Construction 101: How IMPs Improve the Thermal Performance and Aesthetics of a Building

IMP is short for Insulated Metal Panel

These panels are revolutionizing the construction world. An insulated metal panel is a lightweight building material that can make up the entire building envelope.

Insulated metal wall and roof systems are pre-assembled single-unit systems that can greatly simplify the construction process. These panels offer thermal insulation, vapor barrier, weatherproofing, energy efficiency, and stylish finishes.

IMPs Improve the Thermal Performance of a Building

The thermal performance of building materials is expressed by two key factors: R-value and U-factor.

• The R-value is a measure of the material’s resistance to heat flow.
• The U-factor is an indicator of heat transmittance.

Insulated metal panels have a foam core which improves the thermal performance of the building. This core significantly cuts down the building’s heating and cooling costs.

Comparing the insulation efficiency of IMPs with other systems such as a field-assembled glass fiber system shows that IMPs deliver far greater insulation efficiency.

In fact, Insulated Metal Panels containing a foam core offer more than twice the insulation efficiency as compared to the glass fiber systems. Due to its insulation efficiency, Insulated Metal Panels deliver an unmatched thermal performance and improve the energy efficiency of the overall project.

IMPs are being used in the construction of large-scale cold storage facilities, warehouses, manufacturing plants, and other industrial buildings due to this high energy efficiency.

IMPs improve the thermal performance by forming air, water, and vapor barriers to protect the building from natural elements. Since there’s no metal conductance between the exterior and interior skins, thermal performance improves radically.

IMPs of greater thickness can be used in applications where increased insulation efficiency is required. Since the insulation of the panel is directly related to the thickness of the panel, the greater the thickness the higher the thermal performance.

IMPs Improve the Aesthetics of a Building

IMPs are largely used in complex high-tech architecture projects for several reasons. The first reason is that the wall and roof panels can be manufactured in a wide range of colors and finishes.

Another reason why Insulated Metal Panels are so popular among designers and architectures is the design flexibility these panels offer. For instance, designers can manipulate parameters such as the joint size variations, formed and curved panels, joint reveal widths, end folds and treatments, formed corner panels, high-performance coatings, heavier gauge flat surfaces, etc.

These panels offer a wide range of design and performance advantages, that’s why they are so popular! If you’re looking to use IMPs in your construction projects, Allied  can help. Get in touch now to find out more!