Low temperature buildings used for food processing, storage, and other applications create one of the most challenging environments for insulation. Such buildings must maintain interior temperatures that are cool, sub-freezing, or even sub-zero in order to serve their intended purpose. Under these conditions, it is critical that the building wall, roof and floor insulation demonstrate superior water resistance qualities and reliable R-value. These are the attributes that make extruded polystyrene (XPS) the preferred insulation for low temperature buildings—an insulation that will endure the environmental demands while helping to maintain the low temperature interior.
The low interior temperature in low-temp buildings creates moderate to high temperature differentials and moderate to high vapor pressure differentials between the inside and outside of the space. Temperature differences are the force that drives heat energy into the building— energy that must be removed via mechanical chilling equipment. Vapor pressure differences are the force that drives water vapor (humidity) into the building; the building insulation must be resistant to moisture absorption while under constant exposure to vapor intrusion due to vapor pressure differences between the inside and outside.