Insulstar News

1950s Pennsylvania Home Gets New Life with LEED, Energy Star and American Building Products Like InsulStar Spray Foam Insulation. Becomes Teaching Lab for Sustainable Building

MOUNT AIRY, NC—The small stone colonial home on Landover Road in Bryn Mawr, PA was built in the 1950s, but thanks to a local builder, it’s now a model for future home design, construction, healthy living, and using American made building products.

“It’s a brand new 60-year-old home,” says Brian Walters, owner of the home and president of Brian Walters’ Factotum, Inc., the Paoli, PA, company responsible for the extensive renovation work. Though the word “renovation” doesn’t quite describe what Walter’s did with the small colonial. “We gutted it including removal of the concrete basement floor, walls to roof and, following strict EPA guidelines, we removed all the lead based paint. At one point you could stand in the basement and look up at the sky.”

The result is a beautiful stone-clad sustainable home. Walters says he wants the 1950s home to be a teaching facility for other builders, architects, trade contractors, and home owners to really see how LEED design, Energy Star appliances, and American building products can be used and incorporated into any project from new build to renovations.

According to Walters, “We did our level best to design and build the home with as many sustainable materials as we could and we closely followed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines. LEED is an international rating system for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods.

The home includes green/sustainable products like concrete made from recycled content, counter tops made from quartz, most abundant material on earth and twice as strong as granite, non-porous, no off-gassing and non-absorbent. The kitchen cabinets are made from Pennsylvania Cherry and the floors from Pennsylvania White Oak, PEX tubing for the plumbing system which is corrosion proof and doesn't transfer heat as readily, low-to-no VOC paints and finishes, low voltage and LED lighting, ERV (energy recovery ventilators) fresh air exchange system, and the Viking appliances are American-made and Energy Star-rated by DOE. This project was audited throughout the renovation process to comply with LEED certification requirements.

The Landover home also includes high-performance insulation. Walter’s says the home, like many others built in the early-to-mid 20th century, had bad, under-performing, or very little insulation. A great deal of the energy used by the home went out through the walls or up though the roof. Walter’s chose InsulStar high performance spray foam insulation (SPF), by U.S. company NCFI Polyurethanes, headquartered in NC. Our insulation contractor, Jim Reilly of Reilly Insulation Co. in Willow Grove, PA, was set on using InsulStar and we agreed with him.

“InsulStar is ideal insulation for sustainable projects. It has exceptional R-value, helps us achieve LEED standards, and the closed-cell foam is perfect for sealing the building for consistent climate control and less energy loss. It saves the homeowner lots in energy costs. Plus, just as we used the ERV system for fresh air exchange, we used InsulStar because it is an air barrier and keeps out pollutants, molds, pollen, and other airborne particulates. It’s also a water barrier, so even if mold comes in through open doors or windows, InsulStar keeps out moisture so the mold spores won’t grow. It’s a great three-in-one product and one every sustainable home should use.

“We love the fact that NCFI is one of the only U.S. companies making high performance spray foam. Since one of our tenets was to build with as many American made products as we possibly could, using InsulStar makes a great deal of sense. Plus, they have more than 40 years of experience so we knew we were covered by their technical support.”

Mitch Clifton, a director with NCFI, says his company appreciates what Brian Walters and Jim Reilly are doing. “Sustainable building is fast becoming bestpractices building and every builder, contractor, architect and home owner knows it costs less in the long-run, is safer and healthier, and will improve resell value.We applaud Brian’s creation of a hands-on learning environment with the Landover home. People need to see the finished product of LEED guidelines, good building science and American-made products. We’re glad they included InsulStar and we’re confident they will attract smart people with their message of better building.”

###
For more information or to arrange an interview on this subject contact Dale McGlothlin, (202) 341-8615

ABOUT NCFI
NCFI, headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC since 1964, manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation (SPF), roofing, marine floatation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses. The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating, transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI also has manufacturing plants in Hickory, N.C., Dalton, GA., and Salt Lake City, UT. To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.

Award Winning Kentucky Community Hospital Uses InsulBloc SPF Insulation for "Ecologically Responsible, Energy Efficient Design."

MOUNT AIRY, NC—When the new Clark County Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in Winchester, KY opens it’s doors this spring it carries on a long tradition of commitment to the overall health of the community, and that commitment begins with the design, science, and advanced products used in building.

CRMC’s new $60 million, 133,675-square-foot hospital facility, which replaces the current 43-year old building, promotes a healthy experience through “ecologically responsible, energy efficient design” including geothermal heating and cooling, and ultra-energy-efficient InsulBloc, the two-pound closed-cell spray foam (SPF) insulation by NCFI Polyurethanes of Mount Airy, NC.

“The demand for SPF insulation is skyrocketing,” says Jim Hacker, field operations for Omni Fireproofing, the Fairfleld, OH firm chosen to insulate the CRMC facility. “We’ve been using spray foam for about 12 years, and the demand has really jumped recently.” Hacker says the overwhelming demand for schools and health care facilities like CRMC for InsulBloc is due not only to superior insulating qualities, but also because InsulBloc is one of the only products approved by the ICC (International Code Council) as an insulation, water barrier and air barrier. “It’s three products in one—provides exceptional energy efficiency, inhibits mold growth by preventing water entry, and improves indoor air quality by blocking pollens, mold, dust and airborne particulates. It also approved by the ABAA (Air Barrier Association of America).” Air leakage can result in an increased use in energy costs of up to 30-40 percent in heating climates and 10-15 percent on cooling costs. According to Hacker InsulBloc is“ideal for high performance buildings.”

Hacker says his firm chooses InsulBloc because of its high yield, ease of use, and NCFI’s great technical and customer support. He adds, “We used InsulBloc on the interior of all exterior metal stud walls of CRMC and InsulBloc helped us do the job quicker, which the GC appreciated, and the high yield saved on material costs which drops to everyone’s bottom line.” Hacker predicts an even bigger future for the product, “We believe within 5-8 years all commercial buildings, with health care facilities and schools leading the way, will include spray foam insulation. It just makes sense.”

Mitch Clifton, NFCI’s director of business development, agrees with Hacker’s assessment of the demand for spray foam insulation. “We see the same, but the demand is not just for any SPF product. Architects and builders want products that add to the sustainability and health of the building, but they want products that are tested over time—through real world experience—and proven to work. Our 44-years-plus history as an American company pioneering research and development of SPF products gives us a definitive advantage when it comes to healthy building science. We are told that’s why so many architects, builders, and insulation specialists choose NCFI products.”

###
For more information or to arrange an interview on this subject contact
Dale McGlothlin, (202) 341-8615

Kansas City Historic Landmark the American Royal Saves Millions by Using New Technology for Void Filling, Concrete Lifting and Leveling

MOUNT AIRY, NC—Kansas City, Missouri’s historic American Royal got its start way back in 1899 and today draws more than 250,000 people over an annual eight-week season of barbeque contests, rodeos, livestock shows, equestrian events and agricultural activities benefiting youth and education. The 14-acre complex’s buildings, though, have a problem common to the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers—the soil beneath them erodes and concrete slab floors become uneven.

Like most of the Kansas City metropolitan area, the land on which American Royal stands is an ancient riverbed, or channel for retreating glacial melt and contains thick limestone, channel sandstone, and shale. While the mix is a solid, stable base, sometimes the supporting geology shifts and presents challenges for concrete sidewalks and slab floors.

The floor of Governor’s Exposition Hall began shifting back in 1980s and the only remedy was to fill the voids beneath it with asphalt, and eventually to apply asphalt over the slab for a level surface. Finally last year the American Royal management was faced with a tough choice—find a better, more permanent solution or tear up the entire floor and replace it. “That would have cost us millions of dollars,” says Dean Barrett, deputy director at Kansas City’s Department of Convention and Entertainment Centers. “I read about polyurethane geo-technical foam and called around to learn more. We put the job out for bid and chose the local company Pro Foundations Technology from the many we received from across the country.”

Joe Morgan of Pro Foundations says his company got to work “foamjacking”—a relatively new term based on the legacy method of “mudjacking” in which a slurry, or grout of water, dirt and cement is pumped under a concrete slab to lift it to its original level position. Foamjacking uses TerraThane™ polyurethane geo-technical foam instead of the mud slurry. The polyurethane foam is lighter than grout so it doesn’t overburden the soil, and very high compression strength so it handles heavy loads.

“TerraThane™ is an ideal product for void filling and concrete lifting,” says Morgan. “We use this specially formulated, dense foam system made by one of the U.S.’s oldest and most trusted geo-tech foam houses, NCFI Polyurethanes. We drilled through 30-36” of asphalt and concrete, pumped the two-part TerraThane™ foam into the holes to fill the voids then raised the slabs to level.”

Morgan says his firm has been using TerraThane™ for more than four years because it is more efficient, economical, requires less-to-no maintenance and is safer to apply. “Equipment for the old mudjacking method has lots of moving parts and can cause injuries. Foamjacking is much simpler with the application process using only one moving part.”

Barrett says Kansas City is pleased with the successful results of the December 2011 work. “We’ve got a level floor and it saved us millions of dollars. We’ll be using it again for other projects here at American Royal.”

###
For more information or to arrange an interview on this subject contact Dale McGlothlin, (202) 341-8615

Pipeline Contractor Uses TerraThane Advanced Technology Product in U.S.'s Challenging Marcellus Shale Region. Saves Money, Reduces Labor Costs & Erosion, and Protects Pipeline

MOUNT AIRY, NC—As the largest consumers of world energy, the U.S. is counting on natural gas to play a greater role in our energy mix. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts U.S. demand to increase 14% from 2008 to 2035 with heavy growth in the industrial and utility sectors, which means infrastructure for extracting, transporting, and storing gas is increasingly vital.

Companies like Canada’s Talisman Energy and it’s U.S. partners, are racing to build that infrastructure by putting down and protecting essential pipeline in rough, rural areas like the Marcellus Shale region of northeastern PA where severe climates can be challenging and requires new technologies like TerraThane polyurethane foam systems.

“The old ways worked, but the new ways work so much better,” says Robert Tarapchak, president of TerraTek Field Services, Drums, PA, a company specializing in polyurethane foam trench breakers, pads and rock shields for pipeline and construction jobs in remote northeastern PA, and the Eastern U.S. “We’ve been doing this for some time now and new technology like TerraThane polyurethane foam systems by NCFI is far superior to the old make-do methods like sandbags and flowable concrete admixtures in challenging conditions.”

Tarapchak points to a recent job for Precision Pipeline in Bradford Co., PA, in which a new Talisman Energy 12-inch pipeline was threatened by wet weather making the use of traditional flowable concrete fill unreliable. “It would have drawn out set times and compromised the completion schedule, so our crew did a horizontal bore fill 12-15 feet from the sides of the ditch-line and used TerraThane to void fill the pipe crossing. TerraThane shields the pipeline, adheres to the pipe and ground material around it to protect from water erosion, and cures in no time at all. We couldn’t have done that with other materials.”

Tarapchak says his company uses TerraThane polyurethane systems exclusively because, “There is minimal waste. It’s ideal for shielding the pipeline, reducing water erosion, and it lasts the life of the pipeline—unlike sandbags—so maintenance costs are greatly reduced. Plus, as was the case in this Talisman pipeline job, applying the polyurethane foam requires less time in the trench, so it speeds up the job allowing the midstream guys to greatly reduce labor costs.”

###
For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:
Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

ABOUT NCFI
NCFI, headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC since 1964, manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation (SPF), roofing, geotechnical application, marine floatation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses. The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating, transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI also has manufacturing plants in Hickory, N.C., Dalton, GA., and Salt Lake City, UT. To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.

ABOUT TERRATEK FIELD SERVICES
TerraTek Field Services Division, located in Drums, PA, specializes in polyurethane foam trench ditch breakers, pads and rock shields to meet the changing needs and production requirements of today's pipeline services, repair, and construction companies. To learn more about TerraTek call 1-888-326-7299 or visit www.terratek.us

New Florida Product Approval of InsulStar by NCFI Polyurethanes Confirms Top Product for Roof Hurricane Resistance for Builders and Homeowners

MOUNT AIRY, NC—One of the nation’s most stringent product approval processes and highest standards for building products, Florida Building Codes Product Approval, confirms InsulStar, a high performance SPF product by U.S. company NCFI Polyurethanes, offers the highest wind resistance of any product by any company in the U.S. and world currently approved for use in the state.

The testing showed that InsulStar used in triangular wedge-shaped fillets sprayed between the rafters and roof deck, without additional fasteners, provided a wind uplift resistance design pressure of 190 PSF, greater by far (120-170 PSF) than any other approved U.S. or foreign product in Florida. It can also be applied across the roof deck to act as a secondary water barrier.

“This is what we work toward every single day,” says Mitch Clifton, senior manager with NCFI. “As pioneers since 1964 of Spray Polyurethane Foam systems for commercial and residential building, and roofing we’re not new to this. We take great pride in being first to market with the very best SPF products and putting them up against newcomers and foreign products coming into the market. The Florida Building Codes are tough and exacting, as they should be in a state where climate and inclement weather plays such a major role. We tasked our R&D people to design InsulStar to include the science of our legacy wind uplift product, Insulstar Plus, taking its place in the NCFI product line to exceed the toughest standards and last for the life of the home or building."

Jason Hoerter, P.E., senior product manager with NCFI agrees. “Builders in Florida and the Gulf states will tell you InsulStar gives them, and their customers, the comfort of knowing it does what we, and the Florida Building Code, says it does. It’s a single product that offers the highest insulation value and wind uplift resistance which makes it highly cost effective.”

Shawn Haag, Fla. division manager, Reichel Insulation, Tavares, FL, says his division chooses InsulStar and other NCFI products exclusively because “they are the clearly the best of breed. They go on best, have the least issues with quality and equipment, and have the professional pedigree—EPA Stratospheric Ozone Award, Fla. Product Approval, and IRC, IBC, IECC ratings—to prove to builders like me they are the best for my customers. That trust means everything.”

The Florida Product Approval system is in place to ensure creditability; a higher standard of practice for product evaluations and consistency of enforcement statewide. According to the Florida Building Code, “Products covered under this program must be evaluated by nationally accredited and state approved entities or by state licensed engineers and architects. These entities must meet national standards for independence from the manufacturers whose products they evaluate. Additionally, manufacturers of covered products must maintain third party monitoring for quality assurance to verify continued compliance by their products.”

###
For more information or to arrange an interview on this subject contact
Dale McGlothlin, (202) 341-8615

ABOUT NCFINCFI, a U.S. company headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC since 1964, manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation (SPF),roofing, marine floatation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses.The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating,transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI also has manufacturing plants in Hickory, N.C., Dalton, GA., and Salt Lake City, UT. To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.

NCFI Beats the Market to ICC Approval Based on New 2012 Code

MOUNT AIRY, NC—A new International Code Council (ICC) Evaluation Service report on NCFI’s popular open-cell spray foam insulation, Sealite™, makes the product the first and only to meet new 2012 building code. ICC-ES is the body responsible for evaluating product compliance with ICC codes and standards used to construct residential and commercial buildings.

The report, ESR-1154, for Sealite™ does the following:

1) Approves, per ASTM E 970, that Sealite™ can be left exposed on attic floors without an ignition barrier

2) Recognizes Sealite™ for all building types under the IRC and IBC

3) Qualifies DC 315 fireproof paint applied over Sealite™ as a thermal barrier alternative

Jason Hoerter, P.E., senior product manager with NCFI, says the ICC report validates the company’s internal mission to create the future for spray foam insulation. “We work everyday to make our products the very highest quality in the world. As a U.S. company, we feel a good deal of pressure to prove American companies and workers will lead the way in safer, healthier, more energy efficient building products. It’s why we’re out front meeting 2012 codes and why we’ll continue to lead the industry toward the future. It’s what we’ve been doing since 1964.”

Mitch Clifton, manager at NCFI, agrees, “The ICC is the most respected testing organization for U.S. buildings. When they say our products are ahead of the pack, you can trust it. Forget advertising, or sales promises, the ICC report is proof positive we’re doing things the right way and validates the reason most U.S. builders choose NCFI SPF products.”

ICC-ES evaluates building products for compliance with building and construction code. ICC-ES does technical evaluations of building products, components, methods, and materials. The evaluation process culminates with the issuance of reports on code compliance and design/construction alternatives which are available free of charge to code officials, contractors, specifiers, architects, engineers, and anyone else with an interest in the building industry and construction. ESRs provide evidence that products and systems meet code requirements.

###

For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:

Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615

dm@seachangeglobal.com

ABOUT NCFI

NCFI, headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC since 1964, manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation (SPF), roofing, geotechnical application, marine floatation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses. The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating, transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI also has manufacturing plants in Hickory, N.C., Dalton, GA., and Salt Lake City, UT. To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.

Challenging WV Transmission Station Pipeline Job on 58-degree Slope Uses TerraThane by U.S. Company, NCFI Polyurethanes

MOUNT AIRY, NC—A recent pipeline job at Dominion Resource’s extraction/fractionation plant in Pine Grove, WV presented some pretty hairy challenges. First the pipeline was to be laid on a 58-degree hillside. Trucks, excavators, and other equipment had to be wenched up the slope and held in place by cables attached to heavy equipment. Secondly, it was the rainy season, so erosion of the freshly turned earth was a major concern.

Chad Corbin’s company, All Seasons Foam and Coatings Services, Sanger, TX, was chosen to create pipeline pillows and trench breakers for the project. “We took one look at it and, when most companies might have thrown up their hands or declined the job, we felt right at home,” says Corbin. “They laid 1,400 feet of pipe on a 58-degree slope. That’s steep. We had to cable the excavator and our spray rig, wench it up the hill, and secure it to two or three dozers while we worked.”

Corbin says his company selected TerraThane geotechnical polyurethane foam system by NCFI to meet the challenge. “TerraThane is a great product. Polyurethane foam is far superior to sand breakers. Water eats through the sand breakers and the sand escapes and erodes over time. Polyurethane foam breakers bond with the earth, and water doesn’t have an effect on them. They’re easier to apply and they last.”

Corbin says they use NCFI foam because, “unlike others foams we’ve tried and seen used, TerraThane doesn’t char inside, doesn’t smoke when you spray it, or get crusty inside. It’s the highest quality product on the market.” He adds, “Their (NCFI’s) technical support people are dedicated to our success. They are always on call when we’re on a job. We can call them any time and they help us do the best job for our customers. You don’t find that very often and it makes a big difference on our bottom-line.”

Pat Burchett, TerraThane product manager for NCFI, says the WV job is an excellent example of why foam systems are replacing sand breakers. “Less labor is required, there is less chance of injury as compared to handling sandbags, allows for quicker construction and provides time savings. Our system is formulated for low exothermic heat and tested per ASTM test procedures for strength values and dimensional stability. It’s a two component polyurethane foam designed for great lift thicknesses without scorching or splitting during field applications.”

The Dominion Transmission plant processes and stores natural gas liquids (NGLs): propane, normal butane, isobutane, and natural gasoline. They extract, fractionate, store, transport and market to various end user markets including propane retailers, refineries, petrochemical facilities, and aerosol companies.

###

For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:

Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615

dm@seachangeglobal.com

ABOUT ALL SEASONS FOAM AND COATINGS SERVICES

All Seasons serves the continental U.S. from its headquarters in Sanger, TX, and offers residential, commercial and geotechnical foam systems. The company is a recognized leader in pipeline trench breakers, pads and pillows and specializes in challenging geotechnical applications. For more information call (877) 420-7575 or visit www.allseasonsfoam.com.

ABOUT NCFI

New LEED Standard Library Building at Historically Black University Protected by InsulBloc Spray Foam Insulation

MOUNT AIRY, NC—One of Norfolk State University’s largest new building projects, the 132,000sf Lyman Beecher Brooks Library, promises to be a healthier and more comfortable place to study, learn and meet, thanks to help from InsulBloc spray foam insulation by NCFI Polyurethanes.

The library was designed by Moseley Architects and built by S.B. Ballard Construction to LEED standards to reduce energy and water use, improve indoor air quality, and promote the wise use of materials. The design also called for increased wall and roof insulation to reduce energy costs.

Frank Hughes, insulation specialist with Applied Energy Saving Systems (AESS), the Mount Pleasant, SC-based firm selected to insulate the library, says more architects, like Moseley, are specifying spray foam insulation. “It’s just plain duh. Spray foam has an exceptional R-value (thermal resistance value), 100 percent adhesion, is monolithic so there are no seams, fills cracks and crevices and leaves no air space when it cures, is an air barrier so no pollen, dust, or other airborne things get through, and it’s closed-cell meaning no water can get through it. Plus, on this job there is a beautiful gradual radius turn (curved walls), and only spray foam can accommodate that.”

Hughes says his company chose InsulBloc because, “It’s applicator-friendly, works great on masonry cavity walls like this library, it’s a clean product—NCFI’s QC is unrivaled—and the technical support they offer applicators and builders is the best I’ve seen in the industry.” Hughes has been working in closed cell insulation since 1979, and his firm, AESS, is an industry excellence award winner.

Mitch Clifton, manager with NCFI, says the library, which is scheduled to open its’ doors in November, will host a circulating collection of 500,000 volumes, group study rooms, and an Internet caf�. “Frank and AESS sprayed 2.5 inches of InsulBloc on the exterior and that will certainly help lower their energy costs, improve indoor air quality and provide a consistently comfortable environment for students and faculty.”

The library’s other green features will include: low-emissivity glazing; ample daylight to reduce dependence on electric lighting; carbon dioxide sensors to assist in providing adequate ventilation; pervious pavers to decrease the quantity of storm runoff from the site; reflective standing-seam metal roofing to prevent the Heat Island Effect and reduce building cooling loads; and dual-flush toilets, 0.125 gallon-per-flush urinals, and 0.5 gallon-per-minute lavatories, which contribute to a water use reduction of over 50 percent.

###
For more information or to arrange an interview on this subject contact
Dale McGlothlin, (202) 341-8615

U.S. Company, NCFI Polyurethanes, Launches TerraThane.com Website for Geo-Technical Applications and Uses

MOUNT AIRY, NC—NCFI, a U.S. company, is aiding the world geo-technical market by launching a Website for a line of new generation polyurethane products for geo-technical uses.

The Website, www.terrathane.com, provides companies working in the geotechnical field (i.e. concrete highway lifting, concrete slab raising, pipeline and tunneling, cavity filling, soil stabilization, pole setting, mine reclamation) a single online resource for choosing the very best product for their specific uses, educational material, and equipment and training resources.

“The geo-technical market is growing and the use of polyurethane is growing with it,” says Patrick Burchett, NCFI’s geo-technical product manager. “TerraThane is specifically designed as the next generation product for the many rigorous geotechnical applications. This new Website gives companies doing work on concrete lifting, pipeline, mining, and soil stabilization the best online resource in the industry to choose the right product for their uses.”

Mitch Clifton, manager for NCFI, adds, “While polyurethane foam systems have been used for years, we’re seeing some very distinct field applications in which TerraThane is a far superior solution. The TerraThane.com site includes photos and video of all kinds of real-world applications by companies already successfully using TerraThane, and offers a great library of educational materials for viewing or downloading.”

Burchett agrees, “We want to help companies still using legacy products and materials by giving them the educational information they need to choose the new generation polyurethane products to make their businesses more profitable. We have an unbeatable commitment to the quality of the TerraThane products and the technical support we offer our partners. This Website is an excellent example of our dedication to our customers.”

###
For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:
Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

KY Architectural Firm Building Better, Healthier, High-Performance Schools with Next Generation Insulation

MT. AIRY, NC—RossTarrant, an architectural firm in Lexington, KY has a formula for building better, high-performance schools: Reduce overall energy use, include smarter products that provide for and protect higher energy efficiency, design in more natural lighting, and improve overall air quality.

The firm recently worked with the Grant County, KY Board of Education to design an elementary school to anchor their new 76-acre campus that will eventually accommodate three schools for the district and serve as a model for their high-performance endeavors.

Sherman Elementary in Dry Ridge, KY, is energy and resource efficient, healthy, comfortable, well lit, and provides the ideal environment for the highest quality education. According to Ronald E. Murrell, Jr., AIA, LEED AP BD+C, RossTarrant, “Because the school serves the entire community, it is an extremely effective tool for conveying the value of energy efficiency to children and families.

The building is also helping teachers instill the values of energy conservation and environmental stewardship in the community’s youth, providing a foundation for awareness and conservation for generations to come.”

One of the unseen heroes of the project is a product that provides three distinct, much-sought-after high-performance goals: saving more of the energy created through higher R-Value (measure of thermal resistance), acts as a barrier to water vapor to reduce and inhibit the growth of mold, and blocks airborne particulates like pollens, spores, mold, and allergens. The general contractor, DW Wilburn, chose InsulBloc spray foam insulations (SPF) by NCFI Polyurethanes.

“InsulBloc has been around since the late 1960s, but with the new demand for higher energy savings it’s become the in-demand, new generation insulation for commercial buildings,” says Doug Wilburn, President and CEO. “InsulBloc is a highly versatile, closed-cell, spray-in-place foam insulation with outstanding air barrier and moisture barrier qualities ideal for masonry walls. And since it’s seamless, it’s an excellent barrier to dust, drafts, pollen, and noise pollution, thus helping maintain healthy air quality.”

Sherman Elementary School also includes geothermal HVAC, and an ENERGY STAR roof membrane that helps cool the roof, and in turn, the entire building space. Occupancy sensors and timers control interior lighting while high-performance windows optimize day-lighting and control solar heat gain.

Mitch Clifton, manager at NCFI, says the school is on the leading edge of a major design shift in U.S. buildings. “RossTarrant is part of a new generation of design firms focused on a systems approach to building high performance schools. They take into account every aspect from insulation, to HVAC, to lighting, to energy use, to water capture and use and how those parts contribute to the whole for a healthier, more energy efficient, more comfortable building. It’s smart design, and InsulBloc is the right choice.”

###

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Location: Dry Ridge, Grant Co., Kentucky

Specs:500 (classroom spaces) / 600 (common spaces) 76 acres (campus) / 12 acres (school)71,400 square feet

Site amenities included in project: New campus to eventually accommodate three new schools including parking, site circulation and large boulevard; utilities sized to enable addition of buildings; outdoor learning classroom/pavilion

High Performance Features:

Designed to earn an ENERGY STAR® rating

Highly efficient interior lighting

Designed for maximum day-lighting

Highly efficient geothermal HVAC system

InsulBloc spray foam insulation (SPF)

Circular design provides continuous circulation; corridors include areas for small group instruction; large pavilion to shelter a full class

Provides for outdoor learning

2011 Solar Decathlon Lights the Way to Importance of Ultra-Energy Efficiency in US Building Industry. Top Finisher Chooses InsulStar SPF Insulation

MOUNT AIRY, NC—It is no coincidence the top finisher in the 2010 European Solar Decathlon, Virginia Tech, and second place winner in the U.S. Solar Decathlon, University of Illinois Urban-Champaign (UIUC), used InsulStar® SPF insulation by NCFI. The insulation is widely acknowledged by sustainable building experts for its superior R-Value (measurement of thermal resistance), and its closed-cell structure that provides a superior air and moisture barrier, keeping out pollens, molds, spores, and dust, thus providing superior air quality.

Mark Taylor, UIUC’s managing architectural co-principle investigator for the 2011 Solar Decathlon competition, says his team is using InsulStar® again this year as they build on the success of 2009. “One of our key design tenets is an air-tight envelope. We do that by super-insulating the walls and InsulStar® SPF insulation makes that possible. That allows us to greatly downsize the mechanical system.”

This year’s UIUC entry, the Re_home, is a green, rapidly deployed home for disaster victims. “The design this year has a very contemporary aesthetic,” says Taylor. “It’s a flexible, adaptable building that can be transported easily along the U.S. road network, with a plug-and-play PV (photovoltaic) array and a new Conditioning Energy Recovery Ventilator (CERV) fresh air conditioning system developed by Newell Instruments.” UI has chosen Homeway Homes, Peoria, IL, as their building partner again this year. Ted Schieler, president of Homeway Homes says, “We’ve been working with UIUC for a few years now and we’re really excited about this year’s entry. Our knowledge of building and construction and their forward-thinking design is a proven winning partnership.”

Taylor agrees. “In the past we’ve gone to them with our designs and ideas and they built the home. This time we’ve studied their cutting edge fabrication and manufacturing processes to create a home we think has solid, real-world applications for any consumer who wants a super-insulated, highly efficient home.”

The Solar Decathlon is sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy, and is a biannual competition that challenges 20 universities from around the world to design and build solar powered homes. In September, each school will transport their home to the Washington, D.C. where they will be judged for performance in ten categories: architecture, market appeal, engineering, communications,affordability, comfort zone, hot water, appliances, home entertainment, and energy balance.

Mitch Clifton, manager with NCFI who make InsulStar® SPF insulation, says, “We’re pulling for all the schools that choose InsulStar® for energy conservation and comfort. The UIUC team and their partner, Homeway Homes, were the top U.S. finisher in 2009 with InsulStar®, and Virginia Tech won with it in Europe. Most entries include it because it’s the ideal product to make zero energy and ultimate comfort possible.” Clifton concludes. “It’s proof-positive the future of healthier, better performing buildings requires the very best, highest quality SPF insulation.”

###
ABOUT NCFI
NCFI, headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC since 1964, manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation (SPF), roofing, marine flotation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses. The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating, transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI also has manufacturing plants in Hickory, N.C., Dalton, GA., and Salt Lake City, UT. To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.

Company Revitalizes Urban St. Louis Neighborhood with Green Modular Homes Built with InsulStar SPF Insulation

ST. LOUIS, MO—Every urban area has “gap-tooth” lots that once featured homes, but are now vacant, or littered with crumbling, unsalvageable structures. EcoUrban, an urban redevelopment firm in St. Louis, is filling those lots (8,000 exist in St. Louis) with new smaller, more energy-efficient and affordable prefab and modular homes.

This new kind of “360 degree” redevelopment—serving the city, neighborhood, low-to-middle-income homeowners, and developers—requires a new kind of house: A modular building manufactured off-site with green, sustainable features, then trucked to St. Louis, placed on a precast foundation, and finished on-site. In other words, certainly not traditional affordable housing, but rather a new kind of sustainable housing that is affordable for those who want to live in the city and may, or may not, have a car.

The company’s latest redevelopment, Sullivan Place, is a partnership with a number of community and state housing, renewal, development and economic development organizations. The plan is for eight new homes to infill lots in the heart of metro St. Louis—a mile north of city center. The first house (2332 Dodier Street) recently went on foundation and is small at only 1,360 square feet, but features three-bedrooms, two full baths and all kinds of building products that improve its performance—lower the operating cost and make the indoor environment healthier.

