Quick! Name three ways to improve a building’s energy efficiency.
While the most obvious solutions are often expensive and highly visible — upgrading windows, replacing old kitchen appliances, and installing a building automation system — the biggest gains often run just below the surface. Closed-cell spray foam insulation products, like Icynene’s ProSeal, are just that: they provide thermal insulation, act as an air flow barrier, and offer moisture protection within walls and roofs, helping to neutralize what the U.S. Department of Energy estimates to be the source of almost half of a building’s energy loss. And as state and federal energy codes encourage higher and higher levels of efficiency, architects are increasingly turning away from traditional rigid foam board and toward manufacturers like Icynene to help mitigate heat transfer in their designs.
Inch for inch, Icynene’s closed-cell spray foams have been shown to surpass the thermal performance of most traditional insulation boards. The foam’s greater R-value means that less material is needed to achieve an equivalent level of insulation as with traditional methods. Using less material allows for a reduction in a building’s wall thickness, which affords the architect greater freedom when it comes to designing the building’s space and choosing its wall systems.
Indeed, the spray foam’s flexible, fluid application becomes particularly advantageous when the building envelope is curved or non-rectangular. Anchors, attachments, fasteners, piping, and other penetrations often inhibit the installation or effectiveness of rigid foam board, and, if the installer isn’t scrupulous in sealing and taping over any seams, these traditional insulation methods can cause unnecessary thermal and air leakage. Spray foam circumvents this leakage by its very nature, expanding into the cracks and crevices of irregular shaped walls, allowing architects to explore more design possibilities. Moreover, architects often find that installing spray foam reduces their construction schedule and costs given its simple application method compared to the many steps required to properly install rigid foam board.
Spray foam insulation is becoming an increasingly attractive option not only for architects, however: it affords building owners advantages, as well. For one thing, thinner walls allow for greater floor areas without sacrificing thermal and acoustic protection, increasing the building value. For another, structures that are treated with Icynene’s spray foams often qualify for state and federal tax reductions for complying with energy efficiency guidelines, not to mention the savings from lower utility bills.
Other performance factors contribute to Icynene’s longevity and cost-effectiveness. The Air Barrier Association of America has found that the company’s spray foam insulation is air-impermeable, meaning that it performs effectively against air leakage — thereby preventing the entry of pollens and other particulates — compared to other insulation methods, the majority of which require an extra, more expensive barrier to be installed. As it is a water-resistive barrier, any water that penetrates an exterior wall’s cladding can drain to the exterior when it contacts the Icynene spray foam, preventing rot and mildew occurrences within the wall assembly. The use of foam boards with films or coatings of equivalent thickness can lead to a slower rate of wall drying, which in extreme cases could result in deterioration.
Building owners, architects, and contractors alike increasingly recognize the superior performance of Icynene’s closed-cell spray foam products. So, the next time you have the opportunity to decide which type of insulation to apply to your building, consider the benefits of using Icynene — for both the environment and your bottom line.
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