Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1174518
OCTOBER 2019 | 13 Insulation PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY TECH-CRETE PROCESSORS LTD. High-performance insulation exceeds increasingly stringent energy standards by ROBIN BRUNET S o many systems for so many different types of applications exist in the insula- tion realm that it's difficult to summarize the development of the sector. However, from panels to spray foam and from roof use to basements, these diverse systems all have one thing in common: the requirement to live up to ever- changing and toughening building standards. Ryan Hunniford, general manager at Tech-Crete Processors Ltd., says, "Updated building codes in Ontario and Alberta have resulted in us experiencing an increase in perimeter insulation sales and inquiries into how to achieve ever-increasing R values. The typi- cal question we're asked is, 'Can we layer insulations and combine products from different manufacturers?'" Tech-Crete manufactures composite insulat- ing panels consisting of the Styrofoam brand foam insulation with a factory-applied latex modified con- crete coating. Concrete Topped Insulated and Solar Reflective Insulated (CTI and SRI) panel solutions are for roofs, and Tech-Crete offers the Concrete Faced Insulated panels (CFI) for walls. Durability and resiliency are the main assets of the Tech-Crete solutions; for example, the Kinesiology building re-roof project at the University of Calgary was able to use a significant portion of the CTI roof panels originally installed in 1986. While companies such as Tech-Crete benefit from ever-tightening building regulations, Hunniford believes the quest to achieve better building stan- dards will permeate into different sectors: "It will mean more work for more people and of course more challenges, but this trajectory is inevitable." Paul Lowes, technical business development architects and builders for Building Products of Canada Corp (BP Canada), notes that the two most important changes in the Ontario Building Code for insulation pertain to continuous insulation through- out the building and increasing attic insulation from R-50 to R-60. This refers to a monolithic layer of insulation that eliminates thermal bridging through wood or steel studs, achieved by using foam board or spray foam. Lowes says, "To achieve the current standards for continuous insulation, we use a composite panel made from polystyrene foam laminated on a wood fibre insulation panel and coated with asphalt for greater weather resistance." This is in addition to many other products from BP Canada, including multi-layered specialty panels that fill a number of important elements of the wall cavity, such as bracing and air/vapour barriers, in one step. Lowes says, "It would be a mistake to assume what goes on in Ontario stays in Ontario. It's common knowledge that there's a push to amalgamate our building codes with national standards, and best esti- mates are that this amalgamation will occur in 2025." Contributing to energy efficiency has been the long-time focus for the people at Vicwest Building Products, along with the desire to provide cre- ative versatility to wall, roof, and fire-rated panels. Vicwest's All Weather Insulated Panels deliver superior insulation, construction efficiency, and long-term building performance demanded by code- conscious builders, designers, and owners. These panels are comprised of highly energy efficient, fac- tory controlled polyisocyanurate foam insulation sandwiched between a finished metal exterior and an interior face. The versatility of the All Weather Insulated Panels comes from their sheer range of types – 10 different types of wall panels alone, ranging from flat architec- tural to different wood grain panels – accompanied by a full range of complementary trims, accessories, and engineering services. As for Vicwest's fire-rated panel, the fiRe 1-Hour Rated exterior wall and inte- rior partition panels have an R value of 32, meaning they meet the most restrictive energy requirements without having to weigh over eight pounds per square foot or be nine-inches thick. The panels are Inside Scoop Installation of Concrete Topped Insulated (CTI) panels. Concrete Faced Insulated (CFI) panels.