Atlas ThermalStar® Excels Above and Below Grade in Cranberry Processing Facility
Family-owned Badger State Fruit Processing is the largest independent supplier of cranberry products in the United States. The group is composed of cranberry growers, processors, warehouses, and transporters. In their state-of-the-art sweetened dried cranberry facility in Pittsville, WI, Badger State Fruit processes more than 100 million pounds of finished product annually. Critical to the company’s success is the cold storage performance and freezing capacity in which the cranberries are processed and stored. To offer high-quality cranberry juice and frozen or dried cranberry products to leading brands like Ocean Spray®, Badger Fruit requires large freezer warehousing facilities equipped with high-performance thermal barriers.
The Challenge — Finding the most versatile thermal insulation
Badger State and their affiliate, Gardner Cold Storage, thoroughly researched the market for the best thermal barriers available. The product had to work effectively both below grade and on the roof of the new freezer warehouse. Mark Konrardy, project owner and Facilities and Quality Manager with Gardner Cold Storage, said there was simply no other option comparable to Atlas ThermalStar® Rigid Insulation. “We looked at all kinds of insulation for the foundation, but we selected ThermalStar® Below Grade Insulation board for its outstanding capability as a vital component for the cold storage building’s envelope,” said Mark. “The product is ideal to achieve energy efficiency while minimizing long-term moisture retention. The below grade performance was also a big plus for us. With up to 20% of a building’s total heat loss occurring at the perimeter and slab of the foundation, a top quality below grade insulation was an absolute must for a project like this.” ThermalStar® Below Grade Insulation was the perfect choice for the building assembly. It is designed to provide stable, long-term R-value, minimal long-term moisture retention, and handle high load-bearing with compression strengths up to 60 psi.
The Approach — Customized insulation for the best R-value
For this cold storage facility, there were 144,704 square feet on the foundation and roof that needed high performance thermal protection. The building was constructed using a steel frame and insulated with laminated polyiso panels with a metal film and set on a concrete slab. Beneath the concrete floor, two layers of ThermalStar were installed to ensure optimal performance. The first layer consisted of 4-inch-thick ThermalStar with a psi of 25, providing an R-value of 4.4 per inch. On top of that, a 2-inch-thick layer of ThermalStar with a psi of 40 was added, also offering an R-value of 4.4 per inch. This combination totaled an under slab R-value of 26.4. The higher psi of the top layer was essential for the stability of the concrete flooring, enabling it to support the weight of heavy equipment and the cranberry pallets. On the roof, two layers of 5.9-inch-thick ThermalStar with a psi of 15 were installed, creating an overall thickness of 11.8 inches and an R-value totaling 49.56, offering excellent protection from heat and humidity. A ballasted EPDM roof, which is a rubber roofing membrane known for its extreme durability and longlasting attributes, was applied over the top of the insulation, sealed, and covered with washed river stone to hold the membrane down and protect the structure from rainfall. “This was a big project that demanded some 290,000 square feet of insulation to go into the building,” said Mark. “The job also required highly customizable thicknesses and psi of the ThermalStar product to ensure our contractors could meet the extreme needs for insulation on the project. Fortunately, Atlas came through for us in every way. As an Expanded Polystyrene foam plastic, ThermalStar is uniquely customizable in a variety of thicknesses. That was the key for us to achieve our desired R-values both above and below grade.” Mark added that another benefit of working with Atlas is that any insulation waste or unused product can be brought back to any of their plants and recycled immediately on site. “Atlas Insulation stands head and shoulders above our competitors by offering customized packages tailored to buildings of varying sizes and requirements,” said Pat Austin, Territory Sales Representative for Atlas Insulation. “We can provide precise installation specifications down to the sixteenth of an inch, at no additional cost. And for customers like Badger Fruit, achieving the ideal R-value is critical. For this project, they were able to reach their specific R-value goals of 49.56 on the roof and 26.4 below grade.”
The Result — Atlas makes the job refreshingly easier
The benefits of partnering with Atlas go well beyond the proven product performance. “Working with Atlas makes the whole project run smoother in many ways,” said Mark. “While it’s great to have the ideal insulation both above and below grade, it’s the people at Atlas that make the whole experience so enjoyable. They’re very experienced, highly professional, and always willing to go out of their way to meet your needs. For example: when the trucks first arrive on the scene, everything is safely packed, stacked, and labeled according to sequence. Communication with their folks is always excellent and their level of service is unparalleled. If they say they are going to do something, they do it. That’s refreshing for this day and age.” Quality insulation with stable long-term R-values is a vital component of a building’s envelope. When that building is a high-tech freezer containing a multi-million-dollar crop, and with the clock ticking, the project becomes even more critical. ThermalStar® Rigid Insulation from Atlas not only met, but exceeded expectations, delivering exceptional results for Badger State Fruit Processing and their precious crop