Mason Knowles, Assistant Director of The Spray Polyurethane Foam Division / Society of The Plastics Industry delivered a paper on the use of roofing and insulation at the University of Florida's Conference on Green Building Materials. SPF which has been used as a roofing and insulation material for over 30 years, has exhibited many characteristics that identify it as a "green" or "sustainable" building material.
Mr. Knowles' program highlighted the following SPF characteristics:
The application of SPF will provide better climate control within a building envelope. Better climate control reduces the consumption of fossil fuels, thereby reducing greenhouse gases released into the air.
SPF provides a continuous air barrier, preventing moisture infiltration through air leakage, minimizing dew point problems and condensation within the building envelope, avoiding thermal bridging, resisting heat movement in all directions and providing reliable performance under varying conditions.
By controlling moisture infiltration, SPF also provides greater durability to buildings. The number one cause of building deterioration is moisture within the building envelope.
SPF's climate control ability enables a downsizing of the heating and cooling equipment of a building, further reducing energy usage.
There are no known end of service life figures for SPF. Generally, SPF shows little sign of deterioration or change in physical properties even after 30 years. SPF used as commercial or residential insulation typically requires no long term maintenance.
SPF can add structural integrity to a building's envelope. The National Association of Home Builders Research Center concluded after testing SPF in stud wall construction, that a structure braced with SPF filled walls will have less damage and permanent deformation of wall elements during a hurricane.
SPF roofing systems can be applied directly over BUR, modified bitumen, concrete, wood, asphalt shingles, clay tile and metal. Since it adds very little weight, SPF is used as a recover system over existing roofs without the need for tear-off. This reduces the amount of construction debris in landfills.
SPF roofs are renewable. With simple recoats the life of an SPF roof can be renewed indefinitely. |