers) are stored safely, adding insulation when you are constructing your structure is a wise choice and the best time to do it.

When you’re ready to get started on your metal building project, we’ll help you decide which metal panel and insulation systems to use. Our skilled engineers and expert leadership team ensure the ideal forms of insulation are used throughout every one of our pre-engineered building systems. For exterior uses, we use and recommend insulated metal panels for their durability and effectiveness as a thermal, moisture and wind barrier. They will ensure the interior environment of your structure is optionally suited to your business need.

Let’s get started on your dream commercial or industrial facility. Contact us online, by email at info@summitsteelbuildings.com or at 877-417-8335 and we'll provide you with a free consultation, quote and complimentary preliminary drawings.

About the author

Frank Melo has a construction civil engineering technology and business background with over 25 years of experience as a business owner and contractor. He was born and educated in London, Ontario and now divides his time between projects primarily in Ontario and British Columbia. He can be contacted at Summit Steel Buildings at (778) 951-4766 or by email at frank.melo@summitsteelbuildings.com or through LinkedIn.