USI was recently featured on an episode of Office Spaces, a TV show about modern workplace design. For more detailed information about this unique project, read the Project Overview below.

Project Overview – Commercial Spray Foam Insulation

BrandStar is an award-winning global marketing and production company, with its corporate office and production studio in Deerfield Beach, Florida. BrandStar’s general contractor contacted USI to provide installed insulation in their facility while being filmed for the TV show Offices Spaces. The series is a great resource for commercial general contractors and property managers to learn about the latest technology to help make office buildings more energy efficient. In this case, the customer was remodeling a warehouse in order to convert it into a habitable, usable space by employees. Their plan was to remodel the space where video editors will be working, so sound was a concern, as well as indoor air quality. That’s why they wanted to bring in USI. We installed 5,600 square-feet of R20 Bayseal® Open-Cell (OC) SPF Insulation from Covestro. USI also applied DC315 thermal barrier over the spray foam. The insulation was installed inside the building, under the roof deck, which has 40 foot metal ceilings. The job was completed in February of 2016.

Challenge

Initially, the big challenge was to design a solution that would address outside noise from rain hitting the metal roof, while preserving indoor air quality, since this was an office space. Plus, the South Florida climate required a solution that would help keep the control room and the on-camera talent cool and comfortable. However, during a renovation of a commercial job site like this, safety is always the biggest challenge. In addition to ensuring fresh air for the sprayer and a full-faced respirator for the helper, the film crew also required proper respiratory protection while filming. On a commercial commercial spray foam insulation job site, safety vests, hard hats and fire extinguishers are also required. Additionally, since so many other subcontractors were working on this project, USI needed to take great care in scheduling the installation phases to ensure safety compliance. Since office cubicles were already on-site and ready to be installed, timing was critical for the first phase of installation. We had to work weekends and after hours. The work space, meanwhile, had to be clearly defined with danger tape and poly separating the areas. Scissor lifts with guard rails needed to be in place and proper ventilation prepared. And prep work was done to not only clear the area for installation, but to make sure the underside of the flat metal roof deck was clean and free of oil in order to alleviate the concern around poor adhesion of the spray foam to the metal substrate.

Solution

During USI’s initial inspection of the job site, we checked for how well ventilated the space was and what pre-installation prep work needed to be done. We also had to ensure no other contractors were going to be working, and how we would get the proper safety and installation equipment into the job site, such as the spray foam rig, scissor lifts, fans, etc. USI installed 5,600 total square feet of R20 open cell foam inside under the roof deck in the facility. This includes Bayseal OC open cell spray foam manufactured by Covestro, and IFTI DC315 15-minute thermal barrier sprayed over the open cell foam. Normally USI would recommend a closed-cell spray foam when being applied directly to metal for its surface adherence ability, but sound attenuation was important to the client. Open-cell spray foam is a great solution for sound absorption, while providing excellent air sealing qualities.

Benefits

The commercial Spray Foam Insulation will help preserve indoor air quality, provide soundproofing benefits, and help seal the building envelope. Installing SPF insulation was the most cost-effective solution for the customer to be able to use this existing space better. This unique solution by USI benefited the customer in the following ways:

• Controlled temperature regulation
• Better absorption of outside noise
• Preserve indoor air quality with a fresh air supply helped by insulation
• Energy efficiency by properly sealing the building envelope
• Overall comfort for employees, resulting in a more productive and enjoyable work environment

For More Information

USI has 46 locations nationwide and is a leading provider of installed insulation for residential and commercial builders nationwide. Our entire installation process is designed to maximize safety, quality, and efficiency. Our local branches have extensive knowledge of building science and local energy codes, and the experience to provide the ideal insulation and air sealing solutions that meet code and achieve optimal comfort and energy savings. Contact your local branch to get a bid on your next project.

Check out other showcase projects for which USI installed spray foam insulation:

Jacksonville Jaguars Stadium Home

Net Zero Tiny House