Insulating Below Grade for Commercial Construction

While all the building components and materials are important to a well insulated and energy efficient structure, it all starts with a good foundation. Below are some high-performing insulation and compressive strength products that help meet code requirements, reduce energy costs, and meet project deadlines with on-time deliveries.

Under slab insulation for energy efficiency and compressive resistance is key in commercial construction. Selection of which product is needed under the slab is dependent on local building codes, loads calculated for the building, and energy requirements.

PlastiSpan EPS Insulation has multiple thicknesses, R-values and compressive resistance characteristics to help meet those requirements. The closed cell structure of the EPS is resistant to moisture, eliminates thermal bridging, and maintains its R-value, reducing overall energy costs of the building. Under slab rigid insulation options include:

PlastiSpan HD Insulation: This is a type 2 insulation with 16 psi and an R-value of 4.04 per inch for Canada or R4.2 per inch in the US. PlastiSpan HD is listed with CAN-ULC, CCMC 12425-L and ASTM C578.

PlastiSpan 20 Insulation: PlastiSpan 20 insulation's minimum compressive resistance of 140 kPa (20 psi) makes it ideal to insulate low temperature freezer floors or for use in other applications where moderate loads are expected.

PlastiSpan 25 Insulation: Using PlastiSpan 25 insulation under slab provides 25 psi compressive resistance with 4.27 R-value per inch. PlastiSpan 25 meets code requirements and is easy to cut and install in commercial applications.

PlastiSpan 30 Insulation: The closed cell structure of PlastiSpan 30 resists water absorption so it will retain its R-value even in applications where severe temperature differentials occur, making it a great under slab solution for commercial buildings.

PlastiSpan 40 Insulation: High compressive resistance for geotechnical applications. Compressive strength 40 psi, no thermal drift, less than 2% water absorption.

With the need for Radon Mitigation systems on the rise, Plasti-Fab developed an insulation solution to both insulate under the slab while allowing Radon to move through the mitigation system and out of the structure. Radon Guard is a key component in a Radon mitigation system. Radon Guard insulation is the code compliant one-to-one replacement for a 100 mm thick layer of granular material, the prescriptive solution required by building codes.

The last area of below grade solutions is geotechnical. Sometimes soil integrity is not ideal for a large commercial structure, or there may be other geotechnical requirements that need to be addressed in order to make the structure a success. In those instances, Plasti-Fab has two specific products: GeoVoid Compressible Fill Material and GeoSpan Compressible Fill material.

GeoVoid and GeoSpan are compressible fill material expanded polystyrene products designed to act as a compressible medium between swelling soils and structural elements. They are unaffected by water, engineered for commercial construction needs, and easily adaptable on site to meet dimensions.