Maryland Energy Administration

Mechanical Insulation

4. The Hub YouTube Page Header Image & Logo (2).pngMost engineers, architects, and end users are familiar with the use of insulation to reduce heating and cooling loads and control noise in building envelopes. Insulation used for pipes, ducts, tanks, and equipment - known as mechanical insulation - is not as familiar. Mechanical insulation systems are defined as the materials and components used to insulate piping, equipment, vessels, ducts, and other types of mechanical items. 

Mechanical insulation is usually a small part of the total cost of a project. As a result, mechanical insulation is often overlooked, undervalued, or improperly specified and maintained in commercial and industrial construction projects. Properly installed mechanical insulation provides long-term energy efficiency, emission reduction, cost savings and safety benefits. ​

The Maryland Clean Buildings Hub (the Hub), an initiative of the Maryland Energy Administration, empowers Maryland’s building owners to make well-informed energy investments in their properties by connecting them to financial, educational, and technical assistance. Sign-up for the Hub newsletter here. Have questions? Contact [email protected].

​ Incentives

Building owners and operators can tap into several incentives to help defray the costs of mechanical insulation investments. Through its Clean Buildings Hub initiative, the Maryland Energy Administration is committed to help owners understand the range of incentives that they may be eligible to receive.​

Utility Programs: 
EmPOWER Maryland:​ Ratepayers located in the following service territories can access energy efficiency-related incentives through their utility.

BGE Building Tune-Up Program: Just like a tune-up for your car, a building tune-up evaluates your facility’s various systems and fine-tunes how they operate for optimal performance and energy efficiency. Typically, this service can reduce overall energy use from 5% to 20% with minimal financial investment. The BGE Building Tune-up Program offers four ways to help your business save.
Delmarva Power Building Tune-up Program: Building Tune-up ensures your equipment is operating at peak performance, helping you conserve energy, save money, and extend the life of existing equipment. Delmarva Power offers financial incentives that can cover up to 85% of the project cost for several building tune-up services.
Pepco Building Tune-up Program: Tune-up ensures your equipment is operating at peak performance, helping you conserve energy, save money, and extend the life of existing equipment. Pepco offers financial incentives that can cover up to 85% of the project cost for several building tune-up services.
​ Potomac Edison Building Tune-up Program: Helps reduce costs by optimizing energy efficiency in commercial and industrial facilities. The program offers an initial assessment, incentives and an action plan to improve equipment and system performance.
SMECO Building Tune-up Program: Reduce operating costs by improving the energy efficiency of your facility—while taking advantage of incentives to cover up to 75% of service costs. Returning your equipment to peak operation makes it run more efficiently, improves air quality, and increases comfort.
Washington Gas Prescriptive Program: Washington Gas offers financial incentives to help business customers offset the upfront costs for energy efficient natural gas equipment. Whether you are looking to upgrade equipment in your existing building or for a new construction project, you may apply for financial incentives on the purchase and installation of standard energy-efficient measures.​
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​State Programs: 
Review State programs, such as from the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) that help Maryland commercial buildings decarbonize.​

MEA​’s Commercial & Community Buildings Grant Program (Coming Soon): Will provide eligible Maryland buildings with the opportunity to request funding for measures that advance building decarbonization through a combination of electrification, energy efficiency, and onsite renewable energy investments that result in quantifiable greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
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Resources

The Hub​ ​invites you to explore the materials below to help guide your next steps. Use these resources to help move your building decarbonization project forward with greater confidence.​

International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (Insulators International) Energy Assessment: Insulators International offers free energy assessments for mechanical systems for commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities.
An Introduction to Mechanical Insulation: This is a primer on the components and benefits of mechanical insulation.
Mechanical Insulation Design Guide: This design guide from the National Insulation Association is intended to be a comprehensive educational resource to assist specifiers and users of mechanical insulation in the design and specification of mechanical insulation systems for a wide range of applications.
Understanding Mechanical Insulation Course: The National Insulation Association (NIA)’s Understanding Mechanical Insulation Course includes a review of the insulation industry market segments; the need and importance of inspection; the purpose of mechanical insulation systems and why that is important to the inspection process; primary insulation materials and protective coverings; the importance of Safety Data Sheets; and codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines, and how they are intertwined.
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Trainings & Education

Interested in mechanical insulation-related training and educational opportunities? Learn more about the options available.

International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Student Apprenticeships: The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (J.A.T.C.) apprenticeship uses a highly successful training program, typically requiring four or five years to complete. All apprentices EARN while they LEARN, which means they are paid escalating wages throughout their entire apprenticeship process. Learn more today!
National Insulation Association Certified Insulation Energy Appraisers: The NIA curates a list of professionals who have attended a two-day training program on how to conduct an energy appraisal for mechanical insulation.
National Insulation Association Certified Thermal Insulation Inspectors: The NIA curates a list of professionals who have attended a four-day course on how to verify that the materials and insulation systems have been installed in accordance with mechanical insulation specifications.
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Suggestions for additional resources can be directed to [email protected].​​​

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