The house was built in Peoria, IL by Homeway Homes, an award-winning modular home manufacturer, and features: bamboo floors, cabinets made by a local green cabinetmaker, Low-E Energy Star-rated windows, low-flow water fixtures, dual flush toilets, low-to-no VOC paints, highly-efficient HVAC, humidity-controlling bath ventilation fans, and ventilated range hoods. All designed to conserve energy, water and maintain excellent indoor air quality.

But, according to the builder, perhaps the most important green feature is one few will ever see: the house’s high-performance InsulStar® SPF Insulation made by the U.S. company, NCFI.

“This house incorporates many energy-efficiency features, and the latest green building and universal design features,” says Ted Schieler, president of Homeway Homes. “The InsulStar® SPF insulation was chosen as a key component of the structure because EcoUrban wanted materials that add real value to the home’s performance. We spray InsulStar® from the exterior of the home and it completely seals all electrical and mechanical penetrations through the walls and ceilings. It protects the home and provides for excellent energy efficiency and air quality.”

According to Jay Swoboda, co-founder of EcoUrban, “We are a green builder and were pleased to see that Homeway has made a commitment to superior insulation in all their homes. This made a big impact on our moderate-income buyer who will benefit from the great energy savings and reduced air leakage supported by the SPF insulation.” He continues, “Our testing showed an air leakage rate of less than 10% with a blower door test in December. We submitted the home to Energy Star for final review and expect a very high Energy Star rating and HERS score of around 50.” Ratings provide a relative energy use index called the HERS Index based on the Dept. of Energy’s EnergySmart Home Scale. A HERS index of 100 represents the energy use of the “American Standard Building” and an index of 0 (zero) indicates the building uses no net purchased energy (a zero energy building). The lower the value, the better. A home with a HERS Index of 50 is 50 percent more efficient than a standard new home.

Mitch Clifton, manager at NCFI, says, “These houses manufactured by the Schieler family of Homeway Homes, are exemplary modular homes. They use the best of building science, decades of building experience, and the kind of care you don’t often find in prefab and manufactured homes. As a partner and fellow American-owned company, we’re proud to work with Homeway to change the very way we live.”

Swoboda echoes that sentiment: “The Schieler family is a very supportive and competent team with a focus on delivering a high quality product and a good price. We look forward to building many more homes together.” Schieler says EcoUrban is ahead of the wave in urban renewal, and the future of modular and prefab homes is extremely bright, “Modular construction is ideal for sustainable building, and people have awakened to the need for greener, better performing homes. Construction waste is reduced by over 80 percent compared to stick-built construction and the use of InsulStar® saves lots of money over the life of the home.”

###
For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:

Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

ABOUT ECOURBAN
EcoUrban specializes in building sustainable solutions. They offer prefab and traditional building applications including modular; new, LEED for homes certified single family and multi-family residences; mixed-use Brownfield developments, and consultant services for green historic renovations and retrofits. www.ecourbanstl.com

ABOUT THE SULLIVAN HOMES PROJECT
This development project is a partnership with two solid community development partners: Community Renewal & Development and the Regional Housing & Community Development Alliance with funding support from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Community Development Administration and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund of the City of St. Louis.

ABOUT HOMEWAY HOMES
Homeway Homes is a family-owned business in Peoria, IL, and serves MI, MO, IL, IN, and IO. The company specializes in custom-built, modern, efficient modular homes designed around the lifestyle of the family. The company features over 60 floor plans – including our exclusive Women-Centric® designs – that can be customized to fit your needs. Our award-winning modular building process insures every home we build is highly energy efficient and a high-quality construction. www.homewayhomes.com

Former Resin Technology President Joins NCFI Polyurethanes

MOUNT AIRY, NC—NCFI Polyurethanes announced today the addition of James Doose as a senior technical advisor. Doose, former chief chemist, founder and president of The Resin Technology Company, will work with NCFI’s leadership team in analyzing and reviewing current products, and new product development.

“We are excited Jim is on board with us,” says Steve Riddle, president of NCFI. “His 30 years of experience formulating thermal set resin and blowing agents, plus that of running a successful business is an ideal fit with our campaign to provide the most innovative, sustainable, and highest energy efficiency products for the U.S. building market.”

Doose says, “I look forward to working with NCFI because I appreciate their commitment to new and better products, their unequaled technical approach, and their top-notch management. They are one of the last great independent systems houses in the U.S.” He continues, “High performance insulation will continue enjoying its rock star status as the market demand for more energy efficient, cleaner, healthier buildings and homes grows. NCFI is uniquely positioned to be the clear, head-above-the-crowd leader at providing it.”

###
For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:

Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615 dm@seachangeglobal.com
About NCFI
NCFI, headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC since 1964, manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation (SPF), roofing, marine floatation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses. The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating, transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI also has manufacturing plants in Hickory, N.C., Dalton, GA., and Salt Lake City, UT. To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.

Minnesota Company Transforming Highway and Bridge Repair by Using NCFI Engineered Polyurethane Foam

MOUNT AIRY, NC—Gary Molstre, owner of Mudpumpers Mudjacking, Moorhead, MN, says there is no chance they are changing the company name, but they are definitely changing the material they use to repair highways and bridges to an engineered polyurethane foam system and they’ve coined a term for it: “foamjacking”.

Mudjacking, also called slab jacking, concrete lifting, concrete raising, and slab leveling, is the traditional method of fixing damaged concrete highways and bridge approach panels. The process was developed in the 1930s and involves pumping “mud” (everything from clay, sand, and loam, to Portland cement, fly ash, lime, casting plaster, and hot asphalt have been used) beneath concrete slabs that have become uneven, sunken, and/or pulled away from bridge approaches due to soil erosion and/or the soil being compacted or compressed from the sheer weight of the slab. Mudjacking involves drilling holes in the concrete and pumping “mud” and pressure beneath to lift the slab to its original place and keep it there.

“We’ve been doing this work for 22 years, says. Molstre. “We started using NCFI’s TerraThane engineered polyurethane foam system about four years ago and we love it,” says Molstre. “We just did eight bridge approaches on I-29 around Fargo, ND, 940 square yards, with TerraThane and it really did the job.” Bridge approaches made of concrete slabs can settle anywhere from two to four inches making for uncomfortable, unsightly, and potentially dangerous driving conditions. “We foamjacked 22 approach panels with over 120,000 lbs. of TerraThane, then tapered and smoothed the ride for about 40-80 feet. The North Dakota DOT was very happy with the job. Foamjacking is the new, better model for efficient highway and bridge repair.”

Patrick Burchett, senior product manager for NCFI, a company pioneering the use of engineered polyurethane foam in concrete lifting, says, “Our product, TerraThane, has some definite advantages over mudjacking: it’s cleaner, lighter so there isn’t as much weight on the soil or bridge beneath, and the contractor can drill smaller holes in the concrete to apply it. This specially formulated polyurethane foam utilizes a hole that is only five-eights inch or smaller compared to mudjacking holes that run between one inch and two inches.”

Molstre says his company is seeing a major increase in demand for foamjacking from DOTs and highway contractors in the Central and Midwest. “This Red Riversoil likes to move. We’re seeing more demand not just for foamjacking highways and bridge approaches, but also for curbs, gutters, airport runways, and parking lots. TerraThane does a great job and NCFI’s technical support staff goes above and beyond by helping us set the polyurethane rig and fine-tune the processes. It was the first time a manufacturer sent tech reps. to our jobsite. They really care about our business. In fact, foamjacking with TerraThane is transforming our company. We won’t change to another product.” He jokes, however; “But I think we’ll keep our name.”

Working Sub-30?F Days Can Mean More Money for Builders, Requires InsulStar and InsulBloc by NCFI, Spray Foam Insulation Recommended to Zero Degrees

MOUNT AIRY, NC—Anton Cornellier, and his company Stony Creek Services, like it cold. They must since they apply insulation year round in Michigan, where the average January high is only 33°F and the average low is a frigid 15°F. If he wants to work on building projects in winter months he has to use products that can stand the cold. He uses the only spray foam insulation products suited for application down to temperatures in the range of 0°F (all other SPF products are recommended for use only to the 30°F range): InsulStar and InsulBloc by NCFI.

That came in handy when Stony Creek Services was chosen to insulate the Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield, MI. “When we’re working on commercial construction in January and February we deal with extreme cold and wind,” says Cornellier. His company applied SPF insulation to over 100,000 square feet of the Henry Ford Hospital in 20°F temperatures. “It was cold, frozen and we had to scrape away the snow most days. We used InsulBloc spray foam insulation because it’s the only SPF suited for this type of job.” It worked for him, the general contractor, and the hospital. “The contractor couldn’t afford to miss a day on this job; neither could we. With the help of InsulBloc, we worked right through the cold. There was great adhesion with no popping or cracking. We couldn’t have done the work without InsulBloc.”

Gerry Wagoner agrees. His company WRI Applications, applies insulation to residential and commercial buildings in West Central and Northern Ohio where the average low temp in January is 18°F. Wagoner says, “When you work in Ohio you have to find a way to work as many days of the year as possible. InsulStar and InsulBloc are our secret weapons. Since they are recommended for application down to 0°F, while other SPF products are not recommended for application below 30°F, they help keep us working throughout the year. That’s real money in the building trade.”

He illustrates the point, “We did a 5,700 board feet residential job in Dayton, OH in January where the average daily temp was 15°F,” says Wagoner. “We replaced recently installed fiberglass with InsulStar because it works great in extreme cold weather. We did thermal scans before to show how much heat the existing fiberglass insulation was losing, then after we applied InsulStar to show how tight the spray foam is. The owner was amazed and thrilled.” When asked what it’s like to work in 15°F Wagoner says simply, “It’s darned cold. Cold with a capital C.”

Virginia Tech Uses NCFI's InsulStar Spray Foam Insulation for "LUMENHAUS"; Wins Top European Energy Efficency Design Competition

Mount Airy, NC—Virginia Tech’s innovative net zero energy, solar powered, super-insulated “LUMENHAUS” won first prize in Europe’s 2010 Solar Decathlon. The international competition included 20 entries from top colleges and universities from around the world and by agreement of the Government of Spain’s Ministry of Housing and the U.S. Government. The competition’s goal is advancing the knowledge and dissemination of industrialized, solar and sustainable housing.

Virginia Tech’s LUMENHAUS chose NCFI’s InsulStar® high-performance spray foam insulation to help achieve top honors in this year’s U.S. Solar Decathlon. LUMENHAUS won third place despite an unfortunate last minute technology glitch. The team that won this year’s U.S. Solar Decathlon, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, also used InsulStar in their top prize-winning “Gable House.”

The European Solar Decathlon’s 20 competing homes were judged in ten separate contests (thus, the “decathlon” designation) including: Architecture, sustainability, innovation, comfort conditions, construction and engineering, solar systems and hot water, energy balance, usage, communications and socialmedia, industrialization and market viability.

“This was the toughest competition by far,” says Joe Wheeler, associate professor of architecture, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, and one of only three faculty members of the smallest team in the competition. “It was judged by some of the most influential architects in the world like Australian Glenn Murcutt, winner of the Pritzker Prize and the AIA Gold Medal. Plus, we were head-to-head against the Germans and French at their game. They are so far ahead of the U.S. in energy efficiency work. For us, going over there and winning is a small miracle.”

Wheeler says his team needed a “super insulation” to help LUMENHAUS smartly use the energy it creates via its solar panel system, and help balance efficiency with user comfort. “We love InsulStar. We call our design ‘responsive architecture’, meaning the house can operate completely self sufficiently, responding to environmental changes. InsulStar insulates the walls and floor/undercarriage, and keeps the house airtight, with no drafts or leaks when it is closed up.”

NCFI sent GoldStar applicator, Mark Zammit, of Building and Design of Va., Inc. to apply the high performance spray foam to the LUMENHAUS. Zammit says, “I think it was fortuitous for us to be involved with this amazing project. My wife, her father, my son and daughter have all attended, or are attending, Virginia Tech. It’s a family pride thing for us to help their team win this international competition.”

Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI, says his company is extremely proud of the role they played in both solar decathlon wins. “It’s a testament to our products and people. Winning not one, but two major energy efficiency competitions is clear evidence InsulStar spray foam is a superior insulation product and the future of world building.”

Wheeler says InsulStar went above and beyond it’s intended use when the team was invited to bring the house to New York City to appear on ABC’s Good Morning America program back in January. “We designed the house so that it could be transported easily. In fact, we worked with engineers from a trucking/transportation company to help design the house so that only a wheel assembly and gooseneck need to be added for the home to go from our location in Blacksburg and in two hours be on the road headed anywhere. In January, we needed to put the home on the road and go to Times Square—in a major snowstorm. The InsulStar provided ideal protection for the chassis of the house, by keeping out water, ice, salt, and rocks.” Wheeler concludes, “If it can do that in those extreme conditions, it can surely provide protection and comfort for a home in normal living conditions.”

Wheeler says Virginia Tech next current projects include a village approach called “Lumenocity”, which he says will be solar powered, have an open plan, use computer technology, flexible architectural design and energy efficiency to be the “iPhone” of houses. He also guarantees they will use InsulStar. “It’s the next generation insulation.”

###
For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:
Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

Award-Winning Firm Builds "School of the Future" Selects InsulBloc Spray Foam Insulation for Ultra-Energy Savings

MOUNT AIRY, NC—SfL+a Architects, Raleigh, NC, spent more than two-and-a half years researching and designing a sustainable building design prototype for K-12 educational facilities. New Century International Elementary School, in Cumberland Co., NC, is the brick-and-mortar embodiment of that passion. The school is the firms’ first use of their innovative new “Dragonfly” prototype system.

Joe Anetrella, AIA, LEED AP, CCS, CSI and the firm’s technical director,describes Dragonfly, “A school built to exacting sustainable standards, designed to generate more energy than it consumes, and the tangible result of the community's total commitment to its children, sustainability and energy efficiency.” He says New Century School is “designed to LEED Platinum standards and earns an ENERGY STAR Rating of 98.”

While the school uses closed-loop geothermal and is designed to use solar panels to generate electricity and heat the building’s water, the key to sustainability is how truly energy efficient they can make it. Anetrella says his firm turned to InsulBloc spray foam insulation by NCFI. “We wanted ultra-insulation, air, and vapor barriers in a single product. InsulBloc is ideal for this, and NCFI’s technical support made them the clear choice for our ‘best practices’ prototype.”

“In addition to geothermal HVAC, solar, and InsulBloc insulation, we selected high performance design elements, sustainable building products, day-lighting, and controlled lighting systems to save considerably on the total cost of ownership for the community—which is a tenet of the Dragonfly design. We estimate the total cost of ownership savings over the forty-year life of the building to be in excess of $15 million.”

Anetrella continues, “New Century is designed and built to easily accept roof mounted solar panels. The eventual installation of these panels will allow New Century to fully realize “net-zero” energy use, and allow the school to actually return energy to the grid.” He concludes, “We debuted the Dragonfly concept in 2008, and we believe—are committed to—this new high-performance school building as a new era of design and construction for the community and, we hope, the country.”

