LMCT Director Discusses Invest Act on Union Podcast
Insulators International Staff — Tue, Sep 15, 2020 @ 16:09 PM
On Aug. 26, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management and Cooperative Trust Executive Director Pete Ielmini appeared on America’s Work Force Radio Podcast to discuss the inclusion of mechanical insulation language within the Invest Act.
“Insulation is not a maintenance free item,” Ielmini told AWF host Ed “Flash” Ferenc.
Ielmini explained how damaged mechanical insulation needs to be repaired and over the years, will require maintenance, in order to properly function as designed.
He estimated millions, if not billions of dollars lost due to either a lack of mechanical insulation or damaged mechanical insulation.
If the Invest Act were to become law, it could save taxpayers money by providing incentives to install mechanical insulation.
Those who think mechanical insulation is not needed because of the push to become carbon net zero are misguided.
While there is a notion in the general public that the U.S. can become carbon net zero in the next few years, Ielmimi believes this is unlikely. Fossil fuels will play a major role in the economy for at least the next 25 years and mechanical insulation can help reduce the amount of fuel required by heating or cooling systems or processes.
Discussion then turned to energy audits.
Most people and businesses have no clue if their insulation is damaged or missing. The only way to know if mechanical insulation is costing you money is by requesting a mechanical insulation energy audit.
Ielmini said Insulator LMCT members are trained to conduct these audits and provide analysis.
This inspection will remove the “black magic” surrounding insulation and show the property/business owner the insulation is working, or the price they are paying for missing or damaged mechanical insulation.
When a qualified person inspects a mechanical insulation system, they input the data into a computer program, which then provides quantitative results to prove the effectiveness of mechanical insulation.
These audits can answer such as the amount of savings per hour, per week, per year, etc.
Through thermal photography, they can show pictures of heat loss.
Energy audits are the best way to show the quantitative results delivered by mechanical insulation and learn how soon there will be a return on the investment. From energy efficiency to money saved, Ielmini encouraged property owners to get audited to see the benefits of mechanical insulation.
Listen to the entire interview here: