Liberty Dialysis Leeward, Oahu – 2022
This dialysis clinic needed a way to keep cool. Their original plan was to install larger expensive air conditioners and have a higher energy bill. MRC’s solution was to properly insulate the roof from the outside, due to some roadblocks preventing an interior attic insulation application. The clinic is only closed 1 day a week, so that prevented an interior installation of any kind of insulation, even spray foam because of lingering organic compound odors negatively impacting the condition of immunocompromised sensitive patients.
Existing Roof
The original roof was standing seam metal painted blue. It was a heat sink that telegraphed heat directly into the building and made the existing air conditioners run all day, and the air conditioners were inadequate to keep the interior cool.
Prior to the roof being insulated and coated, the interior floor temperatures would average around 76-77 degrees and sometimes hit 80 degrees during peak hours. After the new roofing solution, the floor temperatures (with portable A/C units OFF) read 69-70 degrees.
Temperatures are approximately 6-7 degrees cooler for the entire building, without the necessity for or installation of any additional mechanical/electrical equipment (tested by RIM Architects). The new exterior reflective surface coating showed a surface temperature of up to 105°. This is a thirty-five-degree temperature difference between top roof surface and interior floor surface.
The solution allowed the client to save up to $120k per year on operations by removing temporary A/C units. There were 8-12 units being used at any given time, with each unit costing up to $1,000 per month in electric/utility fees.
New Roof-Over Design
MRC Roofing created a design build solution. MRC installed a roofing system with an R-Value of 20 which included 2.5” rigid and primed insulation boards from Carlyle SynTec. The rigid boards were precut/fluted at the shop to fit directly over the existing standing seam metal roof panels.
The rigid insulation boards lay flush and were adhered to the roof with DuPont™ Insta Stik™ Quik Set (single component urethane) and stainless steel fasteners, followed by 1” of three-pound spray applied polyurethane foam by Henry and 38 mils of white acrylic coating manufactured by National Coatings, a Henry Company.
Design Build
MRC Roofing’s Michael (Red) Coleman design build was approved by RIM Architects. This roofing system is not only insulating, but also a seamless waterproof barrier designed by a seasoned contractor. Contractors should always be consulted for design build solutions. Field professionals know what will work for cost effective solutions.
