Low-GWP Blowing Agents for Insulation and Adhesives
The United States and Canada have adopted regulations that prohibit the manufacture and use of common insulation products that are produced with blowing agents characterized as having high global warming potential.
Global warming potential (GWP) is a measurement of a substance's ability to trap heat in the atmosphere. A substance that traps more heat will contribute more to global warming, and will therefore be assigned a higher GWP value.
These high-GWP blowing agents belong to a class of chemicals known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which contribute more to global warming than alternatives. Construction professionals should be familiar with the regulations that restrict HFCs to ensure that the materials they specify are compliant with any restrictions.
Impacts to Building Insulation
In jurisdictions with GWP regulations, any foam insulation products that are sold or installed must be manufactured with low-GWP blowing agent technology. Several types of insulation, including polyisocyanurate (polyiso) and expanded polystyrene (EPS), already comply with these restrictions, as manufacturers adopted low-GWP solutions decades ago. For other foam insulation products like extruded polystyrene (XPS) and spray polyurethane foam (SPF), manufacturers will have to implement new formulations to comply with the restrictions.
Spray Polyurethane Foam Adhesives
As a part of a continuing dedication to sustainability, Carlisle recently reintroduced its two-part, low-rise polyurethane adhesive with a new blowing agent. Flexible FAST™ Dual Tanks that utilize an HFO blowing agent are now available. HFO (hydrofluroolefin) is widely recognized as the next-generation environmentally friendly blowing agent, replacing its HFC (hydroflurocarbon) predecessor.
For further reading on compliance status and which states are included, see Table 1: Effective Dates for HFC Restrictions by Jurisdiction and Insulation Product Type on the Polyisocyanurate Manufacturing Association (PIMA) website.
For more information about Flexible FAST Dual Tanks with HFO blowing agents, click here.
Contact Craig Tyler with questions.
Global warming potential (GWP) is a measurement of a substance's ability to trap heat in the atmosphere. A substance that traps more heat will contribute more to global warming, and will therefore be assigned a higher GWP value.
These high-GWP blowing agents belong to a class of chemicals known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which contribute more to global warming than alternatives. Construction professionals should be familiar with the regulations that restrict HFCs to ensure that the materials they specify are compliant with any restrictions.
Impacts to Building Insulation
In jurisdictions with GWP regulations, any foam insulation products that are sold or installed must be manufactured with low-GWP blowing agent technology. Several types of insulation, including polyisocyanurate (polyiso) and expanded polystyrene (EPS), already comply with these restrictions, as manufacturers adopted low-GWP solutions decades ago. For other foam insulation products like extruded polystyrene (XPS) and spray polyurethane foam (SPF), manufacturers will have to implement new formulations to comply with the restrictions.
Spray Polyurethane Foam Adhesives
As a part of a continuing dedication to sustainability, Carlisle recently reintroduced its two-part, low-rise polyurethane adhesive with a new blowing agent. Flexible FAST™ Dual Tanks that utilize an HFO blowing agent are now available. HFO (hydrofluroolefin) is widely recognized as the next-generation environmentally friendly blowing agent, replacing its HFC (hydroflurocarbon) predecessor.
For further reading on compliance status and which states are included, see Table 1: Effective Dates for HFC Restrictions by Jurisdiction and Insulation Product Type on the Polyisocyanurate Manufacturing Association (PIMA) website.
For more information about Flexible FAST Dual Tanks with HFO blowing agents, click here.
Contact Craig Tyler with questions.
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