###
For more information, contact:

Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615,
dm@seachangeglobal.com

NEW CENTURY SCHOOL INFO.
Client: Cumberland County Schools
Size of Project: 109,758 total sf
Capacity of Facility: 920 students
Construction Cost: $16,997,867 (School: $14,354,000; Library: $2,643,867)
Year Completed: 2010

U.S. Space Shuttle Program Honors NCFI Polyurethanes with Supplier Quality Excellence Award

MOUNT AIRY, NC—NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems, principals of the U.S. Space Shuttle Program, recently awarded NCFI Polyurethanes the coveted Supplier Quality Excellence Award for exemplary work on the shuttle’s External Tank Program (ET). The award honors outstanding performance by hardware and software suppliers and subcontractors who support NASA Human Space Flight Programs. The award is presented in the form of a large, engraved trophy and accompanying letter provided by NASA and Lockheed Martin.

Steve Riddle, president of NCFI Polyurethanes, accepted the award from Lockheed Martin representatives Reynold J. Abadie, Jr., John Welborn, and Sherman Avans. Only twelve suppliers, out of many hundreds involved with the shuttle’s ET Program at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, LA, are selected for this award.

“We’re thrilled to receive this award from NASA and Lockheed Martin,” says Riddle. “We’ve been involved with the External Tank Program since way back in 1980, so we know how rare this reward is and we know the standards involved. The award goes to a handful of suppliers who achieve an exacting performance mix of high quality products, technical excellence, superior cost performance and adherence to schedules. On behalf of everyone here at the NCFI family, we’re proud to play a role in or country’s manned space program, and we’re humbled to be selected for this prestigious honor.”

Jud Brown, executive vice president for NCFI, adds, “People who know us know we’re an American-owned company making our mark on the world by providing the highest quality urethane products and backing them up with the very best technical support in the business. This NASA/Lockheed Martin award recognizes our many years of unrelenting commitment to those goals.”

The External Tank is the non-reusable major three-part component of the Space Shuttle system and consists of the ET, the Orbiter and the two Solid Rocket Boosters. The ET is the single largest element at 154 feet long and 27.6 feet in diameter, and during launch it serves as the structural backbone of the shuttle, absorbing most of the six million pounds of thrust generated during flight and providing propellant to the Orbiter’s three main engines.

###
For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:

Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

NCFI Spray Foam Insulation Products Approved by ABAA

MOUNT AIRY, NC—Air infiltration is a significant cause of energy loss in commercial buildings, so U.S. building experts are paying greater attention to air barriers. Air barriers control air leakage into and out of the building enclosure, thus saving money on energy costs, and keeping airborne pollutants like water vapor, suspended particulates, pollens, dust, insects, smells, etc. out. NCFI’s closed-cell spray foam insulation products, while offering superior insulation, are also excellent air barriers, as evident by the recent testing and approval by the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA).

ABAA works with design professionals, manufacturers, contractors, and installers to ensure “best-practices” information and training is available for all building stakeholders. The professional organization provides accreditation for contractors; certification for installers; on-site quality control, site-based documentation and reporting, third party audits, and testing and approval of materials and products.

“Air leakage can result in an increased use in energy costs of up to 30-40 percent in heating climates and 10-15 percent on cooling costs,” says Jason Hoerter, senior product manager and building sciences engineer with NCFI. “There is a growing trend of forward-thinking architects, builders and contractors specifying air barriers in commercial buildings for optimal performance for owners and occupants. It’s solid building science. The ABAA’s performance requirements for air barrier materials go well beyond the code requirements for spray foam insulation, and our approval and inclusion proves NCFI’s products are among the very best on the market today.”

Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI, says, “We appreciate our new position in the ABAA. It’s an excellent way to help the commercial and residential building industries take advantage of the best, most innovative practices and products for including air barriers in all commercial buildings. It certainly fits with our corporate mission to ensure all buildings are high-performance buildings that provide a healthy environment and greater energy efficiency. The ABAA training, certification, and quality assurance programs are ahead of the wave in giving the industry the tools and resources to make that a reality.”

Clark concludes, “Sealing the wall assembly creates a tighter building, and that helps optimize energy savings, control moisture, and meet or exceed necessary building codes. Our InsulBloc and InsulStar high performance spray foams have been doing this since 1967 and we’re glad to be part of a professional organization in which we can continue helping drive the future of how America builds.”

###
For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject please contact:
Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

Renovation of Historic Early Eighteenth Century Home Includes NCFI's InsulStar Spray Foam Insulation

MOUNT AIRY, NC—Pitt’s Neck Farm on the Eastern Shore of Virginia dates back to a 1663 grant by King Charles II to Robert Pitt, the son of a wealthy shipping magnate from Bristol, England. Current owner, Wayne Williams is now renovating the original late seventeenth century dwelling house and the larger Georgian addition built in the early eighteenth century that survives as a particularly distinctive example of a Virginia plantation house. To make sure the historic home lasts another 300 years, Williams is using InsulStar® high performance spray foam insulation.

“It just makes sense,” says Williams. “We have to protect the building fabric that earned the plantation a spot on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmark Registry, and spray foam does that. It is the ultimate insulation for renovation. Time does strange things to buildings and spray foam fills every gap and space, expands, and cures in place to form a solid envelope. It has an extremely high thermal efficiency, is safe, and lasts for the life of the home, which, in this case, is hopefully a few more centuries.”

Williams chose Combat Coatings, Virginia Beach, to do the work. John Kuchta, Jr., president of Combat Coatings, says, “It’s an amazing opportunity to work on a home of this historical significance. Choosing InsulStar® by NCFI means the Williams family is getting the very best insulation to improve the home's energy performance, structural integrity and air quality.”

Kuchta says, “We sprayed 2.0" average in the exterior walls of the addition, as well as 2.5" average in the roof deck. Next we’ll spray the crawl space, exterior walls and do a spray-down application in the attic of the original building. Pitt’s Neck will be super insulated.”

Pitts Neck plantation was once a bustling scene. Because of its strategic location on the Pocomoke River, it was one of Virginia’s few official tobacco inspection warehouses. With demand for tobacco at an all-time high in England, a scandal erupted when opportunistic growers exported “trash, bad, unsound, and unmerchantable tobacco” that threatened to harm the colony’s reputation. In response, in 1731 Virginia’s House of Burgesses demanded all tobacco “exported out of this colony and dominion, shall be first brought to some public warehouse, herein after mentioned, and there shall be viewed and inspected by persons thereunto appointed.” Pitts Landing was one of those 18 designated wharves.

Williams concludes, “Insulating a home here on the Chesapeake Bay is not a trivial thing. Summers are hot and muggy and winters are cold and windy. I believe the original builders used the latest technology and materials, and we’re following their lead. We’re pleased to find an insulation that will help keep this home comfortable and structurally sound for as long as someone lives here and cares for it.”

###

For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject please contact:
Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

Top Independent Spray Foam Insulation Information Website Chooses NCFI to Provide Product and "Best Practices" Knowledge

MOUNT AIRY, NC—Sprayfoam.com, the Internet's top destination for people and professionals searching for information and suppliers of spray foam insulation and foam roofing products, has chosen NCFI Polyurethanes to manage and moderate the site’s new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) area.

“Homeowners, architects and building owners looking to cut monthly utility costs and improve building performance needed a place a way to find answers to their specific questions about spray foam,” says Doug Commette, general manager of Sprayfoam.com. “Our new FAQs area gives users a kind of online library, if you will, to research and locate all sorts of topics and categories that match their need, trade group, or particular interest as quickly, accurately and easily as possible.”

Commette explains, “NCFI is the ideal choice to provide information for these FAQs. Their brand recognition and experience in the spray foam industry is well known and respected. There is no doubt the industry, readers, and participants will all benefit from this alliance. "

Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI, says, “We’re honored Doug and Sprayfoam.com chose NCFI for our product knowledge, industry experience, and ‘best-practices’ expertise. We look forward to continuing our work of spreading the good news about spray foam insulation and making sure everyone in this industry has the best information available to do the best possible job.”

Aldo Products, a World Leader in Coating Technology, Selects NCFI as North American Distributor of

MOUNT AIRY, NC—Aldo Products Company, a world leader in the innovation of coating products for construction and roofing, has selected NCFI as authorized North American distributor of it’s new ALDOCOAT 800 Ignition Barrier Protective Coating®.

ALDOCOAT 800 is a breakthrough interior intumescent coating developed for use over closed-cell and open-cell spray polyurethane foam insulation. The product is a water-based latex, single component, one coat application with no VOCs, that inhibit the start and spread of flame encountered on the surface. ALDOCOAT products are designed and used by the spray foam insulation industry to meet residential building codes that require an ignition barrier over spray foam insulation in uninhabited areas such as attics and crawlspaces.

“Over the past 25 years we have built a solid reputation in the spray foam industry,” says Bob Brenk, president of Aldo Products. “Our products are also used in a variety of building applications—reflective roofing, waterproofing, roof restoration—but our ALDOCOAT intumescent technology platform was specifically formulated for spray foam insulation application.”

According to Brenk, the agreement with NCFI is a logical choice. “NCFI is an excellent company. They’ve been a leader in the spray foam insulation industry since 1967. We’ve been working with them for decades on exterior foam roof coating applications and the past six years on ignition barriers. NCFI exemplifies what we look for in a partner: great scientific and technical expertise, industry leading products, a reputation for the highest business integrity, and a solid leadership team. It was a simple choice to trust them to help us distribute our next generation product.”

Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI, says, “Aldo Products is the leader in manufacturing the very best intumescent coatings, bar none. Their flagship product, ALDOCOAT 757, helped the spray foam industry meet the increased demand for what most experts are calling the future of U.S. building. Like its predecessor, ALDOCOAT 800 is an easy-to-apply, single component, one coat application ignition barrier that fully cures within 24 hours providing a protective shield over the spray foam against surface ignition. We are very excited about the future of this new, highly innovative product.”

Clark adds, “We’re honored Aldo Products selected NCFI to distribute ALDOCOAT 800 for the North American market. We look forward to helping spray foam insulation trade contractors achieve ‘best practices’ results and continue to help America build better.”

Award Winning Designer, Dan Sater, Proves Luxury and Eco-Friendly Can (and Should) Live Under the Same Roof

MOUNT AIRY, NC—Dan Sater II, AIBD, CGP, president and CEO of Sater Companies, one of the nation’s most recognized design firms, trend-setting home designer with over 450 awards to his company’s name, is proving green is green regardless of size. One of his latest designs for an 8,511 square foot (5,233 sq. ft. under air) contemporary home in Cape Coral, FL, features advanced sustainable methods and products, and marries aesthetics and effectiveness.

“The green design and building movement is changing the way we live,” says Sater. “Demand for greener, healthier, more sustainable homes is rising and, since we’ve been using these methods and products for 20 years, people are coming to us from all over the country for homes that combine our signature beauty, art and taste with sustainability.”

Sater, who currently serves as president of the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD), says the best designs begin with the right insulation. He says the choice of insulation is vital because it allows the owner to use alternative energy sources like wind, geothermal, solar, and wood, and to make the most of the energy created. “This home includes solar photovoltaic (PV) panels that collect sunlight and convert it to electricity. To be efficient with the energy created, though, we selected InsulStar® high performance spray foam insulation, by NCFI. The closed-cell spray foam provides excellent insulation, dramatically saving on energy costs, and because it seals every crack and crevice it also keeps out moisture, and air pollutants: mold, allergens like pollens, and dust. It’s the ideal efficiency envelope and healthy air product for a green home.”

As Sater described, the Cape Coral home includes solar PV panels and system for electricity and heating water. The home also includes a partial green roof that helps cool the home, on-site water collection and retention—the city offers a residential grey water program— and Energy Star® Low-emissivity (Low-e) glass windows in which microscopically thin coatings are bonded to the surface of a window's glass to prevent heat and ultra-violet (UV) rays from passing through glass. Low-e glass, like InsulStar® insulation, significantly reduces energy use and cost. The house is also equipped with beautiful Energy star appliances and fixtures, and is built with low VOC materials including paint.

Sater, whose designs have been featured in national publications like Better Homes & Gardens, Designer Dream Homes, Builder and American Dream Homes says, “Using sustainable products and methods is not a trend, it’s the future standard. Green building makes our living spaces healthier, more comfortable, more responsible with regard to the environment, and saves the homeowner money in the long run. It pays back in all ways. Sustainable, cost effective and beautiful; it’s not a paradox, it’s a partnership.”

Rebuilding New Orleans with NCFI Spray Foam Insulation

Mount Airy, NC—After enduring the ruin of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans may be the only post-devastation city to consider the opening of a new restaurant a milestone of resurrection. But, to the Big Easy, the new downtown restaurant Le Foret is a sign that their unique way of life is continuing. Thanks to forwardthinking owners, an innovative builder and an expert in insulating buildings in the excessive moisture of below sea level venues, Le Foret may spell the future of
new New Orleans.

The building, a former 1800s era cigar factory, is located in the Central Business District at the corner of Camp and Common streets—just three blocks off the French Quarter— but, despite its highly visible location, it has been empty since the 1970s. While the restoration and conversion to one of the city’s first post storm, high-end, “grand” restaurants (which opened in October, 2009) is called by Brenda Maitland, food, wine, cocktail and travel writer, in Country Roads magazine, “an extraordinary gift to the city by Le Foret owners, Margaret and Mike Schexnayder,” the building presented numerous challenges, even to the experienced insulation expert, Tobias Torjusen, and his company, Foamman Insulation. “I talked it over with the contractor and we agreed we had to super insulate the entire building. We needed to add structural strength, high R-value, noise abatement, and air and moisture barrier—all in one product. Floors, ceilings, walls—the entire envelope had to be spray foam insulation.”

One of the challenges for the team was simply the age of the building and it had, like most city buildings, been battered by the hurricane’s high winds and water. Torjusen explains, “Bricks and mortar were crumbling, and there were cracks and crevices to fill to prevent air leakage. The application of spray foam was really the only choice, since it quickly expands to fill in the gaps while it conforms to curves and spaces then cures in place. These unique qualities make this spray foam insulation an exceptional restoration tool.”

“Our challenges mounted,” continues Torjusen. “The three story building has many of its original doorways, beams and hardware, going back nearly 200 years, and the owners wanted to preserve as much of that as possible. Also, we were dealing with three working kitchens—on three different floors. Moreover, as in most of New Orleans, this structure is on land below sea level; thus, it is important to keep the building climate controlled, safe and free of moisture.”

But, Torjusen, a Gulfport, MS native, is all too familiar with the challenges of building in the area, and just as familiar with products that work. “We used NCFI’s InsulStar® closed-cell spray foam because it’s the best. We have very high humidity here and up to 70 inches of rain per year, all of which affect the sustainability of the structures and the insulation within. Closed-cell spray foam insulation is a moisture barrier that allows you to stop vapor drives which threaten to cause rot and mildew, which are quite prevalent here in our region.”

Another advantage of the unparalleled, closed-cell insulation is that it also blocks the infiltration of dust, pollen and other airborne pollutants, creating a tight seal around the building and providing a healthier living, working, and dining environment.

One of Torjusen’s favorite parts of the project is the new wine cellar, fully insulated with InsulStar®, “so it will maintain specific and consistent temperature and humidity levels,” crows Torjusen.

To further protect the new restaurant, they used NCFI’s Sealite™ open-cell spray foam insulation between dining rooms, hallways, bathrooms, stairways and kitchens. Since Sealite™ buffers and abates noise in addition to insulating Torjusen and his team installed it between all floors so patrons in each dining room would not hear noises from the dining room above or below. Overall, this interior insulation provides the patrons and restaurant personnel with a more comfortable, intimate experience.

