By Vladislav Vorotnikov, Russia Correspondent
Sochi, Russia - Chemical company BASF is participating in the construction of sports facilities in Sochi, Russia as the part of its promotional programme in the local market.
Polyurethane foam Elastopor-H is used there as according to the company sources it can contribute to the improvement of the energy efficiency in the construction sector of the Olympic Games. The company said it expects that this step will attract attention to this polyurethane foam and may contribute to its better sales.
"The construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi are carried out under severe climatic conditions. In this regard, the special demands for the protection of building constructions, in particular the basement areas adjoining to the ground are made, "commented BASF experts.
Due to the demands of the climate, BASF promoted the various conceptions and strategies of improving the thermal insulation and waterproofing of buildings. For the construction company Olympstroy, which is carrying out the construction of the Olympic developments, the main interest is in energy efficiency, which could let the company to achieve lower construction spends and reduce the time of construction by 1.5-2 times. BASF said they are in no doubt that the investment in thermal insulation will pay for itself less than in ten years.
BASF pointed out that Elastopor H retains insulating properties at mean temperature 159°C for 30 years. Among the advantages of the system are raw materials savings of 5% and the environmental safety of the ozone layer, which corresponds to the corporate "green" standard for the design of sports facilities in Sochi. It can also reduce the consumption of the energy by 25% and the consumption of the water by 30%.
According to BASF, "Russia needs a powerful innovative solution. BASF contributes to the production of high value-added products, intensification, the use of innovative technologies and materials in the construction of sports and residential facility, as well as infrastructure."
The company added, "The innovation programme of BASF is already used in the construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi: for the concrete repair, waterproofing products for underground construction, the construction of intercity road junctions, bridges, viaducts and tunnels, tiling and waterproofing in the sports of swimming pools and sports centers".
BASF considers that the problems of safety and protection of the health and the environment are very important and should be the priority for both functioning and upcoming industries. "This is the corporate strategy of the company, and we follow it for more than twenty years," BASF said.