Value Engineering Insulation to Win More Jobs

Value Engineering

“How to create better value”

Value Engineering

Insulation by the numbers

One of the best ways to value engineer a roof is through the insulation. The main reason insulation is used in a roofing system is to lower utility cost and make the thermal performance of a building acceptable to code. Let’s look at the numbers in these 4 scenarios.

4 Roof Value Engineering Scenarios

Roof Example 1

Roof Description
50,000 square foot roof
200’ x 250’

Needed
R-Value 25 @ 40ºF

Specified

Polyisocyanurate Insulation

Stats:
R-value 5 R/inch*
Cost $.29/Board Foot

Math:
5 inches need x $.29 X 50,000 square feet
Total = $72,500

Valued Engineered

Expanded Polystyrene Insulation

Stats:
R-value 4.17 R/inch*
Cost $.17/Board Foot

Math:
6 inches need x $.17 X 50,000 square feet
Total = $51,000

Value Engineering using Expanded Polystyrene

Save $21,500

Polyisocyanurate Costs 42% More

Roof Example 2

Roof Description
50,000 square foot roof
200’ x 250’

Needed
1/4” Tapered with average R-Value 25 @ 40ºF

Specified

Polyisocyanurate Insulation

Stats:
Flat 2.5” (R-value = 12.5)
Taper Avg. 2.5” (Avg. R-value = 12.5)
Average R = 25

Math:
2.5” flat x $.29 X 50,000 square feet
= $36,250
2.5” taper x $.37 x 50,000 square feet
= $46,250

Total = $82,500

Valued Engineered

Expanded Polystyrene Insulation

Stats:
Flat 3.5” (R-value = 14.6)
Taper Avg. 2.5” (Avg. R-value = 10.4)
Average R = 25

Math:
3.5” flat x $.17 X 50,000 square feet
= $29,750
2.5” taper x $.18.5 x 50,000 square feet
= $23,125

Total = $52,875

Value Engineering using Expanded Polystyrene

Save $29,625

Polyisocyanurate Costs 56% More

Roof Example 3

Roof Description
50,000 square foot roof
200’ x 250’

Needed
R-Value 25 @ 40ºF

Specified

Polyisocyanurate Insulation

Stats:
R-value 5 R/inch*
Cost $.29/Board Foot

Math:
5” need x $.29 X 50,000 square feet
Total = $72,500

Valued Engineered

Hybrid System

Stats:
1” ISO (R=5)
3.6” EPS (R=15)
1” ISO (R=5)

Math:
1” ISO x $.29 X 50,000 square feet
= $14,500

3.6” EPS x $.17 X 50,000 square feet
= $30,600

1” ISO x $.29 X 50,000 square feet
= $14,500

Total $59,600

Value Engineering using Hybrid System

Save $12,900

Polyisocyanurate Costs 22% More

Roof Example 4

Roof Description
50,000 square foot roof
200’ x 250’

Needed
1/4” Tapered with average R-Value 25 @ 40ºF

Specified

Polyisocyanurate Insulation

Stats:
Flat 2.5” (R-value = 12.5)
Taper Avg. 2.5” (Avg. R-value = 12.5)
Average R = 25

Math:
2.5” flat x $.29 X 50,000 square feet
= $36,250
2.5” taper x $.37 x 50,000 square feet
= $46,250

Total = $82,500

Valued Engineered

Hybrid System
Flat ISO Tapered EPS

Stats:
1” ISO Bottom
3.6“ EPS Tapered Avg R=15
1” ISO Top

Math:
1” ISO x $.29 X 50,000 square feet
= $14,500

3.6” EPS x $.185 X 50,000 square feet
= $33,300

1” ISO x $.29 X 50,000 square feet
= $14,500

Total $62,300

Value Engineering using Hybrid System

Save $20,200

Polyisocyanurate Costs 32% More

* Cost comparisons where arrived at by shopping retail prices at by Midwest Wholesale and Gulf Eagle Supply (WI) 6/1/16. R-value used for calculations were published by insulation manufacturers’ publications 7/15/15 and NRCA recommendations of 5.0 R-value for midwest. Cost scenarios are used as an illustration to show the value of engineering and cost analysis. You may experience different savings based off of different variables. EPS has been shown to reduce cost in roofing systems.

Plymouth Foam manufactures roofing insulation for the United Sates including the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio. Plymouth Foam provides roofing insulation using Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) in the form of flat insulation, tapered insulation, fan fold, laminated insulation, drain sump insulation, cants, tapered edge strips, green roof channel insulation, insulation saddles, crickets, roofing flute fillers, direct to deck, UL and FM rated systems. Plymouth Foam’s EPS, the safe insulation, is manufactured in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio. EPS roofing insulation has been known to be used with Rubber or EPDM roofing systems, PVC roofing systems, TPO roofing systems, hot asphalt or built up (BUR) roofing systems, modified bitumen roofing systems, metal roofing systems, green roofing systems, garden roof systems, thermoplastic membranes, thermoset membranes, CSPE roofing systems, ECH roofing systems, PIB roofing systems and CPE roofing systems. National Roofers Contractors Association

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Value Engineering
Summaries

Roof 1 Scenario

EPS Saved $21,500

Roof 2 Scenario

EPS Saved $29,625

Roof 3 Scenario

EPS Saved $12,900

Roof 4 Scenario

EPS Saved $20,200

Go Plymouth Foam