When he began working on the project, Torjusen says he was pleasantly surprised by NCFI’s commitment to him and the project. An NCFI team flew in for the start of the project to make sure things went smoothly and that the insulation was being applied correctly. “I haven’t had that happen with any other spray foam company. We were fully capable of handling things, but when you have someone from the home office show up to support you, it just makes you feel that much better,” notes Torjusen.

Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI, says, “We play as larger a role as our applicators and trade contractors need. We consistently go above and beyond to prove that commitment. Sending in a technical team is the least we can do for Tobias, the owners of Le Foret, and our friends in the city of New Orleans.”

When Le Foret opened its doors and began serving exceptional, traditional New Orleans French cuisine, they did so in a solid and dependable structure. Like other restaurants that have sprung up in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, the Le Foret team had much to celebrate. For starters, they are part of rebuilding a vibrant city. NCFI is proud to be part of this endeavor.

“NCFI understands that each building that goes up or is rescued from the forgotten is one more sure step towards a solid future for the people and families of New Orleans,” claims Clark. “We are extremely pleased our products, which are often called the ‘future of sustainable building’, are helping shape the future of the resilient Crescent City.”

Given its tenacity of spirit, it should be no surprise there are more restaurants in New Orleans now than there were pre-Katrina. Good food is part of the city’s culture, and many say it is the very foundation of that culture. Tom Fitzmorris, NOLA native and author of the book, Hungry Town—which describes the triumphant comeback of New Orleans’s food culture and restaurants in the aftermath of Katrina—notes in a recent “City Business” article: “Few parts of New Orleans society did more to comfort people and give them a reason to rebuild . . . Our culture of great eating and drinking is leading us out of disaster into a hopeful new world.” Fitzmorris says of Le Foret in his online food blog, New Orleans Menu, “The restaurant performs at such a high level that it makes me nostalgic to dine there, even though the menu is very much up to date. It's been a long time.”

With Tobias Torjusen and NCFI high-performance spray foam insulation, the new New Orleans may look a lot like the old one, only safer, stronger, and healthier.

###
For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:
Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

University of Illinois Chooses NCFI's InsulStar High Performance Spray Foam Insulation to Help Win International Environmental Competition

Mount Airy, NC—With its traditional sloping gable roof, this small house looks like any other you might see on a quaint neighborhood street. Sure, it’s sleek and modern, but few onlookers will know how different it truly is. For one thing, it’s probably the only home in any neighborhood that can be heated with a single hair dryer. Oh, and it’s a national and international award winner. The solar powered, super-insulated “Gable Home” won first place in the United States, and second place worldwide, in the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, an international competition consisting of 20 college and university teams charged with designing, building and operating the gold standard of a solar-powered, energy-efficient home.

Students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) partnered with builders from Homeway Homes, Deer Creek, Illinois, for two years to build the “Gable Home.” The team was able to impress the Solar Decathlon judges and produce winning results by combining the required components of cost effectiveness, consumer appeal and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. How did they do it? For starters, they super-insulated the 800-square-foot energy-efficient home with InsulStar® high performance spray foam insulation from NCFI, one of the country's most innovative spray foam insulation companies, headquartered in Mount Airy, NC.

Spray foam insulation is quickly becoming a best practice in building techniques because of its superior insulating capabilities, and this team of students and builders took full advantage of its benefits, using it to create the strong shield the home needed to be efficient with the energy the solar collectors captured. Nearly 12 inches (30.5 cm) of spray foam insulation is incorporated into the walls, roof, and floor of the home, and the end result is much like that of a thermos with its consistent internal temperature.

According to Ted Schieler, General Manager of Homeway Homes, one of the challenges building the home was that it would be constructed in one place then transported in sections to a different location for judging and display. It would, therefore, need to be built well enough to travel over a long distance and maintain its solid structural integrity. Schieler explains, “NCFI’s InsulStar® was the obvious choice to maintain the structural integrity of the house. It eliminates air infiltration and prevents dry wall cracks and structural defects.” He further clarifies that the spray foam is made up of “closed cells” which form a tight barrier, keeping outside, unwanted, air and moisture out of the home.

The Solar Decathlon’s 20 competing homes were judged in 10 separate contests (thus, the “decathlon” designation) including: architecture, market viability, engineering, lighting design, communications, comfort zone, hot water, appliances, home entertainment and net metering. The Gable Home outperformed in all areas. Schieler notes that during the dreary days of the competition, when there was very little sun, the Gable House outperformed all other homes in the competition because the InsulStar® spray foam insulation kept the interior of the home comfortable.

Following on their success in the competition, the Gable Home was certified as a “Passive House” by the European Passive House standards. This classification denotes a building that is highly insulated, virtually airtight, and which uses 90% less energy than typical construction. According to Schieler, this house is so well insulated and air tight that it can be heated with energy equivalent to that of a single hair dryer in an hour or less time.

While the Solar Decathlon is largely about energy creation, use, and efficiency, it is also about the comfort and livability of the home. Not only were competing homes required to be highly energy efficient, but were also expected to maintain comfortable and healthy indoor environmental conditions. NCFI’s InsulStar® spray foam insulation was the ideal choice to achieve this standard. While the spray foam insulation fills every crack and crevice, then cures in place creating a tight seal that maintains comfort, it also keeps airborne dangers like dust, pollen and mold—and the moisture that mold needs to grow—out, making for a healthier and more comfortable interior. Another environmental perk, unlike some insulation products, once applied spray foam insulation lasts for the life of the home.

“We love being involved with this competition,” says Nelson Clark, SVP of NCFI. “It’s amazing to watch young, bright minds working on something as important as solar residences. We work with innovative builders, engineers and designers each day, but it’s especially exciting to see our products and technical expertise used by the next wave of brilliant minds.” According to Clark, helping provide green, sustainable solutions is important to NCFI. In addition to working with the UIUC team to win the 2009 competition, NCFI also supported the neighboring Virginia Tech team that placed thirteenth. In 2005, NCFI worked with the Colorado University team that won first place in the worldwide competition.

Clark says, “Around the building and architecture industry, we’re known as ‘the best green building product you’ll never see’ because our insulation products usually end up covered over so you only experience the comfort and savings we provide. This is a great opportunity for future building experts to really see the vital role InsulStar® plays in the overall design of a green home.”

“It’s inspiring to work alongside college and university students—the leaders of tomorrow—actively involved in progressive home building projects seeking to conserve energy, improve the environment and sustain the planet,” concludes Clark. “It certainly fits with NCFI’s overall mission, and we’re proud to play our part.”

NCFI Responds to Evolving Customer Needs, Creates and Launches Innovative SPFEquipmentstore.com

Mount Airy, NC—NCFI’s expanding base of customers are not only some of the most successful trade contractors in the "green building" movement, but are also technologically savvy and accustomed to using the Internet for everything from research to making online purchases. It only makes sense they would want to do the same with spray foam equipment and supplies.

“We—our in-house support staff and field sales people—are committed to seeking feedback from our current customers and new customers we sign up each day about what we could do to make their businesses better,” says Paul Hash, manager of technical services for NCFI. “Their input is invaluable. We learned they want to be able to do more online, in their own time, and with ease. Knowing how quickly this industry is growing it makes sense to have a comprehensive tool like that. So, we got to work on a new Web site.”

The outcome is www.spfequipmentstore.com. According to Hash it’s, “a onestop-shop, always open, when and where they want to use it. We can help design your own spray polyurethane foam (SPF) or coating set up and can build your spray rig to your customized specifications. We also stock replacement parts and special support equipment: air dryers, guns hoses, reactors and proportioners, and safety gear—the items you'll need on a daily basis to run your spray foam insulation or coating business while saving energy and money and protecting the planet.”

Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI, says, “Our customers are evolving. Their needs are changing, and we want to stay out in front of the changes. SPF Equipment Store is a powerful support tool for spray foam trade contractors. We’ve already heard from a number of our Certified Gold Star applicators that the Engineering Tech Services and Support tools are invaluable to them. Since science and technical support are our hallmarks, it’s logical for us to find the very best ways to put that power in the hands of the customer.”

Clark continues, “Another well-trafficked part of the new site is the financing tool. With the burgeoning ‘green jobs’ market, more and more people and families are getting into this business and they need financing. We’ve included information and links to sources specializing in financing for spray foam trade contractors. We put all that information and support at their fingertips anytime they choose to use it. We’ll even help walk you through the process.”

Hash recounts, “Just the other day a new company in Pennsylvania came to the site, clicked on the financing tool, went to one of the sources there, and are now in business and ready to spray NCFI products. We helped make their start-up simpler. Now, ordering supplies, finding parts, and seeking technical support and tips will be simpler for them too. Like Nelson says, it puts a powerful business tool in the hands of hard working spray foam contractors. It’s the kind of partnership that works for everyone and the kind of innovation that drives us.”

###

For more information, or to arrange an interview on this subject contact:

Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615

dm@seachangeglobal.com

New Building Code Report Puts NCFI's High Performance Spray Foam Insulation in Rarefied Air

Mount Airy, NC—A new report issued by the International Code Council Evaluation Service, ICC-ES, the body responsible for evaluating product compliance with ICC codes and standards used to construct residential and commercial buildings spells good news for NCFI Polyurethanes by scoring a hattrick. The report, ESR-1615, certifies NCFI as the only manufacturer with products compliant for all residential and commercial building according to the 2009 International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC), and International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and certifies them for the latest Florida Building Code and for single and multi-story buildings located in High-
Velocity Hurricane Wind Zones.
ICC-ES evaluates building products for compliance with building and construction code. ICC-ES does technical evaluations of building products, components, methods, and materials. The evaluation process culminates with the issuance of reports on code compliance and design/construction alternatives which are available free of charge to code officials, contractors, specifiers, architects, engineers, and anyone else with an interest in the building industry and construction. ESRs provide evidence that products and systems meet code requirements.
“Spray foam systems manufacturers, like NCFI, must test our products. ICC-ES does an excellent and much needed job of evaluating and reporting on the results,” says Steve Loftis, Manager of Codes and Compliance for NCFI. “They really help code officials and designers by boiling a huge pile of data down into a single line stating the products are, or in some cases are not, code compliant for certain applications.” Loftis continues, “In our case, the ESR certifies InsulStar® and InsulBloc® are code compliant for all residential and commercial buildings as insulation and vapor retarder. This provides designers with multiple functionality and performance with a single product and that opens up a world of design possibilities in all climatic conditions. We’ve worked hard to gain ESR certification and it means a great deal to our business.”
Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI, sees the benefit for code officials, “ICC-ES acts as a third-party—a totally independent source—that validates code compliance claims. It’s a vital service in today’s growing building industry. We’re glad to have this highly professional, trusted organization confirm and validate our testing to let the code community and designers know InsulStar® and InsulBloc® are approved for all types of commercial and residential buildings.” Clark concludes, “We know our products are technically excellent for all kinds of building—we’ve been at this since 1967. It’s good to have the assurance of a prestigious independent testing body like the ICC-ES.”

###

New Aspen Home a VISION for Green, Sustainable Building Thanks in Part to NCFI's InsulStar Spray Foam Insulation

MOUNT AIRY, NC—A new home in the high mountains of Aspen, CO. is proof “green” can be sexy, energy efficient, durable, and cost-effective. The home’s increased energy efficiency, which is what most homebuyers are seeking these days, is accomplished largely by the inclusion of NCFI’s InsulStar® high performance spray foam insulation.

The VISION House Aspen is the first in a series of homes built by Green Builder Media, the parent company of Green Builder magazine, that showcase green, sustainable building methods and “best in class” products in different environments, locations and costs. The Aspen home opened its doors to the public this week, and features InsulStar® as the “best of the best” insulation.

“NCFI provided an indispensable part of a strategy to create the most energy efficient building envelope possible,” says Ron Jones, founder Green Builder magazine and president of Green Builder Media. “InsulStar® is an environmentally friendly, closed cell, spray-in-place insulation product formulated from polyurethane and renewable, sucrose-based agricultural resources.”

Jones says his staff, architect, J. Stace McGee, Environmental Dynamics, Inc., Albuquerque, NM, and builder, Gerry Hazelbaker, Paradigm Construction Corp., Basalt, CO., chose InsulStar® because of its industry-leading reputation as an ultra-high-performance insulation that could be applied down to zero degrees Fahrenheit, when other spray foams are rated to only thirty degrees. Jones say, “It helps create a very tight envelope on the house, and provides dramatic savings on energy costs when compared with traditional insulation products.Additionally it acts as a vapor barrier, reduces noise, blocks dust, pollen and other airborne pollutants, helping to create a more comfortable and clean environment.”

Architect J. Stace McGee agrees InsulStar® is the ideal choice for an ultimate green design. “By spraying the walls and the interior roof deck with InsulStar® foam, the entire home becomes a conditioned space—essentially pushing the dew point outside the house, which eliminated the need for ventilating attic space.” He says of the home’s overall efficiency, “VISION House is 48% more efficient than the 2006 IECC. This house is already 66% more efficient than typical comparable housing in the Aspen area . . . with a yearly reduction in energy cost of over $2,000.”

Nelson Clark, senior vice president, NCFI’s, says, “We’re very excited about the VISION House Aspen. It’s a beautiful house with amazing views and it’s loaded with green products and green building methods: Solar thermal hot water, hydronic flooring system, dual-flush toilets, domestic hot water recirculation loop, LED lighting, reclaimed FSC oak flooring, earthen plaster and low VOC paint, to name a few. We’re proud they chose InsulStar® as the insulation. Ron, Gerry and Stace did a fantastic job creating a luxury home that proves green, sustainable building can be glamorous.”

The VISION House Aspen is located in a spectacular setting on McClain Flats on the outskirts of Aspen, Colorado. The house has 360-degree panoramic views of Aspen Mountain, Snowmass Mountain, and the Upper Roaring Fork Valley. The area has a rich history steeped in mining and is now a leading international mountain resort that attracts a wide variety of tourists from around the globe.

NCFI's Spray Foam Helps U.S. Army Build Better, Healthier, More Comfortable Housing for Soldiers at Fort Bragg

MOUNT AIRY, NC—For men and women in the military, home is any spot in which you are ordered to drop your gear. For 600 lucky soldiers at Ft. Bragg, NC, that home will be warm, safe, dry and meet the Army’s new high standards for air tightness, thanks in part to NCFI’s high performance spray foam insulation.

Ft. Bragg is one of the largest and busiest military complexes in the world with over 43,000 personnel. The base is home to America's only airborne corps and
airborne division, the 82nd Airborne, plus the "Green Berets" of the Special Operations Command, and the Army's largest support command. Its size and importance make it the ideal base to try out the Army’s new modular housing, called a UEPH (Unaccompanied Enlisted Personnel Housing), due to open in May 2010. According to the Corps of Engineers, the UEHP “will house single soldiers and is intended to be similar both functionally and technically to apartment type housing in the private sector. The soldier’s room shall include: private sleeping areas, walk-in closets, a shared bathroom and kitchenette.”

The UEPH is unique because it is designed according to new exacting standards recently adopted by the Corps of Engineers for “efficient building enclosures.” The new mandate requires building enclosures to exhibit an air tightness metric of .25 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per square foot envelope at 75 Pascals—a requirement far exceeding that of the typical civilian home. The Military Engineer magazine says the Corps of Engineers has “taken a leading role in requiring field performance testing to measure and verify . . . air tightness . . .” (Sept/Oct 2009).

