By: Pat Austin, Sales Representative - Architectural Products
Designers and builders of freezer and cooler buildings generally have a unique challengewhen it comes to climate control: how to select the best-performing and most economical envelope insulation given the demanding environment into which it is placed. This application demands the most careful examination of insulation choices given the amount of R-value required and the impact the performance of that insulation will have on the operating expenses of the building.
This April, the facilities manager at Badger State Fruit Corporation was working through these exact issues as he and his engineering consultant collaborated on the design of a new, 186,250sf freezer/cooler expansion. The specification for thermal protection of the freezer roof was set at R52 at 40 degrees F, while the cooler was designed for R42. When sorting through the insulation choices, three criteria emerged as yardsticks against which the insulation options would be measured: performance, recycled content, and cost. The design team chose to evaluate three insulation products against these criteria - polyisocyanurate (ISO), extruded polystyrene (XPS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS).
Product |
R52 Configuration |
Warranted R per Inch |
R-Value Warranty |
Recycle Content |
Unit Cost |
Total Cost |
Polyiso |
2 layers 4”1 layer 2.8” |
4.8/inch |
10 years |
None. Facer only. |
$0.30/ board foot |
$549,000 |
XPS |
2 layers 4”1 layer 3” |
4.8/inch |
15 years |
None |
$0.34/ board foot |
$628,000 |
EPS |
2 layers 5.9” |
4.4/inch |
20 years |
15% |
$0.18/ board foot |
$347,000 |
*Subject to current and location pricing. As of September 2012.
When measured against these criteria, Foam-Control EPS emerged as the clear winner. It is fully compatible with major membrane and attachment system used in the commercial roofing industry, and qualifies for full-system warranties from all the major membrane manufacturers. Made by ACH Foam Technologies, EPS roof insulation has proven its performance in 30-year studies, and is easily the most earth-friendly insulation product of the three.
And maybe most importantly, Foam-Control EPS roof insulation conserves the one resource that matters to all those with a vested interest in the success of this new facility: money.
