Get LEED Certification For Your Green Building with Thermaxx Insulation

This article was writted by Jessica Freedman, an expert at Thermaxx Jackets

Do you need a few more points for your LEED certification? Thermaxx can help! Whether it is in energy usage, thermal comfort, or another credit category, adding removable insulation can improve your green building and help you meet your goals. Thermaxx is a US based manufacturer of custom, removable insulation jackets, which can help dramatically reduce energy usage and heat loss, plus extend the lifetime of your components.

Installing jackets on previously un-insulated valves and other steam components has been shown to reduce steam usage by tens of thousands of therms per year. When you’re looking to optimize energy performance to beat baseline standards by at least 12%, in order to earn LEED points for the Energy & Atmosphere category, every little bit makes a big difference. Removable insulation jackets can push you over the top of your energy saving goals.

On the LEED Operations & Maintenance side of things, Thermaxx Jackets can help with ongoing efforts to maintain certification. Installing jackets in historically hot mechanical rooms can also help to reduce the ambient temperature by decreasing the heat loss from these components. Thermaxx has recently completed projects showing a reduction in ambient temperature of as much as 40 degrees, in many cases. A reduction in temperature can lead to less occupant discomfort in adjacent rooms. This will help you to earn the points for achieving Thermal Comfort in the Indoor Environment Quality (IEC) credit category. Additionally, if you have continually struggled to meet occupants’ thermal comfort needs in the past and have been over-conditioning the air to try to keep up jackets may allow you to scale back and save still more energy to benefit that Energy & Atmosphere category even further.

Are you attempting to capture points in the Sustainable Sites or Materials & Resources categories by updating and maintaining an existing historic building? If you’re planning to build around and maintain an existing steam/HVAC system, insulation is a must. These older components may have aging fiberglass insulation or they may be bare. Either way, you will see the same benefits by insulating them as you would in new, ground-up construction, plus, you’ll help to prolong the lifespan of the reused and new components, by protecting them from unnecessary exposure to condensation and/or the elements. Keeping chilled water valves and other components insulated with removable jackets can help them to last years longer than they otherwise would when sweating day in and day out.

There are many categories in which Thermaxx can help you meet your goals of green building, and only a few are listed here. If you’re looking to construct or operate a LEED certified building, particularly one with steam, then including removable insulation jackets in your plans should be at the top of your list. Please contact your local Thermaxx representative today to discuss how we can help you reach Silver, Gold, Platinum, or whatever your green construction goal may be on your current project or any in the future. We look forward to helping you to hang your LEED plaque!