Kingspan Insulated Panels is future ready. Its all-in-one architectural wall facades and roofing systems are R-rated building solutions that are already compliant with anticipated changes to the Building Code of Australia (BCA).
The energy-efficiency provisions of Section J of the BCA are expected to change in 2010. Section J is a part of the BCA that is currently undergoing significant reform in response to the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These new BCA energy initiatives are part of a long-term plan to increase the thermal efficiency of building stock.
Mandatory minimum requirements for energy performance are currently in existence for roofs, walls and floors. These are set to change, and one of the draft provisions for 2010 currently indicates an emphasis on roof colour choices, with lighter colours recommended for warm climates and darker colours in colder climates. This is seen as a means of countering the effects of solar absorption on roof systems. Another key area of proposed change is the minimum thermal requirement for wall systems, based on the type of wall construction and the relevant climate zone.
As the cost of both living and building rises, one of the key decisions that needs to be made in building design and construction today is the use of future-proof products – materials that will meet the thermal performance requirements of today and tomorrow. This is not a problem for Kingspan Insulated Panels, which currently offers (as standard products) R-rated roof systems between R 1.82 and 5.35 and R-rated wall systems from R 2.65 to 7.15. These are product R-values, which are not reliant on an array of roofing materials to achieve thermal performance (for example, safety mesh, building blankets, roof spacer bars or roof sheeting). Wall systems may also be multi-componented.
The rising importance of climate change issues provides an opportunity for performance-oriented products like Kingspan insulated panels, and provides builders and building owners with more environmentally friendly choices for the design of roof and wall systems.
Kingspan panels have a continuous layer of insulation at the roof or wall level – unlike standard bulk insulation which is generally either squashed or non-existent around purlins and battens, thus de-rating its performance. The choice of Kingspan products translates into ongoing energy savings, with more tenantable buildings and happier building owners.
The R-rated roof and wall systems achieve thermal performance that will comply with changes to the energy-efficiency provisions of Section J of the BCA.