Reducing Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions
with Insulation

Insulation is an essential component to any sustainable design. While it was sometimes considered an afterthought for many years throughout the past century, the bend toward lessening fuel consumption by limiting the operating hours of mechanical systems has pushed insulation to the forefront.

Click thumbnail above for larger graph.

Insulation’s new visibility has led to an explosion of innovations in this sector of construction.

This ED+C and SF Special Bulletin, with technical content sponsored by Honeywell for ED+C's and SF's readers, explores the advantages of one type of insulation: closed-cell spray polyurethane foam.

Insulation and Green Design

What comes to mind when you think of green buildings? For many, green buildings are constructed of materials from renewable sources or have high recycled content such as denim, bamboo, cellulose insulation and recycled plastics. But research and experience shows us that one of the best materials in a builder's arsenal of tools for green building design and construction is closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF).

What are Green Buildings?

The term “green building” has been around for many years and is interpreted different ways by many diverse groups including the US Green Building Council (USGBC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).  But after more than a dozen years of debate, all of these groups agree that buildings that are “green” use resources more efficiently and conserve energy, water and materials while reducing the building´s impact on human health and the environment.  

As emphasis of the environmental impact of buildings increases, contractors and designers are recognizing the unique features, benefits and physical characteristics of closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) that assist in the development of green building design. 

For example, building owners, design professionals and contractors can use ccSPF to:

• Reduce energy usage
• Reduce construction waste
• Perform multiple design functions thereby eliminating additional materials
• Increase durability of buildings
• Provide environments to better control indoor air quality
• Extend life of assemblies (such as roofing systems)
• Decrease urban heat-island effect on roofing systems
• Enable other sustainable or green features of a building to perform more efficiently (such as photo voltaic panels, i.e., solar panels)

Manufacturing is Important

This newsletter will address each of the examples listed above, but first a key element that is often disregarded is how much energy it takes to extract, process and eventually use materials. 

In 1992 Franklin and Associates published a study called “The Comparative Energy Evaluation of Plastic Products and Their Alternatives for the Building and Construction Industry.” 

The study was unique at the time because it compared the total energy needed to produce plastic products to the total energy needed to product plastic alternatives. The unique feature of this type of analysis is its focus on all the major steps in the manufacturing of a product, including raw material extraction from the earth, fabrication and even transport, rather than a single manufacturing step.

The study concludes that plastic products in the building and construction industry use less energy from all sources than alternative materials. According to the Franklin and Associates study, polyurethane foam insulation saved 3.4 trillion BTUs in manufacturing energy over fiberglass insulation in 1990. In other words, the amount of energy saved in one year was equal to 578,000 barrels of oil or 3.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

More information on this study can be obtained at the following websites:

• www.greenbuildingsolutions.com
  (This article is on the green buildings website sponsored by ACC. It references the study but does not include the actual study in the text.)
  
• www.envirofoaminsulation.com
  
  

Saving Energy, Controlling Moisture, Providing
Better Indoor Air Quality

Dr. Mark Bomberg (Phd, P.E.), while a scientist at the National Research Council of Canada, conducted and compiled enough research on how ccSPF performs in buildings to write a book, SPF in External Envelopes in Buildings. In the book Dr. Bomberg discusses the importance of “controlling interactions of heat, air and moisture collectively” to control the environment (i.e. climate) within a building.

In order to control these factors, Dr. Bomberg concludes there must be “effective air barriers, rain screens, weather barriers and thermal insulation of a continuous nature so that gaps do not compromise the climate control design.”
(Note: for more information on the use of ccSPF to control heat, air and moisture, refer to Honeywell's white paper “Insulation Energy Savings.”)

Dr. Bomberg specifically pointed out the valuable contribution ccSPF could make in climate and moisture control in buildings by providing the following building environmental control functions:

• Provides a continuous air barrier
• Prevents moisture infiltration through air leakage
• Minimizes dew point problems and condensation within the building
• Avoids thermal bridging
• Resists heat movement in all directions
• Provides reliable performance under varying climatic conditions

(Note: For more information on the use of ccSPF to control heat, air and moisture, refer to RS Means white paper “Air Barriers in Building Construction.”)

Better climate control saves energy and makes the building more comfortable.  Better moisture control reduces building deterioration, thereby increasing the life of the building and reducing the potential for mold and poor indoor air quality. ccSPF’s climate control features enable the heating and cooling equipment of a building to perform more efficiently, further reducing energy use and promoting better indoor air quality. 

Examples of the energy-saving capabilities of ccSPF have been documented from studies conducted at Oakridge National Laboratories (ORNL) and at Architectural Testing Inc. (ATI) that show up to 40% energy savings by using ccSPF over the commonly specified insulation materials. 

Enhanced Structural Strength

Research conducted at the National Research Center demonstrated that the use of closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) between metal studs contributed a significant increase in structural strength. According to the Research Center: “During a racking event such as a hurricane there would be less permanent deformation within wall assemblies filled with closed-cell spray polyurethane foam.”

(Note: For more information on the use of ccSPF, refer to Honeywell’s white paper “Severe Weather Walls/Roofs.”)

