Kingspan Insulated Panels Inc. is demonstrating energy modeling programs to illustrate how far Envelope First Strategies could advance beyond LEED, Energy Code and the Department of Energy Net-Zero Energy goal of 2025. Kingspan will showcase the models in its exhibit during the Greenbuild 2009 International Conference and Expo, November 11-13 in Phoenix.

Envelope First is one of the most important overall strategies for optimizing building energy efficiency. Kingspan is dedicated to providing products and solutions that can help contribute to achieving net-zero energy buildings. To demonstrate, Kingspan’s director of environment and sustainability, Paul Bertram, Jr., will present the company’s energy modeling programs during Greenbuild. Using three different building types—a warehouse, a school and an office—the company created energy models that provide a whole energy analysis of the building and show how high-performance building envelope systems are key in delivering net-zero energy buildings. The energy modeling provides data that indicates annual energy costs savings, carbon emission reduction, decrease in BTUs, relationship to LEED energy efficiency targets and DOE baselines.

“Given the right inputs, modeling programs are sophisticated enough to reasonably predict performance outcome. Energy models typically provide only an estimate of a building’s future energy performance and require follow up on how a building actually performs once in use. Kingspan’s modeling focuses on comparisons of differential performance between the envelope designs, different ECMs (Energy Conservation Measures) and the addition of renewable solar energy,” said Bertram, Jr. “We take an ‘Envelope First’ approach to energy efficiency—examining how the various components of a building envelope can sequentially integrate with optimized energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal.”