DENVER, CO--(Marketwired - Jun 28, 2016) - Badger State Fruit Processing provides a unique combination of services to Wisconsin's Cranberry industry. Plant manager Mark Konrardy was responsible for overseeing a recent 186,250 sf plant expansion in a design-build delivery. A key to success in adding a massive cold-storage facility to existing operations was meeting demanding temperature control requirements while minimizing operational expenses. Konrardy researched insulation options considering three intertwined factors -- performance, environmental impact, and cost.
"Our insulation needs weren't just the walls and roof, but included foundation perimeter and underslab as well, making this a six-sided challenge," shares Konrardy. "Ultimately, we decided that ACH Foam Technologies products were the best fit."
Insulating properties, measured in R-values, was one of two performance factors. ACH Technologies' Foam-Control PLUS+® architectural insulation and Foam-Control® roof insulation both provide a fully warrantied R-value that maintains its effectiveness for 50 years. While other types of insulations may claim higher initial R-values, 3rd party testing shows that off-gassing occurs reducing the products' effectiveness. Specifically, polyisocyanurate manufacturers utilize long-term thermal resistance (LTTR), a weighted average R-value of their product over a designated period of time.
The second performance criterion was compressive strength. The underslab insulation had to support the massive weight of the cold storage freezers. Foam-Control PLUS+ 400, has a compressive strength of 40 psi, enabling it to support the weight without risk of structural collapse. Working closely ACH's architectural sales team, Badger State's design team developed a layering system that met the R-value and compressive strength requirements yet still reduced construction costs. Six inches of insulation were required to achieve the target R-value but design only required two inches of Foam-Control PLUS+ 400 at 40 psi to meet the weight requirements. A two-layer system was devised combining two inches of Foam-Control PLUS+ 400 on top of a four-inch layer of Foam-Control PLUS+ 250. By using two different densities of material, the project saved more than $54,000 compared to the cost of a six-inch layer of Foam-Control PLUS+ 400 exclusively.
In addition to the underslab application, the project also called for 1,975,000 broad feet of Foam-Control flat EPS roof insulation where R-Value considerations are just as important but the compressive strength required is significantly reduced. In roofing applications, builders often point to the ease of installation and the long-term effectiveness of an insulation product that maintains the original R-value as distinguishing characteristics in the decision making process.