While most builders know of InsulStar’s® exceptional R-Value, this project highlights the product’s quality as an air barrier. The general contractor was required by the specifications to provide a tight building utilizing an air barrier to complement the insulation, so they chose NCFI’s InsulStar®, which, by nature, is an air barrier.

“InsulStar® is a multi-use product—high performance insulation, air barrier, moisture barrier, and includes an anti-microbial agent, so it doesn’t surprise me they chose it,” says Brian Nuhfer, president of Foam Applicators, Inc., and a second-generation insulation applicator. “NCFI’s spray foams are simply the best, period.”

Nuhfer spent more than three weeks at the five-story, $45 million facility applying InsulStar® to the walls and roof. He also insulated the critical outside corner spaces—a common problem spot for many buildings, but not a concern for this job. “InsulStar® fills every nook and cranny in the corners providing an ultra-tight seal.”

The Army benefits from such attention to detail not only in dollars saved on energy costs, but also in something less tangible: the peace of mind of Army personnel. “Unaccompanied” means “single”, that is, the enlisted soldiers who truly call the Army home. Kevin Watson, NCFI’s project manager for the Ft. Bragg job, says, “NCFI believes our soldiers deserve a home that is safe, comfortable and healthy. A place in which they can relax and have some downtime.”

“They easily attain the new standards,” says Nuhfer who points to the tens of thousands of square feet of foam he applied to the UEPH. With a crew of only three applicators, they were able to work around tight deadlines, power outages, and crowded conditions. “It was a typical chaotic construction site,” laughs Nuhfer. “Except it was highly organized by Archer Western, the general contractor. Like a good symphony.”
Nuhfer says he is proud of the work his company did on this building. “I know for certain this building will be efficient, safe and comfortable for these soldiers—and frankly that just makes me feel good,” he says. Watson agrees, “Those soldiers sacrifice every day for the rest of us, we’re just glad we could help make their living space comfortable. There is no need for them to sacrifice comfort too.” Nuhfer adds, “It makes me proud that my company’s hard work, and the superior NCFI products we used, make the soldiers’ jobs and lives a little better.”
###
For more information or to arrange an interview on this subject please
contact:
Dale McGlothlin
(202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

New Residential Development in Maryland and NCFI Spray Foam Define What it Means to go Green

MOUNT AIRY, NC—There is a quiet revolution going on—and it’s happening inside the walls of a newly built home down the street from the last remaining brook trout stream in Maryland’s coastal plain. “Inside these walls is the key to green building,” says Michael Baldwin, president of Baldwin Homes, Arnold, MD. Through the use of NCFI’s high performance spray foam insulation, Baldwin can build a home that uses less energy, costs less to maintain, and is healthier and more comfortable in which to live. It is the new definition of green.

Baldwin Homes will build 73 homes at The Preserve at Severn Run in Gambrills, MD, using sustainable building techniques and products. "We want to make these homes green and sustainable from the inside out and you can't do that with just any insulation,” says Baldwin.

"It is important for homeowners to understand and see—really see—the new techniques and products going into the homes of the very near future," stated Kevin Watson, NCFI representative who supports Baldwin Homes. “Customers are demanding ‘green’ homes, though most don’t know much about what that means. Forward-thinking builders like Baldwin Homes are rising to the occasion by helping educate them,” Watson adds.

The Preserve at Severn Run is built to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Standard and achieved LEED, Leadership in Energy Efficiency Design, certification—a green building rating system developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

The list of products used in the homes reads like a master guide for green building: composite siding, energy efficient windows, skylights and sun tunnels, tank-less hot water heaters, LED lights, environmentally-friendly paint, flooring and appliances. Plus, the homes have a centralized monitoring system so homeowners can track and monitor their energy and water usage. Baldwin’s homes are so energy efficient the development is ENERGY STAR qualified by the U.S. EPA and Dept. of Energy. This ENERGY STAR rating comes in large part from its insulation savings, and qualifies homeowners for potential tax credits.

However, a home filled with green products doesn’t necessarily make a green home. “We know being 'green' means considering the comfort of the home too, and that's where NCFI's spray foam insulation plays such a crucial role," says Baldwin.

NCFI Polyurethanes, headquartered in Mount Airy, NC, is a polyurethane manufacturer that produces specialized spray foam insulation. This impermeable barrier keeps homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter, saving big on energy costs. Plus it keeps out airborne dangers like dust, pollen and mold, creating a healthier environment inside the home.

Baldwin Homes spoke to many spray foam manufacturers before choosing NCFI for their industry-recognized reputation. Baldwin learned NCFI would back up their products with years of tested technical expertise and support and that was imperative for him.

"NCFI really serviced our needs. Their products are one of the reasons you cannot compare our homes to any other community,” says Baldwin. “We use the open cell and closed cell foam in all of our 'green' homes because of its exceptional air barrier, sound barrier and dust and pollutants blocker qualities. Foam is one of the most cost effective ways to make a home more efficient. Once installed it never needs maintaining, saving our customers money now and in the future, while providing them a more comfortable, healthy, and efficient home."

Spray foam insulation is quickly becoming a "best practice" in building techniques and NCFI is a preeminent supplier. However, what really matters is the opinion of the person living in the home. Baldwin Homes enlisted the input of their past clients, all who had their homes insulated with spray foam. What they heard, confirmed their choice for NCFI’s spray foam.

“We are thrilled with the results,” said Michael and Andrea Shove. “The efficiency compared to our previous home, which was traditional insulation and half the size, is amazing. Our energy bills have been cut in half and our home is more comfortable and efficient.”

Baldwin loves showing potential clients around a partially finished house. He wants to show his clients what goes into a ‘green’ built home, particularly the things they’ll never see but may save them the most. So the company created an ECO-MODEL at The Preserve that is much more than just a model home: it is a teaching/learning environment. People can see and touch sustainable building and they can see spray foam insulation inside the walls. Baldwin Homes is in the process of creating a learning environment so that other builders, future homeowners, students, and everyone interested in green homes will be able to tour and experience green building.

Thanks in part to NCFI’s high performance insulation Baldwin Homes continues to redefine what it means to build and live green with each new home. In the end, Michael Baldwin knows customers will see what he sees in this green revolution: homes that are comfortable, affordable and good for the environment. Even green home skeptics can’t deny the savings and payback in the form of reduced energy bills. That’s not just something homeowners live with, it’s green they can’t live without.

For more information about this story or to arrange an interview please call: Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615, dm@seachangeglobal.com

NCFI-Lubrizol Study of SPF and CPVC

Two U.S. Manufacturing Companies Step Up To Help
Building Industry Correct Potentially Costly Misinformation
MOUNT AIRY, NC—NCFI Polyurethanes, a manufacturer of foam products including spray foam insulation, and Lubrizol, the leading supplier of CPVC resins for the manufacture of plumbing pipe and fire sprinkler systems, joined forces to save residential and commercial builders lots of headaches and hundreds of millions of potential dollars.
Misinformation Spreads Like Wildfire
“One of our customers in the Rocky Mountain region called after a building inspector inquired about extreme heat distortion damage to a CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) sprinkler system around which spray foam insulation was used,” said Clarence Tolbert, VP of NCFI. “When we researched the situation we found someone had sprayed an unknown thickness of foam on the pipes and it wasn’t even our product.” “Within a few weeks, we got a call from a building inspector in a neighboring state questioning the suitability of spray foam with CPVC, then another and another. In the absence of test data some applicators were being required to pre-wrap pipes with a protective covering before applying spray foam. Next a fire marshal called saying he was prohibiting the use of spray foam with CPVC and in stud bays where pipe was present because he had heard at a recent meeting there were problems. Word-of-mouth was spreading about the one incident creating a general concern. The inaccurate information was snowballing, so we had to act fast.” “It wasn’t spray foam on CPVC, but the way it was applied,” explains Nelson Clark, SVP of NCFI. “NCFI is a technically focused, scientifically based company. We’ve extensively tested our spray foam with almost every type of building material since 1967. We know spray foam is compatible when used correctly with CPVC. We also know how problematic it can be when an inaccurate anecdote spreads in the industry. It can cost builders and building owners lots of money and negatively impact the way builders build. It can be a major speed bump, and that’s the last thing the industry needs when it’s getting back on its feet. The industry needed accurate testing and proper guidelines for application, so we offered to do them. ”
NCFI-Lubrizol Joint Study of Spray Foam Insulation and CPVC
According to Tolbert, “We have a great working relationship with Lubrizol, a major manufacturer of CPVC resins for plumbing and fire suppression systems, so we immediately called them to propose a joint exothermic study providing correct and reliable data to head off the dangerous misinformation. “Thank goodness the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA), of which we are an active member, was already acting on a 2008 statement by another manufacturer of CPVC, which incorrectly blamed spray foam for Environmental Stress Cracking (ESC). We knew the SPFA taskforce already working with Lubrizol was issuing a report clearly
proving SPF is chemically compatible with CPVC and definitely not a source of ESC.” Tolbert continues, “We joined forces with Kevin Daugherty’s team at Lubrizol to put both open and closed cell SPF and CPVC assemblies through rigorous exothermic testing including pressure, heat, and wet and dry conditions. We took it to extremes then we did real-world, common building practice testing to cover all the bases.“Our joint NCFI-Lubrizol test data proves, without a doubt, spray foam, when applied properly according to our standard application guidelines, is safe and effective, even preferable, to use with CPVC plumbing pipes and fire sprinkler systems.” Clark says, “We spent close to 300 man-hours testing, gathering and analyzing the data. Plus, we went a step further and in cooperation with Lubrizol and SPFA, created a Suggested Application Test Protocol Guideline. We are sharing these guidelines with our fellow spray foam manufacturers to insure the entire industry benefits. “While I am sure other spray foam manufacturers would have done the same, NCFI is glad we had the opportunity to work with Lubrizol to quickly and professionally head off a potentially threatening misconception. We’re proud to offer this vital data to the industry to correct the misinformation, add value to the SPFA’s compatibility report, and keep America building strong.” Tolbert concludes, "We shared this information with our colleagues at the recent SPFA annual conference in Orlando, Florida. The presentation was well attended and well received. I think the industry was proud of the work and glad to have a model for how misinformation can be turned around before real damage is done.”

Initiatives: Green Collar Workers Strengthen Building Economy

Green construction is the brightest spot in the U.S. building industry. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, the green building industry is not as affected by the overall down market. Companies like ours, NCFI Polyurethanes, are doing their best to not just prepare for this major building trend, but to also make sure the building industry is prepared for it with current and complete technical information, high-touch support and the highest-quality, best-formulated products.

When the U.S. Department of Energy says about 80 percent of pre-1980 U.S. homes and a good percentage of current homes are under-insulated, and demand for new green building is exploding, there is certainly a swell of emergent opportunity — for manufacturers and for entrepreneurial craftsmen. Consumer demand for green building products and methods is growing; architects are specifying these products into buildings; and builders/contractors are installing them at an accelerated pace.

The only potential stumbling block we currently see in the green building juggernaut would be lack of qualified high-performance spray foam applicators. Now NCFI is addressing that potential concern too.

NCFI is tackling the future need for highly qualified building experts by recruiting, training and supporting top-quality insulation installers/applicators. A new website, www.spfcareers.com, is designed to attract hard-working, dedicated people who want to take control of their own destiny by tying it to the burgeoning green jobs economy.

For people considering a career change, or who are out of work from layoffs and closings, the green building industry can be an ideal choice. As homeowners demand green, sustainable products, we’re seeing slightly lagging demand on the builder/contractor level. We want to close that gap, quickly.

Entrepreneurs and innovative thinking can also be the driving force behind a recovery — especially in the new building culture. With the growing interest and demand for green jobs, entrepreneurs now have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the new greener economy — education, training, support, equipment, financing and certification. It’s a turnkey opportunity.

NCFI, for example, is preparing a new wave of success-driven craftsmen with thebest knowledge and skills to build truly sustainable homes and buildings for the next 100 years. While we continue to innovate our products, NCFI also strives to provide the necessary technical information and industry training through the Certified Gold Star Applicator program (for spray foam insulation) and the Tier One Program (for roofing systems).

As an employer, it’s critical to find, recruit and train an infrastructure of responsible applicators, installers and contractors to help keep up with the growing demand for green building. NCFI, for example, is looking for hard workers who demand excellence and provide the same for his customers. We encourage you to seek-out long-term relationships with prospects that invest their time and energy to go out and make good things happen — people willing to lead by doing the right things over and over. It is these green collar workers that will continue to help green construction shine as the bright spot in the building industry.

BE&K Building Group Wins Award for Helping Cherokee Nation Maintain Tribal Tradition of Environmental Stewardship

Cherokee, N.C., November 19, 2009—BE&K Building Group’s new K-12 facility project for the eastern band of the Cherokee Nation recently won the Best of 2009 award from McGraw-Hill’s Southeast Construction magazine.
            The $108 million, 473,000 square foot complex contain three schools, three gymnasiums, an auditorium, community center, sports arena, and cafeteria. Richard Anderson, BE&K senior project manager, describes the project, “The site is nestled in between the Blue Ridge Parkway to the east and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the north and the Oconaluftee River to the west. The 18-building complex is divided into academic space for elementary, middle and high school students, a 1,040-seat cultural arts center, separate dining, media centers, and basketball/ multipurpose facilities.”
         The Cherokee leadership was intent on building a facility to incorporate tribal tradition of environmental stewardship. According to Anderson, “The architect worked with the client to assure the building’s appearance reflected local art and heritage of the Cherokee people which can be seen in the seven-sided shape of the two courtyard areas taken from the traditional Cherokee village layout and the traditional basket weave patterns of the stucco on the ends of some of the buildings.”
            The Cherokee also wanted a building that reflected their reverence for the earth and the energy they used. It had to be a high-performance building that used energy efficiently and respectfully. BE&K Building Group and their insulation contractor, American Coatings and Insulation Systems (ACI), Greensboro, NC, chose NCFI’s high-performance commercial spray foam insulation InsulBloc for the job.
            According to Anderson, “One of our major concerns was how to maintain energy efficiency within the environmental framework. We were working toward LEED Silver certification, which is the benchmark for design, construction and operation of a sustainable building and a legacy of the Cherokee tradition of respect for the earth and its elements. This particular educational facility includes a geothermal well system, rainwater harvesting system, day lighting, and energy efficient equipment. Spray foam has outstanding insulation value, is safe, and really sealed the building envelope for the ultimate energy efficiency.”
            Frank Hughes of ACI says, “We all agreed the building had to be super-insulated. High-performance spray foam insulation guarantees the Cherokee Nation gets the most from the energy they create and use. InsulBloc is ideal to seal a commercial building and provide the highest energy efficiency you can get with masonry block. We sprayed four inches on the exterior masonry block and four inches on the interior sheetrock walls. That’s super-insulation and it can only be achieved with spray foam insulation.”
            Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI, says his company is proud to play a role in BE&K’s Best of 2009 award. “We’re like proud parents when we see a project as important as the Cherokee Central Schools win an award. It’s validation of what we do each day: you cannot build a high-performance building without high-performance spray foam insulation.”
            Clark says NCFI relies on smart, forward-thinking contractors like Hughes and ACI and excellent builders like BE&K Building Group because, “Our products are rarely seen by the building owner or people who spend most of their time working and learning inside the school building. After application our products are covered up. Occupants know something is keeping them comfortable and saving them big money on energy costs, they just don’t know it’s an NCFI product. We’re okay with being the most important green building product you never see.”
            Clark adds his company seeks out visionary builders like BE&K Building Group and contractors like ACI, “Our focus is creating the future of high-performance building in the U.S. We’re proud to work with BE&K and ACI to provide the materials and spray foam equipment required to build for a nation concerned with healthy, high-performance buildings.
            “All of us at NCFI congratulate BE&K Building Group and the Cherokee Nation on their major building award. Thanks for choosing NCFI.”
###

About NCFI
NCFI was organized in 1964 by research chemist, Dr. H. W. Bradley and Barnhardt Manufacturing Company. NCFI is headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC and manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation commonly referred to as SPF, roofing, marine floatation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses. The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating, transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI has manufacturing plants in High Point and Hickory, N.C., Dalton, GA., and Salt Lake City, UT. To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.

