Materials Needed to Design a Thermally Efficient Building
To design energy-efficient and thermally comfortable buildings, partner with us. We approach every project differently—no single method works for every client—and place emphasis on collaboration from day one to design customized solutions that meet specific goals.
At ContainArt, we use the most innovative materials to reduce energy consumption and improve sustainability, including the following:
Building envelope materials. A building envelope is a layer of insulation that wraps the exterior like a blanket to protect it from the heat or cold. High building envelope efficiency leads to lower Energy-Use Intensity (EUI)—the energy used annually per square foot of building footprint. Insulation materials vary from project to project.
Phase change materials (PCMs). PCMs can be made from a variety of different materials, including paraffin, salts, vegetable oils, and ice packs. One of the materials that we recommend to improve energy efficiency and thermal comfort is a PCM made from a soy liquid, which is sandwiched between layers of plastic. When placed on the ceiling, this material absorbs heat from inside and releases it more effectively.
Metal-insulated panels (MIPs). In steel buildings, metal panels are placed over rigid insulation to improve thermal performance. These panels seal the building, protecting it from the elements. This improves thermal performance because the conditions inside of the building remain consistent, even during swings in temperatures.
Insulated concrete forms (ICF). This material consists of concrete sandwiched between layers of polystyrene foam and is used to increase the R-value of the wall assembly. ICF can be used in tandem or as an alternative to MIP. Both materials improve a building’s thermal efficiency, but ICF is less common.
Cementous Foam Insulation. This material is Foamed-in-Place Lightweight Cement Insulation with properties shall that are fireproof, inorganic and free of carcinogenic fibers or toxic substances. It is composed of inorganic cementitious stabilizer, cell generator, and compressed air, which foams in place. ASTM-76 foamed to a density of 2.07 lbs/cu ft, producing a minimum R-Value of 3.9 per inch of thickness.
Ceramic Insulating Paint. A 0.25 mm (10 mils) DFT coat of a Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coating Engineered to Repel Heat can be applied on the exterior of the building envelope to prevent thermal absorbance in the Summer. The Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coating Engineered to Repel Heat reduces thermal conductance by deflecting, repelling and emitting thermal absorbance by better than 95%. It is made up of 4 layers. The first ceramic compound is primarily to deflect, repel and emit Ultra Violet (UV) heat at 99% however while UV is a significant cause of surface deterioration it only contributes 3% to thermal absorbance. The second ceramic deflects, repels and emits better than 92% of Visual Light (short wave) heat which contributes 40% to thermal absorbance. The third ceramic compound deflects, repels and emits 99.5% of Infrared Radiation (long wave) heat which contributes 57% to thermal absorbance. The fourth ceramic compound blocks a further 92% of heat conduction by hollow cenosphere technology which is not glass. A Ceramic Thermal Barrier Coating Engineered to Repel Heat is a true “thermal barrier” coating and not just a reflective paint. Reflective paints only address Visual Light and lose thermal performance when they get dirty.
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