The versatility of insulated metal panels

by Jennifer Wilson | September 29, 2015 11:43 am

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By Cormac Mullane and Andrew Toma
Insulated metal panels (IMPs) can be an effective way to improve energy efficiency and create a pleasing esthetic, which is why they are used in a variety of different projects. These two case studies provide examples of this cladding assembly’s benefits.

Kenworth Trucks dealership
To sell big rigs, a big building is essential. While most vehicle dealerships are naturally larger-sized building projects, the construction of a new Kenworth dealership in Leduc, Alta., meant creating a super-sized facility capable of showcasing commercial heavy-duty trucks in all their glory.

The design is similar to traditional vehicle dealerships, but on a much larger scale. The building houses a sizable showroom, business offices, and vehicle wash bays.

Construction on the massive truck dealership began in 2013. Design plans called for a high-performance building envelope composed of IMPs in mixed orientations in the company’s colour palette. This created the first challenge, because Kenworth’s corporate colors are black and red, and nearly 90 per cent of the exterior cladding area required black panels. However, flat panels and flat metal sidings are typically not produced in dark colours, especially black. Darker hues have a much greater surface emissivity than lighter colours, which creates significantly higher surface temperatures. Higher surface temperatures on flat metal can result in difficulties during installation and the handling of the panels.

This emissivity challenge was overcome by utilizing the non-flat profile insulated metal panels, which provided the ideal solution. These IMPs provided design flexibility and high thermal performance, and were a perfect fit with new and retrofit applications across the commercial and industrial market sectors.

 For the dealership, a mix of IMPs were specified to meet the defined needs of the various building areas in terms of fire safety, temperature, and moisture. The 50-mm (2-in.) thick and 1066-mm (42-in.) wide panels, in black and silver, were used on the wash bay building and the warehouse portion of the main building. The finish incorporated into these IMPs helps protect against the wash bays’ harsh environment of fluctuating temperatures and regular contact with water. Panels that were 100 mm (4 in.) thick and 914 mm (36 in.) wide were used for the showroom area of the main building. For the interior of both buildings, 50-mm (2-in.) panels were used in conjunction with panels in both 100-mm (4-in.) and 150-mm (6-in.) thicknesses. These panels are fire-rated and made from a mineral wool core bonded with metal facings, suitable for such applications. For the accent ‘eyebrow,’ 50-mm (2-in.) thick and 914-mm (36-in.) wide panels were used.

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Again, these panels are flexible and can be installed both vertically and horizontally, which was a necessity in the Kenworth Trucks dealership project. To match the corporate hues, a specific custom black colour with a metallic sheen was developed, to help reflect heat away from the insulated building panel surfaces.

The IMPs used in the Kenworth project are single-component products—manufactured off-site and delivered ready to install—which minimizes construction delays and produces faster onsite installation times compared to multi-component wall systems. By arriving ready for installation, build times can be reduced by as much as 50 per cent.

The panels also provide high R-values, superior airtightness, and low thermal bridging, resulting in energy cost savings of as much as 30 per cent over traditional multi part built-up wall systems while increasing a building’s overall modern appeal. The panels specified for the project have no gaps or pockets between the panels, which helps form the much-desired continuous insulation shield for the structure.

Now open for business, the Kenworth Trucks dealership is the Edmonton area’s source for those in the commercial truck market. The iconic black and red structure has become a corporate showcase for the company—and the place to purchase a ‘big-rig’ in climate-controlled comfort and style.

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The Mattamy National Cycling Centre
Before the 17^th annual Pan American Games came to the Toronto area this summer, the 2015 organizing committee needed a host venue for the cycling tournament. As it stood, there were only two indoor velodromes in the entire country—and the closest was two hours away from the host city of Toronto. This distant velodrome is also the world’s shortest permanent velodrome, but a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) regulation-size track was necessary for the games. This prompted the construction of a brand-new facility. In order to be ready by the opening ceremonies, IMPs were specified to help increase build-speed and to ensure the venue was worthy of international competition.

The project to build Canada’s first world-class indoor cycling velodrome in Milton, Ont., was not without its obstacles. The velodrome’s exterior cylinder shape was designed to wrap around the Category 1-certified indoor track. While this looked impressive, the building’s unique design presented equally distinctive challenges. Working with a continuous radius meant 914-mm (36-in.) IMPs were needed. Luckily, the specified panels were flexible, allowing them to be installed both vertically and horizontally. The ease of installation proved to be a valuable asset to the project’s build-speed as there was little time to spare before the 2015 Pan Am Games.

It was important the track be finished a full year before the games to allow for the minimum testing period of 10 months. As much as they prepared to avoid delays, a December ice storm threw the schedule off-track. The roof and concrete floor were the main areas of impact. As the weeks of delay went on, the time set aside for testing the track decreased.

While the project was affected by the harsh winter winds, the quick installation of the IMPs were used to help combat the time lost. Factory-built, they were assembled off-site and ready to be installed on arrival. This helped eliminate any additional weather-related setbacks and the ease of installation meant less trades were needed—phasing out the worry of scheduling delays. In the end, the walls were erected quickly and helped minimize further work stoppages.

Creating an energy-efficient building was of great importance to the construction of the Mattamy National Cycling Centre. This state-of-the-art facility has a positive impact on the health of occupants while promoting clean energy.

The insulated metal wall panels provided the building with superior air and weather-tightness by eliminating heat loss or heat gain. The panels insulated cores provided superior thermal performance thanks to a high R-value. These performance benefits helped the velodrome achieve the highly regarded energy efficient Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.

After much hard work and dedication, the velodrome was completed in January of 2015. It is now recognized as a world-class venue designed as a Category 1-certified indoor 250-m (820-ft) timber track, featuring two 42-degree angle banks. The banks send riders 70 km/h (43.5 mph) heading into the turns.

Beyond Pan Am, the Mattamy National Cycling Centre continues to serve as the home for the Canadian National Cycling Team, as well as a community recreational facility.

[4]Cormac Mullane ‎is a business development manager at Kingspan Insulated Panels Ltd. He manages sales and business development for the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Based in Calgary, Cormac specializes in increasing awareness in energy-efficient design for the commercial and industrial construction industry. He can be reached at Cormac.Mullane@Kingspan.com[5]

 

[6]Andrew Toma is a business development manager at Kingspan Insulated Panels Ltd. He promotes the growth and development of insulated metal panels (IMPs), assists architects and engineers in the design/understanding of constructing high-thermal-performing industrial, commercial, and architectural building envelopes throughout Ontario. He can be reached at Andrew.Toma@Kingspan.com[7]

Source URL: https://www.constructioncanada.net/the-versatility-of-insulated-metal-panels/

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