Jan 9 2015
Honeywell announced today that its low-global-warming insulating materials are now being used to insulate homes in Canada.
Elastochem Specialty Chemicals is using Honeywell's Solstice® Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA) in its Insulthane® Extreme spray foam insulation system for residential walls. Solstice LBA, which allows closed-cell spray foam insulation to expand and provides the majority of the foam's excellent insulating properties, provides superior insulating performance with significantly lower global warming impact compared to older technologies.
"Elastochem is focused on making better foam products for customers and the environment," said John Volk, general manager of Ontario-based Elastochem. "Solstice LBA is helping us do just that while cost-effectively meeting current and future energy efficiency and environmental regulations."
Laura Reinhard, global business manager for Honeywell's spray foam business, said closed-cell spray foam is increasingly being used in cold-weather markets such as Canada, where residential construction is growing.
"Closed-cell spray foam insulation seals gaps, cracks and holes as it is applied, making it one of the most energy-efficient insulation products available today," said Reinhard. "Solstice LBA enables advanced wall insulation like Elastochem's Insulthane Extreme system to have a lower global warming potential and better insulating performance."
According to Statistics Canada residential construction investment totaled $30.2 billion in the third quarter 2014, up 5.9 percent from the same quarter in 2013. Renovation spending was behind most of the increase at the national level, rising 8.9 percent to $13.9 billion.
Solstice LBA has an ultra-low global warming potential of 1, which is 99.9 percent lower than the global warming potential of the most commonly used blowing agent for spray foam, HFC-245fa. According to Elastochem, Solstice LBA provides 7 percent better insulating performance than HFC-245fa. It is used in a range of foam applications, including insulating commercial refrigeration equipment, metal architectural panels, spray foam roofing and energy-efficient refrigerators.
Whirlpool announced in January 2014 that all its U.S.-based refrigerator manufacturing would use Solstice LBA for insulation by the end of the year. Chinese refrigerator manufacturers Midea and Haier have both adopted Solstice LBA to reduce the climate impact and improve the energy efficiency of their refrigerators and freezers. Kingspan Insulation, a leading European manufacturer of rigid insulation products, has also adopted Solstice LBA for use in certain high- and premium-performance insulation panels.
It is a near drop-in replacement for other liquid foam blowing agents and is nonflammable, making it a cost-effective choice. Solstice LBA has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program, and is Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)-exempt per EPA.
In addition to Solstice LBA, Honeywell's family of Solstice-branded products includes refrigerants for stationary refrigeration and air conditioning applications and automotive air conditioning, gaseous blowing agents, propellants, and solvents based on Honeywell's new hydrofluoro-olefin technology that helps customers lower their carbon footprint without sacrificing end-product performance.
The products have been developed and are being commercialized by Honeywell's Fluorine Products business, a leader in the manufacture and supply of non-ozone-depleting refrigerants used by top air-conditioning and refrigeration makers worldwide, and blowing agents for energy-efficient foam insulation, as well as hydrofluoric acid and precursors for nuclear fuel.
For more information on Solstice LBA, visit www.honeywell-solsticelba.com.