The energy efficiency of a building is becoming more and more important. With the rise in energy costs and an emphasis on environmentally friendly practices, companies are looking for ways to enhance their building's energy efficiency. Within commercial buildings, one way of doing this is by utilising structural cladding when constructing a building.
Deciding to use structural cladding for your commercial building could lead to significant savings on energy bills and build up your reputation as a green and eco-friendly company.
At Jade Aden Services, we have over 25 years of experience installing cladding across several industries. We work with a variety of cladding types, allowing us to provide a diverse and expert cladding service for your project. In this article, we take a look at what structural cladding is and dive into how it helps the energy efficiency of your commercial building.
What is structural cladding?
Structural cladding is a building system that utilises cladding materials to construct a building. Unlike wall cladding, this system provides a double function as it can bear loads as well as protect the building from the elements.
Materials used for this system are picked because of their structural properties as well as their aesthetic appeal, allowing for design flexibility and efficiency. Common materials used include steel, aluminium, composite panels, concrete and glass.
Additional features might be included in the cladding, such as insulation air and moisture barriers and attachment methods to enhance durability, efficiency and performance. These also ensure that the structure complies with building regulations and codes.
Insulation Enhancement
Insulation is often added to cladding systems to reduce heat transfer through the walls.
These materials, often fibreglass, mineral wool, foam boards and reflective foil barriers, are strategically placed between the outer cladding layer and the building’s structural elements.
As these materials are resistant to heat transfer, they don’t take any of the heat, or cool air, from inside the building and transfer it outside. This enables a commercial building to retain the warmth it builds up, increasing its energy efficiency and reducing the need for constant heat or air conditioning sources to be on, and therefore reducing bills.
Thermal Performance
Structural cladding functions as a continuous thermal barrier around a building, helping inside the building maintain a steady temperature.
The cladding works by separating the consistent and managed indoor space from the fluctuating outdoor environment. As the cladding material is used around the whole building, heat flow between the building and the outdoors is minimised. So, in colder months, the cladding prevents heat from escaping meanwhile, in hotter months, it prevents the warm air from entering the building keeping the interior cooler.
Air Sealing
Using structural cladding can limit the chance of air leakages and infiltration. The systems act as a seal around the building, reducing air escaping through small gaps in the structure of the building often found in traditional construction systems.
Reducing the chance of gaps, and therefore, airflow improves the thermal performance of a building as warm and cool air is kept within the building, creating a constant temperature rather than an unstable one, being influenced by the outdoor weather.
Solar Reflectance
Certain types of cladding are made to reflect sunlight, which lowers the building's internal heat gain and absorption. This is another way in which structural cladding can help buildings maintain comfortable temperatures throughout the year, reducing reliance on HVAC systems and improving energy efficiency.
Daylighting Optimisation
A clever design that combines the use of cladding and windows facilitates the use of natural daylight within a facility, meaning there will be less need for artificial lighting, which uses up energy and contributes to the warmth of the building.
Ventilation Efficiency
Features that encourage natural ventilation can be incorporated into well-designed cladding systems, which can lower the need for mechanical ventilation systems, improve indoor air quality, and save energy.
Durability and Maintenance
Structural cladding is incredibly durable and requires very little maintenance. This means that the energy needed for the upkeep and replacement of the materials is low, contributing to the long-term energy efficiency of the building.
Improve Your Building’s Energy Efficiency With Jade Aden Services
Choosing structural cladding for your building is an investment as it helps you reduce your reliance on heat sources or air conditioning units, which consume large amounts of energy and increase your energy bills.
The team at Jade Aden Services will work with you to design and construct a building that meets your requirements while ensuring the materials improve energy efficiency and protection against the elements.
Our turnkey solution ensures the process is easy for you, keeping costs down and maximising the benefits.
Discover how we have helped businesses across the country to build energy-efficient workspaces that look modern while providing space for their needs.
Get in touch with our team of specialists to discuss your projects and requirements and learn how structural cladding can help you. Call us on 01202 622252 or complete our contact form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
