Knauf demands the best of its materials just as Energy Mechanical Insulation (EMI), Inc. EMI is a family-owned business where even the grandchildren learned the value of insulation and how to properly install it. Emilia (Emi) Hooks, the matriarch of the company and whose name became the company’s moniker, can remember when her husband, Ken, moved their small business south from Carson City, NV to Las Vegas. At the time, work seemed promising, but to be successful it meant aligning with products and suppliers they could rely on.

Formaldehyde-free Knauf products have been a key mainstay for EMI and its distribution alliance with Brian Berk at Bay Insulation, who continues to be pivotal in supplying material on-time and on-budget. Knauf products produced from fiberglass are some of the most widely used in the marketplace because of their ease of fabrication, installation and overall cost. Earthwool® 1000° pipe insulation reduces thermal losses through piping systems helping improve water efficiency; Atmosphere™ Duct Wrap insulation helps save energy while aiding the delivery of quiet, conditioned air for indoor comfort; and Knauf board’s high thermal and acoustical qualities help enhance project-demanded performance qualities in larger and hard-to-get-to spaces.
 

THE CHALLENGE

Any project of this scope and visibility is bound to have installation hiccups, such as the air plenum large enough to drive a car through running horizontal and vertical through eight floors. There wasn’t enough room in the concrete shaft to insulate solely with Atmosphere™ Duct Wrap so the EMI crew improvised, using Knauf Board and finding a solution for marrying the joints together that looks as if it was fabricated in the shop.

Knauf’s high quality materials helped to complete the high quality work. With four mechanical rooms, one housing all the refrigeration equipment for when the arena becomes an ice venue and a mid-level concession area surrounding the entire arena footprint, piping systems are both large and small. Many are exposed to the view of arena attendees and required articulate installed jacketing over their exposed surfaces. “We’ve got [pipe] mains running all over the place that are high, and we’ve got to get the grease ducts early before everything [else] gets around it”, expresses Mike Hopcia, Job Forman for EMI.

 

Using Knauf Earthwool® 1000° ASJ+ pipe insulation was a good choice because it provides a finished pipe surface that resists water and exposure to other areas and can be easily cleaned without harming the jacketing surface quality. Knauf Atmosphere™ Duct Wrap provides superior thermal and condensation control with ease of cutting and fabrication; and Knauf Board provides exceptional thermal, moisture and acoustical benefits for larger surface areas.

With a seating capacity of approximately 20,000 the T-Mobile Arena project demands materials and construction practices with excellence —performance and quality - attributes that transcend through generations. Knauf materials do just that, aligning with the best people and providing them with some of the highest quality materials in the industry is our business.

Knauf materials are produced using the industry’s first green binder technology called ECOSE® Technology. This bio-based binder enables Knauf materials to meet and exceed today’s design specifications that focus on high performance and healthy indoor environments.

Knauf produces products that are formaldehyde-free, free of acrylic petrochemicals and free of added color. Recycled bottles collected from local curbside waste management programs makeup over 50% of the post-consumer primary raw material ingredient for Knauf’s products.

LEARN MORE

Discover how to add Earthwool® 1000° Pipe Insulation, Earthwool® ASJ+ Pipe Insulation, Atmosphere™ Duct Wrap, and Earthwool Insulation Board to your next project.
 

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