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Advertising supplement provided by Owens Corning

Saves money — A very important factor for most building owners is the opportunity to save money with insulation. Yes, adding insulation above minimum levels required by energy codes can add to the cost of building the structure, but the higher thermal performance will go on saving operating expenses throughout the life of the building. Ignoring the fact that energy costs are on the rise in recent years and focusing simply on saving pennies on the front end of a project can set the stage for wasting many dollars in higher utility bills down the road.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and some insulation manufacturers have developed software that can help you compare the thermal performance and cost effectiveness of various energy conservation options in both residential and commercial projects. You enter information about construction options and the programs calculate the energy savings along with measures of economic performance, i.e., life-cycle savings and simple payback.

Earns LEED credits — One of the most widely used benchmarks for assessing environmental performance of building projects is the LEED® rating tool developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a voluntary, consensus-based standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. It was developed by USBGC members representing all segments of the industry.

Within LEED there are six categories where building projects can earn credits toward one of the four ranking levels of LEED certification. Four of those six categories can be impacted by insulation products. Perhaps the easiest way to earn LEED points is to go beyond the insulation requirements of ASHRAE 90.1, which is referenced by LEED as the baseline energy efficiency standard for commercial buildings.

Understanding LEED

A little more than 10 years ago the acronym LEED didn’t exist. Now it seems to be on everyone’s lips as consumers and building occupants demand high levels

of environmental performance in new construction, and architects and building designers become aware of the LEED rating system as a meaningful way to satisfy the desire for environmentally friendly projects.

LEED traces its roots to 1993 when several building materials companies got together and formed a membership organization they named U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The sole purpose of that new organization was to promote environmentally responsible building designs.