Saving energy in buildings becomes more important every day. Today, nearly 40 percent of our nation’s energy is used to heat, cool and operate our homes and buildings. Energy lost through walls, roofs and windows is the largest single waste of energy in most buildings. Energy loss in buildings means extra operating costs, loss of comfort, and reduced productivity. When it comes to energy efficiency in buildings, polyisocyanurate foam insulation (PIR) is at the centre of the discussion. It’s because they are some of the most efficient thermal insulating products for buildings. They work to reduce heating and cooling loss, improving the efficiency of the building envelope.

DuraTherm R-5.0™ PIR Board is a thermoset plastic produced as a foam and used as rigid thermal insulation. The starting materials are similar to those used in polyurethane (PUR) except that the proportion of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) is higher and a special polyester-derived polyol is used in the reaction instead of a polyetherpolyol. The resulting chemical structure is significantly different, with the isocyanate groups on the MDI trimerising to form isocyanurate groups which the polyols link together, giving a complex polymeric structure.

DuraTherm R-5.0™ PIR Board insulation is used successfully as foundation, wall, and roof insulation in both commercial and residential establishments.DuraTherm R-5.0™ PIR Insulation is shaped as an insulated panel, typically consisting of a Polyisocyanurate Board that forms a rigid foam core, laminated on one or both sides with foil, fibre-reinforced felt, or coated-glass facers.

DuraTherm R-5.0™ R-5.0™ PIR Board, has one of the highest R-Value per inch of commercially available insulation products. Typical R-Values range in excess of 5.7 per inch allows for energy efficient design featuring thin walls and low profile roofs. This allows the architect or engineer to maximise the usable space in a building while reducing operating costs. Whereas a properly insulated building can save up to 20% heating and cooling costs, energy efficiency impacts more than operating costs. Highly efficient Walls and Roofs may allow heating and cooling equipment to be downsized by as much as 35% while potentially offering more floor space for the same unit price.

Roof insulation is a critical component of a roof system and contributes to overall building energy efficiency as the roof is the largest single side of a typical building. Recognizing the importance of an energy-efficient building thermal envelope, modern energy codes establish minimum requirements for insulation installed entirely above the roof deck.

DuraTherm R-5.0™ insulation is the efficient product for low-slope commercial roofing and provides a high R-value that helps meet today’s energy code requirements without the added thickness or weight of other products. DuraTherm R-5.0™ is suitable for both new and roof replacement systems due to PIR’s numerous performance advantages, which include:

Roof cover boards are an important component in any roof assembly to provide a suitable substrate for the attachment of a membrane and enhance the overall durability of the roof system. Cover boards protect the underlying insulation from roof traffic and can allow the roof area to be used for installation of renewable energy systems such as rooftop PV.

HD DuraTherm R-5.0™ roof cover boards provide the protection of traditional material options with the added performance of thermal insulation. This means the cover board can be combined with DuraTherm R-5.0™ roof insulation to meet energy code requirements for new and roof replacement systems.

DuraTherm R-5.0™ insulation possesses a high level of inherent fire resistance due to its unique structure of strong isocyanurate chemical bonds. Manufacturers further enhance the fire resistance of DuraTherm R-5.0™ by adding flame retardant materials to the product formulations. The end result is an insulation product that meets the demands of modern fire codes.

The term “flame retardant” refers to a function, not a family of chemicals. In general, flame retardants are materials that can be used in products to reduce the chances of a fire starting and to delay the spread of fire.

The common flame-retardant chemical used in DuraTherm R-5.0™ products is TCPP [tris (2-chloro-1-methlyethyl) phosphate]. TCPP is a well-studied chemical for any known health and environment effects, and was selected by the industry to provide an additional level of fire resistance to DuraTherm R-5.0™ products.

Importantly, materials used to provide flame retardant properties in building insulation and other products are not equal. With respect to additive, nonpolymericorganohalogen flame retardants, a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that individual hazard assessments are required in order to accurately characterize each substance. In other words, organohalogen flame retardants cannot be treated as a class of chemicals for purposes of hazard evaluation.

Building energy codes and standards set minimum energy efficiency requirements for the design and construction of new and renovated buildings in order to reduce energy use and related greenhouse gas emissions over the useful life of buildings. Included within the codes and standards are minimum requirements for thermal insulation installed as part of the building envelope (i.e., roof, above-grade walls, below-grade walls, and below slab).

The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE Standards 90.1 and 90.2 are the most widely adopted energy codes, translated / adapted in India. Specifically, these documents regulate energy efficiency for the building thermal envelope by establishing minimum requirements for thermal insulation and air leakage. Importantly, while the IECC is more frequently adopted by jurisdictions, this code recognizes ASHRAE 90.1 (commercial buildings) and 90.2 (residential buildings) as alternative compliance options.

International Green Construction Code (IgCC): This green code provides the design and construction industry with a single, effective way to deliver sustainable, resilient, high-performance buildings. The 2018 IgCC provides synergies with ASHRAE-developed standards as well as the LEED rating system.

National Green Building Standard: Developed as ICC/ASHRAE 700, the National Green Building Standard certification provides independent, third-party verification that a home, apartment building, or land development is designed and built to achieve high performance in six key areas, including energy efficiency.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED): As the most widely used green building rating system in the world, the LEED rating system provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings.

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System® was developed to measure the environmental impact of constructing a building. IGBC has brought most sectors of the building industry together to develop a voluntary, national benchmark for "high-performing, sustainable buildings." The LEED Rating System establishes basic requirements for the various aspects of sustainable design:

Using DuraTherm R-5.0™ insulation may help achieve credits under the LEED rating system. Here are some suggested opportunities to incorporate DuraTherm R-5.0™ in a building design using LEED for new construction and major renovations (Version 3): Energy & Atmosphere

In India, the Green Building Code is a medley of codes and standards contained in the State by-laws, the National Building Code, the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) and in the norms set by the ratings programmes, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-India (LEED-India), the standards and guidelines put down for the Residential Sector by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), TERI-GRIHA and other such certifications. Basic and general guidelines for efficient energy usage in the National Building Code (NBC) do exist but they are merely guidelines.