July 26, 2006—A new study shows polyiso insulation can save tens of thousands of dollars in installed costs when compared to other roof insulation materials. The independent study, performed by Energy Services Provider Group (ESPG), analyzed the cost to insulate the roofs of standard retail and elementary school buildings.
When the minimum required ASHRAE R-value insulation is used, polyiso demonstrates a consistent economic advantage over extruded and expanded polystyrene, says the study. The retail building study showed installed cost savings of $93,000 to $146,000 when polyiso is used instead of extruded polystyrene.
The study also assessed the financial impact of adding an extra inch of polyiso, exceeding the standard ASHRAE R-value requirements. The study found that a roof system using additional polyiso is still more affordable to install than minimum levels of extruded and expanded polystyrene while offering increased energy efficiency. The retail building study found installed cost savings of $72,000 to $113,000 when higher levels of polyiso are used instead of standard levels of extruded polystyrene.
A computer model compared the costs of insulating typical elementary schools and retail strip malls in six U.S. cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and San Francisco. For more information, visit the Polyiso Web site.
