FEATURES
Insulating the Ashgrid system of the V&A Waterfront Clock Tower in Cape Town.
From page 18
Bulk fibrous insulation is still widely used,
despite its long-term shortcomings.”
Insulation is essentially an energy saver,
and if not applied correctly from design
stage through to product installation, it will
result in inefficiencies within the building
envelope, highlights Jeffery, adding that
energy consumption will increase as the
HVAC system will need to run longer or
harder to achieve the correct
ambient temperatures.
“It’s an intelligent choice to adequately
insulate, as the relatively short payback
period from the point of investment in
effective roof insulation to the savings
attained in energy demand and
consumption, is a clear and concise
decision,” says managing director at D&D
Roof Insulations Bryn Doherty, who boasts
25 years’ experience specifically in the roof
insulation market in South Africa.
According to Susan Wutete, key client
manager at KAEFER, insulation is no longer
a ‘trend’ but a mandatory requirement in
all new buildings and extensions in
accordance with the Energy Efficiency
Regulations that were published in 2011.
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OCTOBER 2018
CLADDING // CONCRETE // INSULATION // STEEL // THATCH // TIMBER // TRANSLUCENT // WATERPROOFING // COMPONENTS
“The function of insulation is grossly
underestimated. Apart from the thermal
and acoustic comfort it provides in
buildings, insulation has a wide and critical
function in a number of applications.
Because there are many different types of
insulation made from various materials, the
properties vary and continue to cater to a
lot of needs in the world today,” she explains.
Sustaining insulation
With the current economic climate where
cost cutting is a big driver, there is often a
tendency to use the cheapest materials
which are not up to SABS standards and
cannot achieve the required thermal
insulation standards.
“The use of cheap and nasty insulation
substitutes coupled with poor and or
incorrect installation methods will leave
the owner of the building in a predicament
should something go wrong as
manufacturer guarantees and warranties
will not apply or fall short,” says Wutete.
She continues, “New technologies
continue to be developed in line with the
vision for improved energy efficiency,
cleaner energy and more sustainable ways
of working and doing things.
The digital era means that insulation
solutions are more proactive rather than
reactive to problems after the fact. There
are several new innovative insulation
systems on the market today, for instance
External Thermal Insulation Composite
Systems (ETICS) which can be applied to
the façade of a building. Some insulation
boards can also be used as a ceiling, having
a dual purpose of ceiling and insulation in
one. This is very popular if rafters are
exposed, which makes it aesthetically
pleasing. Additionally, laser and various
other non-destructive technologies enable
monitoring of insulated equipment for
moisture and hot spots, therefore minimising
corrosion under insulation and other ills.”
Doherty notes there has been a
significant move towards the use of more
bulk and higher thicknesses of roof
insulation materials to provide better
thermal values to the relevant building. He
adds that there is a great calling for more
energy efficient buildings. “In South Africa
we currently find ourselves in an energy
crisis with massive rising costs, and the
correct and adequate design and
See more on page 22