Wednesday, March 11, 2009

“Green is in.”  These days, few people in the building industry would dispute that.  Owners and tenants – both commercial and residential – are growing increasingly sensitive to their buildings’ long-term environmental impact.

But not everyone agrees on what “green” really means.  For forward-looking building owners and developers, “green” means much more than just higher R-values and more efficient light bulbs.  New materials and entirely new construction systems are providing significant environmental benefits that pay off in both the short and long term.

In addition to lowering utility bills, these innovative systems help make the building process itself more efficient, reducing wasted energy and materials during construction, and significantly lowering the building’s overall lifecycle cost. 

What’s more, it is not just building owners who benefit.  Designers, developers, builders, tenants, neighbors and local governments also have a stake in the innovative new building systems that are showing up on both commercial and residential sites.

One excellent example of these groundbreaking new technologies is the Steel Thermal Efficient Panel (STEP), an innovative wall panel system that combines the structural strength of light-gauge steel framing with the proven insulation value of expandable polystyrene (EPS).  While other systems have combined steel framing with EPS, and OSB with EPS (SIPS), the new fused STEP panels overcome many of these earlier systems’ shortcomings.

For example, the new STEP wall systems fuse cold-formed steel framing members and EPS insulation together in a way that eliminates air gaps at the joints often associated with conventional framing and the earlier panel systems.  These air gaps diminish the insulation efficiency of other framing methods and panel systems.  As a result, STEP panels offer tested insulating values that surpass other wall systems, where the overall R-value of the entire wall system is generally significantly less than the R-value of the insulation itself due to gaps and settling. 

The new STEP panels also have an advantage over earlier SIP designs using wood or steel-based materials – an open cavity for mechanical, electrical and plumbing system components.   By incorporating an open cavity, there is no need for on-site cutting or routing, which can further reduce overall insulation effectiveness. 

As we noted, however, “green” building means a lot more than just R-values alone.  Other factors make STEP systems even more “resource-friendly,” both initially and over the long term.  For example, STEP panels’ light gauge steel framing can be manufactured from recycled materials, and the panels themselves are 100 percent recyclable.  A STEP wall panel system is thus a contributor to LEED® points.

STEP wall systems also contribute to more resource-friendly construction.  The components of a STEP system are typically customized to each building’s specifications, which dramatically reduces on-site waste and associated disposal costs when compared to conventional building techniques.

Moreover, unlike wood panelized systems and earlier SIP designs, the lightweight panels of a STEP system require no cranes or other specialized equipment to install.  This means both a lower carbon footprint for the building project, and lower construction costs for the owner.  In addition, no special fastening techniques or tools are required. 

Beyond their immediate impact during construction, STEP panels also provide long-term benefits when compared to other building systems such as wood panelized systems and other wood-based SIP designs.  For example, in addition to moving and shifting during construction, wall systems with wood components are also susceptible to warping and shrinkage over time as they go through repeated cycles of moisture absorption and drying. 

The fused steel and EPS insulation panels, on the other hand, do not “wick” or absorb moisture the way wood panelized walls or other designs with wood components do.  Because of this, the STEP system is not susceptible to the expansion, contraction and other moisture-induced stresses that can diminish building efficiency and shorten the structure’s useful life.

A closely related environmental issue, especially in damp climates, is the problem of mold and mildew.  Hidden mold inside walls is a major contributor to “sick building syndrome,” a multi-million dollar issue that has shut down some structures for years at a time as owners struggled to find solutions.  Here again, STEP panels are much less susceptible to such moisture-related issues. 

The insulating properties of expandable polystyrene also have another benefit.  When compared to other systems such as steel or wood-based SIPs and wood panelized walls, insulated STEP panels produce a wall assembly that can be more effective at dampening sound transmission between adjoining spaces.  This makes them ideal for use as demising walls between factory operations and climate-controlled offices, as well as in residential construction where sound transmission is always a concern. 

Over the long term, the lifecycle efficiency of STEP systems provides major environmental benefits, which could be overlooked if only initial costs are considered.  Ultimately, a building that stands the test of time consumes fewer resources than one that must be replaced in a few decades.

Because of both their immediate benefits and their long-term efficiency, STEP systems are proving to be increasingly popular as building owners look beyond traditional efficiency measures, and take into account the total assembly and life cycle impact of their buildings.  

DOWNLOAD GREEN QUALITIES AS A BUILDING SYSTEM and learn more.