For follow-up information or to schedule an interview, please call Dale McGlothlin at (202) 341-8615.

Beyond Green! SPF Crew Takes House to Next Level

When SPF contractor Fernando Feldman first became involved in the construction of a 4,300-square-foot (399.5m²) home in Los Angeles, he knew he'd have to bring his "A" game.

The home was built from scratch to be one of the most energy-efficient houses on the West Coast. From design, materials, and systems to construction techniques, the Go Green Home was being built to go beyond "green" and become a model for energy efficiency and conservation.

How far beyond? While many designers and builders concern themselves with achieving energy-rating certifications such as LEED Platinum and California's Title 24 minimum energy performance standards, these guys were only concerned with how far they could blow them away.

The Go Green Home is loaded with conservation-minded features, including recycled materials, 742 square feet (68.9m²) of photovoltaic roof panels, a gray water system for landscape irrigation, a rainwater collection system with a 1,200-gallon (4,542L) cistern, double- and triple-paned windows, and insulated doors. Solar and wind modeling even dictated how the house sat on the lot.

With this amount of attention being paid to "green" detail, Feldman knew his SPF crew would have to lay down a foam insulation that would exceed all expectations. He also knew that the final inspection would be a bear. Since Feldman was the SPF contractor, general contractor, and homeowner, the final Go Green Home inspection was his to make!

Silver Lining for Green Building Industry

Aug. 11, 2009, Mount Airy, N.C. — While many U.S. companies are waiting for the U.S. economy to turn north, Mount Airy, N.C.-based manufacturer, NCFI, is busy creating the future of green building by seeking out and training the next wave of sustainable insulation contractors. “Green construction is the brightest spot in the U.S. building industry,” claims NCFI Sr. Vice President, Nelson Clark. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, of which we are a member, the green building industry is not as affected by the down market. A recent McGraw-Hill report shows the overall green building market is expected to more than double from $49 billion today to approximately $140 billion by 2013!

“We see major upside when builders and homebuyers are equally motivated,” continues Clark. “Builders are motivated by the economic benefits including higher revenue and lower operating costs. Homebuyers are inspired by the health benefits, use of sustainable products, reducing carbon output, higher home resell value and lower energy costs.”

“Best of Class” Sustainable Building Products

David Johnston, green pioneer, author and advocate calls NCFI insulation products, “best of class.” Johnson says, “Insulation for any building type appropriately selected and installed is the best investment a community can make in a building’s infrastructure. As energy costs spiral, high-performance spray foam insulation is becoming increasingly popular, not only for its insulating properties, but because it also resists mold and moisture and promotes healthful indoor air quality.”

According to Clark, “We’re doing our best to not just prepare for this major building trend, but to also make sure the building industry is prepared for the future with current and complete technical information, high-touch support and the highest-quality, best-formulated products. We are not here just to sell products. We’re here, and we’ve been here since 1966, to drive the very future of how we build healthier, high-performance homes and buildings in the U.S. It’s been our corporate mission all this time to bring the energy economy and building economy together – get things moving in the right direction – and we’re finally seeing that vision become reality.

“When the U.S. Dept. of Energy says about 80 percent of pre-1980 U.S. homes and a good percentage of current homes are under-insulated, and demand for new green building is exploding, we know there is a swell of emergent opportunity – for manufacturers and for entrepreneurial craftsmen. Consumer demand for green building products and methods is growing, architects are designing them into buildings and specifying them, and builders are using them. The only potential stumbling block we see to the green building juggernaut would be lack of qualified high-performance spray foam applicators. Since we’re here for the long haul we are addressing that too.”

GREEN JOBS INITIATIVE

NCFI is addressing the future need for highly qualified building experts by recruiting, training and supporting top-quality insulation installers/applicators. Clark says, “Our new Web site, www.spfcareers.com, is designed to attract hard-working, dedicated people who want to take control of their own destiny by tying it to the burgeoning green jobs economy. For people considering a career change, or who are out of work from layoffs and closings, this industry can be an ideal choice! As homeowners demand green, sustainable products, we’re seeing slightly lagging demand on the builder/contractor level. We want to close that gap, quickly,” says Clark.

A director of economic research for the U.S. Small Business Administration, Chad Moutray, Ph.D., says, “In an economic downturn, entrepreneurship is usually the savior.” Clark agrees, “We certainly believe entrepreneurs and innovative thinking will be the driving force behind a recovery– especially in the new building culture. We’re offering an opportunity for entrepreneurs to get in on the ground floor of the new greener economy – education, training, support, spray foam equipment, financing, and certification. It’s a turnkey opportunity. We are preparing a new wave of success-driven craftsmen with the best knowledge and skills to build truly sustainable homes and buildings for the next 100 years.

TRULY CERTIFIED APPLICATORS

“We not only continuously innovate our high-performance insulation and roofing products, we also provide the best technical information and training in the industry,” explains Clark. “Our Certified Gold Star Applicator program for spray foam insulation and the Tier One Program for our roofing systems are in-depth, encompassing, information-heavy certification programs that provide builders with a cadre of installers/applicators they can trust to have the very best training on products and applications. So, they are, to borrow from our friend David Johnston, the best of class applicators spraying the best of class products.”

Mike Stutzenburg, owner of Sea Spray Foam Insulation, LLC, Leland, NC, is one of those Certified Gold Star Applicators. “Becoming a Gold Star Applicator was no simple thing,” says Stutzenburg. “We had to show we had the knowledge to do the work at exacting standards. We worked for it and we had to show NCFI we understood not only spray foam insulation, but also the entire the building process and proper application techniques. We also had to prove we operated our business with sound, ethical, customer-driven practices.”

Jim Benson, owner of Blue Foam Insulation, Inc., Avon, Colorado and GoldStar Applicator agrees, “The Gold Star application process wasn’t easy, and rightfully so. Contractors want – no they expect – certified subcontractors. They want people they can count on and they appreciate that NCFI certifies us only after thoroughly testing our knowledge of the principles or spray foam insulation, building science, applications methods, equipment and our creditworthiness. I’m going to include my certification in all my bids.”

Stutzenburg says about the benefits of Certified Gold Star status, “Being a Certified Gold Star Applicator best serves my company, our client builders, and homeowners, and keeps us a full step ahead in the market. NCFI is amazing at testing and associated code knowledge, so we stay informed and educated in the changes and directions of the industry. Their technical information and stringent requirements ensure Gold Star Applicators have the knowledge to do the very best work and, in my many years of experience, that’s what builders really want. They want someone doing work for them they can trust.” He adds, “NCFI’s deep reservoir of knowledge and constant professional assistance helps my company’s growth and gives me a real competitive advantage through a superior understanding of high-performance insulation products.”

Benson agrees, “I’ve been in this business for eight years and I’ve never sprayed anything other than NCFI insulation. I really like the products and the company. I find I actually enjoy pitching it to contractors and homeowners. I tell them it doesn’t matter what kind of energy they use: natural gas, electric or solar. Ice dams are a major concern here in the mountains, and I can show them how NCFI high performance spray foam insulation eliminates ice dams and improves the efficiency of their homes or buildings. What really matters is how the homeowner can use lots less energy by using NCFI! I can show them that and I love it!”

SPFCAREERS.COM

The spfcareers.com Web site is designed to be educational in a real-world sort of way. “It’s a clearinghouse for people who want to control their own future by owning their own business,” says Clark. The site not only includes industry and product information, but it also helps the person considering the opportunity a chance to do a personal assessment with tools like: A Day in the Life of an Applicator; Successful Applicators Characteristics; Staffing and Equipment Needed; Training and Support; Financing. It even provides the chance to speak with a Business Opportunity Counselor.

According to Clark, “We want to find, recruit and train an infrastructure of responsible applicators who will help us keep up with growing demand. That takes a certain kind of person— a hard worker who demands excellence and provides the same for his customers. We want long-term relationships with the Mike Stutzenburgs and Jim Bensons of this country: People who get up early each day, roll up their sleeves, invest their time and energy, and go out and make good things happen – people willing to lead by doing the right things over and over. People you can trust. That’s what Certified Gold Star means to us.”

####

For more information or to arrange an interview on this subject please contact:

Dale McGlothlin

(202) 341-8615

dm@seachangeglobal.com

NCFI Spray Foam Insulation Chosen as one of 10 Eco-Friendly Products for 2009

American Libraries Magazine Chooses NCFI Spray Foam Insulation as a Must-Have for Green Libraries
Insulation for any building type appropriately selected and installed is the best investment a community can make in a building’s infrastructure.

Mount Airy, N.C., May 20, 2009—American Libraries magazine, a publication of the American Library Association, names NCFI high performance spray foam insulation one their 10 Eco-Friendly Products for 2009.

According to the spring issue of the magazine the selection process included, “architects, interior designers and vendors across the nation.” The products are what the ALA believes libraries will “want to consider in their quest to save energy, improve indoor air quality and become better environmental stewards.”

Wanda Urbanska, host of the popular PBS show, Simple Living with Wanda Urbanska and author of the accompanying article, What Are Vendors Doing to Help Libraries Go Green? A Lot, says, “Many believe that it is incumbent upon libraries to show leadership with environmental innovation and education, serving in their traditional role as beacons of the community.” NCFI Sr. Vice President, Nelson Clark, agrees, “We make products designed to last for the lifetime of the building and libraries are the type of community center that should last 100 years. You really can’t build a high-performance building without high-performance products, and NCFI’s spray foam insulation is the highest-performing insulation you can use.”

Clark says the company is “honored by the selection.” He adds, “The ALA is a thought-leader in the system approach to sustainable building in the educational sector. We are thrilled they’ve chosen our high-performance spray foam insulation as the ideal product to help institutional buildings, like libraries, realize substantial savings on energy costs, and help eliminate dangerous problems like mold while improving air quality.” Clark adds, “Our goal is to continue working with the ALA and others to create and provide the future of American sustainable building.”

According to the top ten listing, NCFI’s insulation is what “Green building consultant David Johnston calls best of class. [Johnson] says, ‘Insulation for any building type appropriately selected and installed is the best investment a community can make in a building’s infrastructure. Most people don’t think of insulation as an investment but as a cost. In fact, this is an investment in a building’s long-term operations.’ As energy costs spiral, high performance spray foam insulation is becoming increasingly popular, not only for its insulating properties but because it resists mold and moisture and promotes healthful indoor air quality.’”

NCFI’s high-performance spray foam insulation joins a diverse list of innovative products including floor coverings made from recycled wood dust, cork, and linseed oil, reusable hemp tote bags, dual flush toilets that reduce water consumption and roofing membrane with a reflective surface that helps create an energy- saving “cool roof.”

NCFI is a leading U.S. manufacturing company specializing in sustainable spray foam insulation. Some of their industry-leading brands include: Sealite™, InsulStar®, and InsulBloc®.

To arrange an interview about this subject, please call Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615

InsulStar Chosen as a Top Ten Green Product

What are Vendors Doing to Help Libraries GO GREEN? a lot

(Courtesy of Wanda Urbanska)

Six years ago, Joe Frueh, director of sales at the premium institutional furniture manufacturer Agati, started getting questions from library clients and designers about the green properties of his products. “It used to be the odd question,” he says—the occasional query about how or where a product was made. Today such information is “a regular part of the discussion.” However, in the not-too-distant-future—maybe 15 years from now—Frueh expects this line of questioning to go away entirely. Sustainable, eco-friendly products are “just going to become the norm,” he says.

Likewise, Coleen Gagliardo, vice president of marketing for the library supplier Gaylord Brothers, projects “tremendous growth” in the green segment of her business, which is fast-growing but accounts for just a fraction of the overall pie. To that end, in 2007, Gaylord assigned a product manager to become the company’s resident “green expert”—the person who stays current on rules and regulations and helps guide company purchasing decisions. “Green products still carry a price premium,” Gagliardo notes. “But as we build up volume, those prices will go down.”

So while green products are rapidly becoming the new "gold standard" of American building, furnishing, interiors and design, significant challenges exist for most everyone on the ground who makes purchasing decisions—especially in today’s straitened economy when public dollars are often stretched to the limit and going green can carry an initial price premium of 20% to 80% above a conventionally produced equivalent.

Libraries lead the way

Despite the cost differential, many believe that it is incumbent upon libraries to show leadership with environmental innovation and education, serving in their traditional role as beacons of the community. "Libraries are the most visible and accessible of all public buildings," says William W. Sannwald, author of Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations (ALA Editions), the 2008 edition of which contains substantial material on green design. Libraries, he says, "need to take a lead in not only exhibiting and explaining green design techniques," but in practicing sustainable design in the built environment.

"What differentiates a green library from a conventionally built library is that it’s been designed and built from a systems perspective," says David Johnston, a green building consultant based in Boulder, Colorado. That means that "the building is designed to minimize fossil-fuel dependency so that it maintains the temperature and humidity to protect the collections and provide comfort for the occupants."

LEED certification standards for new public buildings and major renovation projects have set the bar for institutional construction. Forward-thinking municipalities, such as Houston, San Francisco, and San Jose to name a few, are pushing the envelope by mandating LEED as the standard for major new projects. But even without government mandates, clients have come to expect green buildings.

Furnishing, fixtures and interiors

"Our clients are requesting that we get LEED certified or LEED silver certified," says Mark Schatz, principal with Field Paoli Architects in San Francisco. Green design, he says, "has become part of the vocabulary that architects have to have." Features that help build that vocabulary into a coherent building plan—and accumulate the all-important points to achieve LEED certification—include windows with low-emissivity glass, high-performance insulation, recycled and recyclable flooring materials and wall coverings, mechanical equipment with economizer cycles and water-conserving plumbing fixtures.

On the question of ventilation, for instance, Schatz has seen what he calls "a sea change" in thinking over the last decade. In the recent past, he says, "people were afraid of operable windows. Concerns about security overrode concerns about sustainability." But, he predicts, operational windows will not be optional for much longer as future building codes will be written to incorporate strict energy standards that specify such features.

In Norfolk, Virginia, planning is now under way for the construction of a $50 million public library complex that will be "as energy-efficient as possible, following LEED guidelines," according to Troy Valos, assistant archivist for special collections at the Norfolk Main Library. Valos is working with library director Norman Maas and a team from the city to ensure that the new Slover Main Library—slated to break ground in 2010, with a projected completion two to three years later—will be as green as possible.

"Our goal is to become the most technologically advanced library in the country," Valos says. Among the many unique features of the project is the incorporation of an 1899 neoclassical former post office and federal court building—the former Seaboard Building, which currently serves as the central library—into the complex. (The new and existing structures will be connected by a recessed glass atrium and courtyard.) What’s more, a new planned light rail line feeding into downtown, with a station to be located directly across from the library complex, will create multiple synergies, not the least of which is increased foot traffic. "We see this library as becoming the nexus for the entire community," says Valos.

