Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/83239
POLYISO – The Best Insulation Choice In a study of energy-saving products, McKinsey & Company highlighted insulation as the product that can provide the greatest investment return and offer the most carbon abatement; and among insulation products, Polyiso is the superior choice. Forbes Magazine recently cited Polyiso as a "green" insulation because it not only has the highest thermal performance of any building insulation product on the market, but also because of its climate and ozone protection characteristics. Polyiso offers the highest R-value in its class, with a 20 to 70 percent greater R-value per inch than other rigid foam plastic insulation. For those unfamiliar with Polyiso, the product is a closed-cell, rigid foam board insulation consisting of a foam core sandwiched between two facers. The facers are composed of various organic and inorganic materials, usually paper and fiberglass reinforcement. Polyiso is widely used in residential and commercial markets for both roof and wall applications. Another key feature is Polyiso's superior performance in fire tests. Polyiso roof insulation is the only foam plastic roof insulation board product that passes the strictest fire codes. Polyiso meets both FM Approvals (Standard 4450) and UL (UL1256) without the use of an additional thermal barrier layer between the insulation and the supporting steel roof deck. As a result, it can be installed directly to a steel deck without a fire barrier. The BuildingGreen Guide to Insulation Products and Practices published by BuildingGreen Inc., 2012 said the following about Polyiso insulation: "Polyiso has the highest R-value per inch of any common insulation material, and it is generally considered the 'greenest' of the foam-plastic insulations." Polyiso's many other benefits include: • Moisture resistant foam core • Compatible with most solvents used in construction adhesives • Excellent dimensional stability • Wide range of service temperatures • Long-Term Thermal Resistance R-value (only roof insulation with third party certification) • CFC and HCFC free – zero ozone depletion potential • Recycled content in most products (see manufacturer for details) • Negligible global warming potential • An American-made product that creates jobs here in the U.S. and is available throughout the U.S. and Canada PIMA TIMELINE A new study commissioned by PIMA analyzed and quantified the energy and environmental contribution of Polyiso board insulation over the Association's 25-year history. The study found that on a yearly basis, Polyiso helps save more than 700 trillion BTU in building heating and cooling energy and reduced CO2 emissions by over 4 million metric tons – the equivalent of the greenhouse gas emissions from 784,314 passenger vehicles. 1987 PIMA first incorporated as a group dealing solely with technical issues.