Continued use of diminishing fossil fuels for energy, coupled with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that lead to climate change, clearly are not sustainable.

How does polyurethane help?

Life Cycle Analysis: Measuring Energy Use

To measure the environmental impact of a product, a life cycle analysis (LCA) considers "cradle to grave" inputs, from the extraction of raw materials to ultimate disposal.

Numerous LCAs have measured the energy, primary fuels, water and raw materials required to produce a unit of polyurethane foam products - for example, a square foot of foam. These LCAs provide detailed information on the impact of manufacturing these products, including air emissions, effects on aquatic environments and energy consumption. LCAs also can calculate these impacts over the life of a polyurethane insulation product, based on various assumptions about utility costs, weather patterns and building use.

Energy Savings of Polyurethane - Today and Tomorrow

Polyurethane foam insulation can help reduce energy consumption in buildings by up to 40 percent! Life Cycle Analysis models demonstrate that the energy used per square foot of polyurethane insulation has a very rapid payback in terms of energy saved - and additional savings is achieved every year over the average building lifetime of 50 years or more.

Over its useful life, a building insulated with polyurethane foam will require less fuel, electricity or natural gas to heat and cool, thereby reducing its "footprint" on the environment and contributing to a sustainable future.

(Please contact product manufacturers for LCA information on the various polyurethane products)

Energy: "Embodied" versus "Operating"

The energy used to manufacture and deliver a product is called "embodied" energy, while energy used to heat and cool a building over its lifetime is "operating" energy. It's important to measure both when evaluating the energy use and savings from insulation products.

Based on a study by the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA), the embodied energy of polyurethane insulation is extremely low - 5 percent - compared to the energy savings during the fifty year life of a building. This means that the "return on investment" of energy to make polyurethane insulation is immense.

Operating energy is a key measure in the quest for sustainability. Studies at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center evaluated insulated wall panels to determine the energy efficiency of wall construction and typical insulation products under "real world" conditions, using a range of wind loads and temperatures. These studies show that the energy performance of polyurethane insulation is excellent.

Air Quality

Polyurethane insulation acts as an air barrier, which means that it helps to reduce the introduction of outdoor pollen, dust and allergens in a building.

Modern polyurethane insulation is made using blowing agents with a negligible global warming potential, further reducing their environmental impact.

Long Lasting

Polyurethane insulation, once installed, stays in place for an average of fifty years, reducing the need to replace insulation and keeping building material out of landfills. Some polyurethane insulation products, such as Insulated Metal Panels, are also re-used on other building projects, thereby extending the useful life of the product.

Renewable and Recycled Content

One of the building blocks of polyurethanes are polyols. Some polyols are based on soy and other plant oils. Some polyurethane and polyiso foams are based on polyester polyols that are made from recycled PET, the plastic used to make soda bottles.

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