SPFA study highlights long-term benefits of spray foam insulation

Stafford, Virginia – A Life Cycle Assessment use phase analysis report commissioned by the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance has highlighted the long-term benefits of insulating with SPF. Although it acknowledges an initial higher impact for SPF compared to fibreglass, there are long term environmental benefits.

The report compared the environmental impacts of the two forms of insulation, looking at the cumulative energy demand and global warming potential for insulated homes in different US climate zones over a 75-year period.

Calculations were made for a typical 233m² (2512ft²) new home that had been insulated an air-sealed to 2018 IECC standards. Three zones were assessed: hot and humid climate zone 2 in Houston, Texas; mixed climate zone 4 in Richmond, Virginia; and cold climate zone 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The homes were insulated using fibreglass as a baseline, and various types of SPF. The insulation environmental impact spent to insulate each building was calculated, and energy modelling performed to estimate the annual energy use of the homes.

Although the initial impact of SPF was higher, the higher R-values and inherent air impermeability of the foam save additional energy when installed at the same R-value as fibreglass insulations. This gives annual energy savings in all three zones, in addition to long-term reduction in GWP based on the typical energy sources used for heating and cooling in those regions. Using SPF instead of fibreglass in a home is the equivalent of taking 14 to 23 cars off the road for a year, the report stated.

‘This Life Cycle Assessment Use Phase Report is really timely considering the expense and dangers of energy consumption and global warming to individuals and the planet,’ says Rick Duncan, executive director of the SPFA. ‘Insulation choice plays a vital role in the decarbonisation of homes and the energy sector, and the findings of this study reflect what we in the industry have always known – that spray foam insulation is clearly the better choice.’

The report can be found at www.sprayfoam.org/sustainable.