Big Green: RE: Spray Insulation & VOC's

Tue Jul 15 18:31:11 EDT 2008

The bio-based insulaation website on LEED credits appears misleading to me.  For example, they claim that not having waste contributes to the waste management points.  Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this measured weight or volume?  So if there is no waste, it isn't measured..a another shortsighted consequence of LEED or?

The categorization of "Plastic Foam" under Adhesives and Sealants makes sense to me since spray foam is used as an airseal when not used as insulation...

Scott Schreffler, LEED AP
project designer

DYKEMAN | INSPIRING EVERYDAY SPACES
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-----Original Message-----
From: biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org [mailto:biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org]On Behalf Of Andrew Gil
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 3:04 PM
To: Eigbrett, Mona
Cc: 'Greenbuilding'; LEED at USGBC.org; Biggreen
Subject: Big Green: RE: Spray Insulation & VOC's

Mona,

Yes, actually I've subscribed to EBN since the early 1990's and I visit BigGreen.com regularly and often. I still don't think of looking there for interpreting LEED requirements, but clearly I should, and will remember from now on. Having said that, you've answered my question ONLY because one of the articles that you've referenced referred to  spray insulation as a "plastic foam". I'm  not disputing that for a second, but the happenstance of one writer using terminology that a reader recognizes from a list of materials in a reference standard is a pretty tenuous connection as far as I'm concerned; again, I'm not arguing that it shouldn't be enforced, but since the REAL point is to help folks like us to know what/when/how matters, I think that at the very least, "spray insulations" should be listed more prominently in the SCAQMD (or LEED) list of Specialty Applications. To beat a dead horse; I've shared the very same article you sent me with quite a few people since it came out , have it in my electronic library and know it well, but think of a product description as a place to look for definition of a LEED requirement. Maybe this discussion will lead to that change?

Thanks so very much,

Andrew

Andrew M. Gil, AIA
Architect, LEED-Accredited Professional

HOLT Architects, P.C.
217 N. Aurora St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
p. 607 273-7600
f. 607 273-0475
http://www.holt.com

From: Eigbrett, Mona [mailto:Mona.Eigbrett at hdrinc.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 5:09 PM
To: Andrew Gil
Subject: RE: Spray Insulation & VOC's

Hi, Andrew - out of curiosity I Googled your question. One website provides their 'answer': http://www.biobased.net/leed/index.php

Credit 4.1 - Low Emitting Materials: Adhesives & Sealants
Reduce the concentration of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants.
BioBased Insulation(tm) utilizes water as its blowing agent, therefore falls below the 50 VOC g/L less water limit that is set for plastic foams, and can be incorporated into a variety of substrate types and specific applications.
~~~~~

And here is a thorough (as usual) BuildingGreen link:  <http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2005/1/1/Insulation-Thermal-Performance-is-Just-the-Beginning/> http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2005/1/1/Insulation-Thermal-Performance-is-Just-the-Beginning/

I suspect you know about both of these sources (but since I came across them, I thought I should send them).

Good luck!

Mona

  _____  

From: biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org [mailto:biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Gil
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 3:44 PM
To: Biggreen (biggreen at lists.biggreen.org); 'Greenbuilding' (greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org)
Cc: Leed at Usgbc. Org (leed at usgbc.org)
Subject: Spray Insulation & VOC's

Has anyone stumbled across the question of whether the LEED has VOC limits for spray insulation? We've assumed that it would, and that this would be covered under EQ-4.1 Adhesives and Sealants and the reference standard SCAQMD Rule 1168. However, even though there is definitions of, and/or mention of "aerosol -special purpose- adhesives", "foam" and "Polyurethane Foams", we don't see any product classifications or Specialty Applications that apply to this type of product. Of course I think that it SHOULD be covered, but the immediate question is whether inclusion is mandated and to what VOC limit?

Many Thanks,

Andrew M. Gil, AIA
Architect, LEED-Accredited Professional

HOLT Architects, P.C.
217 N. Aurora St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
p. 607 273-7600
f. 607 273-0475
http://www.holt.com

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