Building architects, design professionals and engineers are increasingly discovering new and innovative ways to use insulated metal panels (IMPs) in their projects.
The manufacturing of IMPs—built by a continuously poured-in-place process binding interior and exterior corrosion-resistant steel facings to a polyisocyanurate insulation foam core—produces a product that provides a finished exterior, insulation and finished interior all in a single-pass installation with just one contractor required.
These IMP wall and roofing systems not only offer insulation R-values that cannot be matched by other building materials, but they provide a water, air and vapor barrier making for a weathertight and vapor-tight building envelope.
IMP functionality has long made it the go-to product for the cold storage market, but increasingly, building designers are incorporating these sustainable and cost-effective products into commercial and industrial projects.
Supply and Demand
Prior to the pandemic, there was an increased demand for IMPs in building projects with the supply of steel and chemicals to manufacture the wall and roof panels already pinched.
Then COVID hit and that demand was put on steroids as cold storage capacity needs across the U.S. expanded exponentially almost overnight.
The good news is that IMP supply and demand have almost returned to pre-pandemic levels with commercial and industrial, cold storage and architectural projects able to tap into the pipeline.
IMP options available to building designers from color choices to exterior looks and reveals are resulting in award-winning finished projects that are beyond the imagination just a decade ago.
IMP Adoption
Metal roof shipments are expected to grow 5% and the metal wall market is expected to reach about $2.8 billion by 2025, and IMP adoption is helping drive this growth.
IMPs are checking some important boxes for commercial and industrial projects because they are sustainable solutions, made with recycled materials, that provide unparalleled energy efficiency.
In today’s era of electrical grid price spikes, the savings that IMPs deliver on monthly energy bills can make a real budget difference.
IMPs are being used, for example, in military projects because the designers of these projects are also responsible for the care and upkeep of the buildings for years to come, and IMPs deliver long-term value with their ease of maintenance and product warranties.
Municipal building codes continue to endorse more stringent sustainable building requirements and IMPs easily meet and exceed any of these requirements.
A Good Design Choice
The perfect IMP end user requires a climate-controlled facility with a client that owns the facility and needs high-quality, long-lasting materials.
Remember, climate-controlled facilities are more than just low temperature, walk-in freezer environments, but run the gamut of everything from brewing beer to building cars to keeping kids cool on warm summer days.
For building designers considering IMPs the factors to weigh include:
- Cost effectiveness, including speed of installation and labor required.
- Exceptional insulation properties and R-values.
- Superior spanning capability.
- Lightweight cladding, requiring less structure to support it.
- Air, water and vapor barrier that prevents moisture intrusion.
- Design flexibility that includes choices of colors, finishes, looks, orientations and reveals.
- Warranties that typically include two-year craftsmanship and 20 years on base metals and paint systems.
As more building designers embrace IMPs in their projects the possibilities of this versatile building material will only continue to grow.
Brian N. Jaks, PE, is vice president of Green Span Profiles in Waller, Texas, and has 27 years’ experience in the metal construction industry. To learn more, visit greenspanprofiles.com.