Choosing Energy-Efficient Materials Moderate Temperatures and Lessen Utilities Consumption

One of my favourite things about a career in steel building construction is getting to work with so many incredible and talented experts from a diverse range of technical areas. My work with architects and engineering teams, in particular, has improved the performance of our work. They have specifically helped to address one important area most requested by clients: how to keep building temperatures cool in the summer and warm in the winter without having to resort to costly amounts of power and electricity consumption for HVAC systems.

What I’ve learned is that a successful (and energy- and cost-saving) strategy begins when buildings are being designed and created. Experience has taught me the value of including thermal design and the right materials to enhance passive cooling. This building design approach focuses on heat gain control and heat dissipation in buildings to improve indoor comfort by using low or no energy consumption.

Choosing the right building features and using energy-smart components of insulated steel and concede are essential to an effective plan.

Where possible, Double Black Construction and our teams prefer to employ a passive cooling approach for regulating building environments. It relies less on artificial climate control systems by incorporating energy-smart architectural and engineering into the structural design when the building is first being created. We try to use natural cooling methods whereby energy available from the natural environment is combined with building components to create heat sinks. For instance, features such as building envelopes and overhangs help dissipate higher temperatures.

To explore how architecture works to moderate building climates, read our previous article, “Design Your Metal Building to Combat Hot Outside Temperatures”.

Various materials offer different levels of ability to help absorb or deflect light and heat to keep buildings coolers. Building foundations made with concrete and embedded into the ground feel cooler thanks to the high “thermal mass”. Digging deeper into the ground provides more stability to the building’s framing while also using the ground’s natural temperature as insulation. It’s a little more work, but well worth it.

Concrete has a high thermal mass and is preferred over other materials such as gravel or wood. Thick pads absorb and release heat slowly, thereby regulating temperatures over time, making daytime cooler and nighttime warmer.

Early in my career, I discovered the incredible value, strength and insulating ability afforded by building with pre-engineered steel components. Cold-formed steel panels are custom designed and manufactured so they’re ready to install on-site and can support any R-value installation. The built-in insulation keeps interior spaces warm during the winter yet also prevents the sun from heating your steel building. Metal panels look amazing and help serve the structure as physical protection, a vapour retarder and as a barrier to keep warm air out and cool air in. These complex steel building walls contribute to improving energy efficiency, leading to lower energy bills.

Properly installed pre-engineered steel panels with good insulation are immune from rust and corrosion, which can absorb moisture and lead to breaks in your perfectly controlled internal environment. And unlike wood or brick and mortar, steel materials prevent pests, molds and other airborne bacteria that deteriorate air quality. Buildings with insulated steel panels safeguard the environment and increase energy efficiency. By choosing a metal building with proper insulation, you're not only making a smart financial move but also a green one.

Pre-engineered steel buildings roofing materials and external side panels can be finished with special pigments designed to reflect solar radiation (both in the visible range and on the infrared spectrum). Compared to conventional paints, heat-reducing paints can reduce surface temperatures by more than 10C.

Window glazing also helps. Spectrally selective coatings help to keep the sun’s heat out but let daylight in. Photochromic glazing changes transparency depending on light intensity while thermochromic glazing gets darker to refract light when it is hot. All these treatments contribute to keeping interiors cooler while lowering energy demands (and costs) of HVAC systems.

I’m hearing more from clients about their corporate interest in cutting heating and cooling costs and being more sustainable by lowering their environment footprint. How their building is going to deal with outside climate conditions is a growing concern. As with many life choices, I’ve found that most important decisions are best made in advance with well-researched planning, forethought and by getting good advice. Intelligent decisions in design and materials greatly affect the long-term effectiveness of your building. And these decisions are best made at the time of construction.

When you’re looking to design and build your ideal industrial or commercial building that’s as energy efficient as it is attractive, give Double Black Construction a call. I’m excited to discuss your needs and how our pre-engineered designs can create a welcoming and comfortable environment for your team. Call John Lohan and his team at (833) 322-2722 or reach Double Black Construction online and we’ll provide you with a free consultation, quote and preliminary drawings.

John Lohan has over 15 years of experience designing, engineering and installing over 500 metal buildings for architects and clients across North America and the globe. He’s managed all aspects of steel building construction, including material logistics and managing local and foreign construction teams. John also has special expertise in concrete foundation and excavation. He can be contacted at Double Black Construction at (833) 322-2722, by email at john@DoubleBlackConstruction.com or on LinkedIn.