Roofing Durability

Research conducted by Factory Mutual Global (FM), Underwriters Laboratories (UL)  and by the Roofing Industry's Committee of Weather Issues (RICOWI) hurricane investigators concluded that ccSPF roofing systems installed to existing roof coverings increases the wind uplift resistance of those roof coverings. In addition, ccSPF's lightweight strength and closed-cell characteristics minimize water damage from wind-driven debris, hail and other impact sources. 

The historical performance of ccSPF roofing systems in high wind areas convinced the folks in charge of rebuilding the Super Dome after Hurricane Katrina to install a ccSPF roofing system with an “Unlimited Wind Warranty”.    

Cool Roof Design

Closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) roofing systems have a built-in cool roof feature. Typically a ccSPF roofing system is coated with a highly reflective coating.  Lawrence Berkeley Labs reported that black-surfaced roofs have measured peak temperatures up to 190°F on 90°F day. If the interior temperature is maintained at
78°F, the resultant temperature difference is 112°F. Light colored highly reflective coatings typically maintain a peak temperature of less than 110°F on the roof's surface. At the same interior temperature of 78°F, the temperature difference would be
only 32°F.

Clearly cool roof technology conserves amazing amounts of energy while reducing the urban heat-island effect. Specific information on how to use this technology to save energy, comply with Energy Star programs, obtain LEED Rating points and identify cool roof rated products can be obtained at the Cool Roof Rating Council website: http://www.coolroofs.org/productratingprogram.html.

Less Is More: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Whether ccSPF is used inside the building or on the outside, it can reduce the total amount of construction materials used in the building.  Reducing the amount of construction material eliminates all of the environmental life cycle drawbacks of those materials including extraction of natural resources, the energy it takes to manufacture those items and the maintenance and eventual disposal of the items. 

Installing closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) can minimize or eliminate the use of additional building materials such as air barrier membranes, house wraps, vapor retarder films or coatings, additional or thicker studs and cross bracing for structural strength, and more. 

ccSPF, when used in a building, does not require replacement after a certain period of time. Its main physical properties of compressive strength, dimensional stability, adhesion, water absorption, permeability, etc., do not change significantly over time.  So, the ccSPF can continue to provide these climate control functions over the life of the building. 

In roofing applications, ccSPF can be installed on new or re-roof applications. Commercial roof coverings are replaced on average every 10 to 20 years depending on the system.  A properly installed ccSPF roofing system does not require tear-off but rather is re-coated (every 15 years on average). During the course of a typical building's life cycle, the use of ccSPF would not only prevent the existing roof covering from being deposited into a landfill but two other roof coverings as well.  This is not an insignificant amount since the Department of Energy's Oakridge National Laboratory reported that more than 20% of the nation's landfill consists of construction debris, and the majority of that debris is from tear-off of roof coverings. 

In addition, many ccSPF roofing contractors recycle loose aggregate and ballast stones that cover many roofing systems, thereby eliminating an additional amount of construction debris going into landfills.

Reduction of Waste During Construction

Closed-cell spray polyurethane foam's (ccSPF’s) on-site application process generates very little debris and waste.  A typical 10,000 square foot roofing or insulation project produces less than 1/2 cubic yard of scrap ccSPF, tape and plastic (used for masking) and from one pint to three gallons of waste solvent (depending on type of protective covering used).  Compare this to the typical re-roofing project that produces more than 10 yards of construction debris from tear-off and application waste.
 
Note: For more information on spray polyurethane roofing systems, green building characteristics and renewablity, refer to the following links:
http://www.ccfoam.com/video/beyond_video.php
http://www.masonknowles.com/docs/sustainable_characteristics.pdf

Solar Power and Closed-cell Spray
Polyurethane Foam Roofing Systems

A relatively new concept is being adopted by spray polyurethane foam contractors around the country. They are providing their customers with photo voltaic (solar power) panels combined with closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) roofing systems.  The benefits are obvious. The solar power promotes renewable energy, while the ccSPF roofing system saves energy by providing high insulation value and eliminating thermal bridging and air infiltration. For example, John Nolan, a roofing contractor in central California (Central Coating Company), has married the ccSPF roofing system with photo voltaic technology. The California Title 24 compliant roofing system referred to as the PV Ready Roof System, provides “integrated photo voltaic design with high performance roofing.”

As discussed earlier, a closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) roof typically does not require a tear-off as do most other roofing systems. Closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) roofs have documented performances over 40 years. So, the solar equipment on a ccSPF roof can continue to produce renewable energy without significant disturbance. 

Green Roof Systems

Green roofs use a waterproofing membrane, insulation and drainage system to provide a medium to grow plants on a roof top. The environmental advantages include reducing greenhouse gases by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and reducing the urban heat-island effect by lowering roof top temperatures on hot days. 

Used in conjunction with a waterproofing membrane or coating under the drainage system and growing medium, ccSPF can solve many design challenges when installing a green roof system. ccSPF fills in irregular surfaces for a tenacious, fully adhered insulative substrate that is lightweight yet strong (more than 40 pounds per sq. inch compressive strength), very water resistant with one of the highest measured aged R-value per inch of commonly used insulation materials (average aged R-value of 6.0-7.0 R per inch).

In conclusion, the construction industry is making great advances in recognizing the environmental impact of the building materials, assemblies and design that go into a building.  Based on more than 40 years of construction use and performance research, ccSPF can be used by designers as a powerful tool in the quest to build green. 

ED+C Magazine

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