If you’re going green on your next construction project, you’ll need to know what your options are when it comes to sustainable rigid insulation. In this article, we cover common types of rigid foam insulation, which ones are most sustainable in building construction, and why.
Types of Rigid Foam Insulation
You have choices when it comes to selecting a suitable rigid foam insulation board for your building’s walls, foundations, and the rest of the envelope. Here are the three common foam board insulation types used in construction:
Extruded Polystyrene (EPS)
Expanded Polystyrene (XPS)
Polyisocyanurate (Polyiso)
Of these, polyiso is the most environmentally friendly. Let’s find out why.
Sustainability Factors
To determine whether a building material is sustainable, we need to get more specific about what makes something sustainable. We’ll use LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to help us define sustainability. LEED is a certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council that rates buildings based on their impact on the environment.
There are multiple routes to achieve LEED certification for your building, but here are the primary goals to focus on when it comes to choosing sustainable building insulation.
Increase Energy Efficiency
Reduce Impact on Environment
Promote Sustainable Material Cycles
How to Source Sustainable Rigid Insulation
How do you put those goals into action and find the most sustainable rigid insulation? Here’s what to look for:
Raw Materials
When choosing your building insulation, take a look at the raw materials used to manufacture the product. Polyiso, EPS, and XPS are all made from non-renewable petrochemicals. Currently, none of the foam insulation boards we use today are made from 100% renewable resources.
Renewable materials are the raw materials that replenish their own reserves quickly, such as those materials derived from quick-growing crops. They do not deplete the Earth’s natural resources, thus promoting more sustainable material cycles.
They may not always come in board form. Some examples of insulation types that are made from renewable raw materials include wool, cotton, and cork.
Recyclable
Foam board insulation isn’t made from renewable resources, but it is highly recyclable. All three types of foam insulation board can be recycled and reused at the end of their life cycle.
For example, when a building is remodeled, the existing insulation can be removed and reused on other projects. The facers on polyiso can also be recycled up to 100%.
Manufacturing Process
When selecting a sustainable rigid insulation for your project, take a look at how the insulation is made and what the impact of that process is on the environment. New technologies are allowing for more sustainable manufacturing processes and better blowing agents for foam insulation boards.
Look for a product that uses environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. Rmax polyiso uses third-generation blowing agents that produce zero ozone depletion. All Rmax polyiso insulation boards are HCFC-free and CFC-free.
Performance
Insulation is unique when it comes to promoting sustainability because it creates a lasting effect. The more effective your insulation is at insulating your building, the more energy is conserved by the HVAC systems running inside.
The most sustainable rigid insulation is one with a high R-value that can be installed continuously without thermal breaks. Polyiso carries the highest R-value per inch when comparing the three board insulation types.
Durability
A building material that works great but ends up in a landfill five years later is not very sustainable. Rather, sustainable rigid insulation needs to last at least as long as the life of the building—if not longer, so that the energy expended in creating, transporting, and installing the material achieves maximum efficiency.
While all three foam board insulation types are reusable, polyiso is the most durable with its protective facers.
Local Impact
Consider the local impact on the environment when choosing sustainable rigid insulation. For example, if the manufacturing plant is closer to the jobsite, it requires less fuel and resources to transport the material to the construction site.
On the other hand, if your product is manufactured across the country or even across the ocean, it’s going to have a larger negative impact.
Clean Air
Our building materials can have a positive impact on the indoor environment, including the air we breathe and creating healthy spaces for occupants. Rmax is proud to have received Clean Air Gold Certification from Intertek Sustainability. This certification means that Rmax insulation products do not have VOC emissions that negatively impact indoor air quality.
Rmax Polyiso: Your Sustainable Rigid Insulation Solutions
Going green in construction is a noble cause, and simply by evaluating the environmental-friendliness of your envelope’s insulating materials, you can make a notable impact. For a complete review of how Rmax polyiso is a qualified sustainable rigid insulation, read more in our Rmax LEED Credits Worksheet.
Not sure which Rmax polyiso product is right for your project? Reach out to your local Rmax representative for help!