NCMI Blog

A study by the National Insulation Association (NIA) has shown the critical importance that maintenance of mechanical insulation provides in slashing energy costs and keeping schools and hospitals operating within budget.

How Does it Work?

Mechanical insulation has a proven history of saving large amounts of energy for a long-term benefit to the hospitals, schools, government facilities and other buildings that operate heating and cooling equipment in large locations.

• Insulation is often out of sight, located in the ceiling or walls.
• Up to 30% of installed mechanical insulation is estimated by the NIA to be damaged or missing due to inadequate or irregular maintenance.
• Insulation is often removed for valve or pipe inspection and then not properly replaced – impacting facility costs.

No Matter the Climate

The study included 14 schools and hospitals spread across the US climate zones. Each building differed in equipment, operational hours, climate and other variables for a complete analysis of upkeep and energy usage. This allowed the study to take into full account schools and hospitals that operate in hot, cold or varying weather.

Saving Billions

The unprecedented results of this study found that mechanical insulation saved up to 85 billion Btu per year in commercial buildings:

• Schools operated only 5 days a week, nine months out of the year with smaller facilities and saved an average of 20% of their energy with updated insulation.
• The larger hospital buildings, with continually running systems throughout the year, were estimated to save 78% of their total energy use with updated insulation.
• Hospitals with the 2010 insulation requirements saved an additional .1% to 2.6% in their energy use than those meeting the 2007 ASHRAE Standard.

Necessary for Operation

This recent NIA study reinforces the importance of proper insulation installation and upkeep in commercial buildings. A critical service to operations, the work of mechanical insulators on ductwork, pipes and equipment allows schools and hospitals to function where they otherwise would use more energy than they could afford, due to major energy distribution loss. Distribution loss makes proper insulation crucial to any facility, despite building size or location climate.

Contact NCMI for an energy audit and discover how much your facility could be saving.