The Norfolk team has before them the heady— albeit nerve-wracking—job not only of making wise design decisions, but of selecting appropriate furnishings, fixtures, and finishes for the new complex. To supplement advice from architects and designers, many procurement professionals refer to such websites as www.buildinggreen.com and www.greendepot.com, for product information and screening. David Johnston’s newly launched website, www.greenbuilding.com, which is slanted toward residential construction, offers a primer for those wanting to learn the green basics.

Increasingly, companies themselves have begun providing those green basics to customers. Gaylord Bros, for instance, has set up a webpage called "Everyday Green" providing detailed product information. Jodi Accumanno, the company’s product and catalog manager, who oversees the green lines, says the company scrutinizes vendor claims before taking on new products that are billed as green.

Built to last

Both Agati and Gaylord Brothers offer built-to-last lines of furniture, which are never the least-expensive short- term option but offer "life-cycle" savings. "We call it legacy furniture and warranty it for 10 years," says Joe Frueh. In 2008, Agati switched to water-based top coats on the furniture to further reduce the output of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in its products’ finishes. However, Frueh says, "the greenest thing about Agati is that we make everything in the USA." The company’s furniture is milled and manufactured in upstate New York, which provides multiple benefits include reducing the carbon cost of shipping product from overseas. In the past, says Accumanno, customers "used to shy away from the eco-friendly concept." But today she finds it exciting to see "how designers have embraced green products," making ones that appeal to almost everyone.

SPF Helps Cherokee Band Continue 10k-Year Environmental Tradition

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians comprises approximately 13,400 tribal members in North Carolina whose lives reflect both Cherokee heritage and American cultural diversity.

Recently, tribal leaders decided to build a new $108 million K-12 facility for the Cherokee Central School District. They wanted the massive 471,000-square-foot complex to contain three schools, three gymnasiums, an auditorium, a sports arena, and a cafeteria.

But there was a catch.

To embody ancient Cherokee and modern-day American values regarding environmental stewardship, tribal leaders needed the entire facility to achieve LEED Silver Certification. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.

Architects specified a structural insulated panel system (SIPS) to provide insulation for the roofs and classroom walls. But on this type of project, SIPS couldn’t be used everywhere. It would take a massive dose of NCFI Polyurethanes’ spray polyurethane foam (SPF) in the walls of the gymnasiums, auditorium, sports arena, and cafeteria to bring this facility anywhere near LEED Silver Certification.

Frank Hughes and a hand-picked crew from American Coating and Insulation Systems Inc. took the challenge of helping the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians maintain a 10,000-year tradition of environmental stewardship in the region.

Don’t Get Bogged Down

When Hughes first set foot on the jobsite in January, he could see right away that the seven-month project would require a lot of coordination to keep from getting bogged down — both literally and figuratively!

“I wouldn’t say this was a hard project in terms of spraying foam, but it required tremendous attention to detail and an enormous amount of coordination,” says Hughes. “It’s not the kind of project you could just show up at and expect to work without considerable coordination and planning.”

To make sure they didn’t hold up the entire project — or get held up themselves — Hughes’ SPF professionals would have to work closely with the general contractor, masons, drywall installers, electricians, plumbers, and inspectors. Pressure loomed large to finish the school on time, and the pace was often hectic.

“The way that project ran, it was hard to even get a good look at the foam because they covered it up so fast,” Hughes says.

To achieve flexibility on the project, American Coating and Insulation Systems deployed two four-man crews — including supervisor Anthony Fitzpatrick — to spray four inches of NCFI Polyurethanes’ ThermalStop. They used Graco E-30 and E-20 Reactor proportioners with Fusion guns armed with number two chambers.

“We’re a small company with 15 to 20 full-time field employees, on average,” Hughes says, “but we do a good job. We probably have 150 years total experience between us all. Our crews are pretty independent, so you can just point them in the general direction, and you know they’d get the job done.”

When working from the exterior, the American Coating and Insulation Systems teams applied foam over masonry block walls that had been spray-coated with damp proofing applied by another trade. As soon as the owner’s inspectors gave the nod, exterior siding specialists covered the foam with either a patterned cement stucco system or fiber-cement lap siding.

Insulating interior walls required American Coating and Insulation Systems teams to spray directly to sheet rock between metal studs. Whether working inside or out, Hughes, his crew leaders, and supervisor used daily and weekly strategy meetings to keep the general contractor informed of their plans several days in advance.

NCFI Launches Website to Help Those Seeking New Careers Take Part in President Obama's

Mount Airy, N.C., February 10, 2009—NCFI Polyurethanes, a leading U.S. manufacturing company, announced today it has launched a new website to help match those seeking new careers with opportunities in the growing spray foam insulation and roofing industries.

“We’re excited about the future of spray foam insulation and the roofing industry,” says, Don Schumacher, Director of Marketing. “Sure, residential, commercial and industrial building is in a rut right now, but we’ve innovated our products to be on the crest of the wave of truly green, sustainable building. “In the United States alone, the demand for overall insulation materials is projected to grow at about 6% annually through 2012. However, the spray foam insulation market is projected to grow at much higher rates—some have even predicted more than three times that rate—even through the current downturn!

“Our high performance spray foam insulation is the future of building in this country and around the world. Instead of pulling up the drawbridge and hunkering down to wait out the storm, NCFI is getting out and helping those looking for ways to better their lives and those seeking new, exciting careers in the future of American building. These are good paying green jobs. The kind our President Obama says will revitalize the economy by creating 2.5 million jobs.”

A recent New York Times article by John Broder claims: “Details and cost of the so-called green-jobs program are still unclear, but a senior Obama aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a work in progress, said it would probably include the weatherizing of hundreds of thousands of homes…”

The site, www.spfcareers.com, allows those seeking job or business opportunities learn more about the industry and what it is means to be a spray foam applicator or roofer. “We designed this site to provide a real-world view of these exciting opportunities. The user can see a day-in-the-life of one of our applicators, talk to that applicator about what it takes to succeed, learn about our comprehensive GoldStar and TierOne training and support programs, and the best way to get started in their new career,” says Schumacher.

“We even show how we can help finance the start-up of new spray foam and roofing businesses,” declares Schumacher. “It’s a one-stop site: Everything someone looking for a way to secure a future for themselves and their families needs to understand, get involved and get started in this fast-growing business opportunity.”

Schumacher says the site will expand in the near future to meet the growing needs of business opportunity seekers and existing applicators. “We’re committed to manufacturing the very best, most innovative green building products, and to helping those who want—really want—to lead the future of sustainable, healthy building in our country and make a career doing it.”

SPF Crew Seals the Deal on Monolithic Dome Home

When spray polyurethane foam (SPF) contractor John Kuchta, Jr. received word he’d won the bid to insulate a new-construction home in Hayes, Virginia, he knew his crew would have to face a few new challenges.

But hey! Kuchta’s crew has a track record of spraying foam in a wide variety of applications. Combat Coatings, LLC, insulates metal warehouses, brick office buildings, wood-frame medical facilities, and has even retrofitted homes in the past. What could be so danged difficult about spraying three inches of NCFI Polyurethane’s (NCFI) two-pound, closed-cell foam to help create a monolithic dome home?

Kuchta was about to find out.

No Box to Think Outside Of

What do you get when you think so far outside the box that the box disappears? A monolithic dome home! These shell-like structures — with no roofs, no joints, and no seams — are among the most energy-efficient in the world. But they can’t be built without SPF!

According to the Monolithic Dome Institute, the construction technique was perfected in the mid-1970s when founder David B. South sought to create a highly insulated potato storage facility in Idaho. Today, monolithic dome homes, schools, gymnasiums, bulk storage facilities, churches, offices, and other structures are found in 45 states and a handful of foreign countries.

Monolithic dome structures are created without support framing. The process begins when tradesmen attach a giant domeshaped tarp — called an Airform — to a circular concrete foundation. Heavy duty fans inflate the dome to a flattened hemispherical shape. A one-and-a-half-inch layer of SPF is sprayed onto the inside of the dome. Workers press specialized hangers used for rebar into the foam. Then, a second one-and-a-half-inch layer of SPF is applied to anchor the hangers. Tradesmen affix rebar onto the hangers. Spray concrete professionals broadcast four inches of swimming pool-type spray concrete to create an extremely rigid monolithic structure. When the concrete dries, the fans can be turned off. The Airform, which remains in place on the outside of the shell, may receive an exterior coating.

Kuchta had all this in mind when he pulled his 28-foot Gusmer-brand gooseneck SPF rig alongside Joel Emerson’s 2,200-square-foot home under construction. But something caught Kuchta’s eye: Emerson’s foundation looked different from the one seen on Monolithic Dome Institute’s Web site (www.monolithic.com).

“The home was being built by a master mason, and he had the idea of creating a 10-foot-high perimeter wall of brick,” says Kuchta. “It’s a work of art from the outside. I don’t know how he did it, since attaching the Airform to ground-level concrete can be a challenge. But Joel had somehow attached the Airform to the top course of brick and had it fully inflated when we got there. My first question to him was, ‘How the heck do we get our spray foam equipment inside?’ ”

No Foam, No Dome!

Relatively low air pressure supplied by high-volume fans such as those used to circulate air inside grain elevators supports a monolithic dome throughout the construction process until the final layer of spray-applied concrete hardens. But until that concrete sets up, the only way to get inside an inflated dome is through a two-door air lock.

The problem was that Combat Coatings’ spray equipment couldn’t fit through the air lock. Kuchta also observed that he couldn’t simply snake the heated hoses through the air lock. Leaving the doors ajar before the final concrete coat sets up invites a complete and catastrophic collapse of Airform, SPF, rebar, and concrete.

For a while, it looked as though this oversight might send the SPF team packing. But Kuchta and Emerson huddled up and came up with a plan.

“Access to the house was easy,” says Kuchta. “We could back the trailer right up to the air lock. But the hoses presented a problem. Joel finally had to chisel out a brick and build a small portal. We passed a section of heated hose through, and Joel sealed the hole with a gasket he’d made. We connected other hoses to that and strung them up to the Gusmer 1600 series air-driven proportioning pump in the trailer. We brought our spray guns (Gusmer GAP Pro with #01 mixing chamber) in through the air lock, hooked up, and were ready to go.”

InsulStar Chosen for David Gottfried's Deep Green Home

Founder of U.S. Green Building Council Chooses NCFI to Insulate One of California’s First Deep Green Homes

Mount Airy, N.C., October 8, 2008—NCFI, a global leader in high performance spray foam insulation and roofing products, has been selected to insulate one of California’s first “deep green” homes. David Gottfried, noted sustainable building author and founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, and his family took their time selecting and purchasing a 1915 Craftsman-style house in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood, a trendy residential and commercial district just south of Berkeley. “It took us a year to find the ideal house,” says Gottfried. “We wanted an older home, structurally sound, close to shopping, and one we could recreate to show others how to integrate green into their entire family life.” Deep green is a relatively new term used to describe buildings that not only incorporate green building materials and processes, but go beyond LEED Platinum—a rating system Gottfried helped design and influence. “Deep green is a complete life philosophy,” says Don Schumacher, NCFI’s Director of Marketing and lifelong proponent of sustainable building. “It’s a 360-degree lifestyle that requires one to think about every aspect of their existence: providing for net-zero energy use; using less space; capturing and processing rainwater; working from home; walking to shopping; growing your own fruits and vegetables. David’s house in Oakland is a fine example of deep green and, as a sustainable building product company, we’re proud to be included in this landmark project.”

NCFI Selected to Insulate Featured Visionary

NCFI Launches New Family of Websites

NCFI Steps up Efforts to Help Poultry Producers Beat the Heat This Summer

Media Contact:

Dale McGlothlin
Direct (202)341-8615

(888) 490-3444 dm@seachangeglobal.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCFI Steps up Efforts to Help Poultry Producers Beat the Heat This Summer

Mt. Airy, N.C., May 28, 2008—With predictions pointing to a hotter-than-average summer, NCFI, a leading manufacturer of polyurethane spray foam insulation, is stepping up efforts to educate poultry producers that poultry houses without proper insulation can lead to higher energy costs, greater bird mortality rates, and lower overall bird quality.

“We’re extremely concerned about the Agri -business sector and the good people who make up this vital industry,” says Don Schumacher, Director of Sales. “Poultry producers were hit hard back in early 2007 by the public fear of high-pathogenic avian influenza, and are currently experiencing higher operating costs with steeply rising energy and feed costs (up 50 percent in the past six months). The last thing they need is a hotter-than-average summer with lower production and lower revenue. But there are steps they can take—like applying spray foam insulation and reflective roof coating—to increase their yields and save money.These are two simple tools that can help them through an extreme weather summer and fall and we’re getting out there to make sure they know about these tools.

According to Schumacher, “Heat kills, when it comes to poultry—especially chickens and turkeys. Exposure to hotter ambient temperatures can cause heat stress which puts birds at great risk. A chicken’s body temperature is already around 106.5 degrees, and that goes up considerably when they feed. Ambient heat can raise the bird’s temperatures to an unsafe level—they don’t sweat, so they are extremely vulnerable. If their overall temperature gets too high birds eat less—at some point they stop eating—which leads to lower body weight and hens stop laying eggs. If it gets beyond that, birds begin to die. Both of these outcomes are bad for producers.”

Schumacher says while most producers pay attention to cooling elements like fans, humidity control and water supply, the building itself plays a major role in poultry health. “Solar heat gain comes through direct sun on the roof—usually metal and as hot as 150 degrees on sunny days—and walls, and causes dramatic increases in the ambient temperature of the entire building. “Research conducted in the Southeastern U.S. and cited in Auburn University’s, Need for Insulation in Warm Climate Poultry Housing, shows that a non-insulated, galvanized roof may radiate heat in a poultry house anywhere from an extra 30-36 BTU’s per hour, per square foot. A reflective roof coating, like our Enduratech®, can be used for the repair of older corrugated metal roofs to lower radiant heat. -

Another study by Auburn University and the U.S. Egg & Poultry Association compares insulated and non-insulated poultry houses with an outside temperature of 92 degrees. Over time, the insulated houses’ inside temperature remained at 92 degrees while radiant heat transfer caused the non-insulated house to rise to 99 degrees. This resulted in a 0.5 percent mortality rate in the insulated house and a disastrous

14.3 percent mortality rate in the non-insulated one. “That kind of bird loss is not what the farmer needs—they need a controlled and consistent environment in which birds are physically and psychologically comfortable.

“Our AgriThane® spray foam insulation on side walls, ridge cap and end walls and Enduratech® on metal roofs provide a one-two punch to reducing heat stress by inhibiting radiant heat transfer, keeping inside temperatures lower and more constant. In challenging economic times, we’re offering poultry producers two great tools to help them grow healthier birds, reduce mortality rates, and save money through decreased energy use. It’s a great competitive advantage for the entire U.S. poultry industry,” concludes Schumacher.

###

About NCFI

NCFI was organized in 1964 by research chemist, Dr. H. W. Bradley and Barnhardt Manufacturing Company. NCFI is headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC and manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation commonly referred to as SPF, roofing, marine floatation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses. The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating, transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI has other manufacturing plants in High Point and Hickory, North Carolina, in addition to Dalton, Ga., and Salt Lake City, Utah.

To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.

For follow-up information or to schedule an interview, please call Dale McGlothlin at (202) 341-8615.