Green Archives - The Green Cocoon

Homeowners Beware: Isynene Spray Foam and Your Safety

Building Science, Green, Insulation, Safety

How safe is it to re-enter my home after installing Icynene® spray foam?

Homeowners and building managers often ask us about a product called Icynene, a liquid spray foam insulation. Icynene Inc. claims people can re-enter the building one hour after installation. We decided to investigate that claim for ourselves.

The Green Cocoon follows OSHA’s and the manufacturers’ guidelines when using spray foam insulation. Those guidelines state that re-entry should only happen 24 hours after installation has been completed.

Let’s Do Some Math

According to icynene.com, “Low VOC Icynene Classic Max and Icynene ProSeal spray foam products allow for re-entry after 1 hour and re-occupancy after 2 hours of active ventilation (at 40 ACH) following installation, allowing for minimal impact on construction schedules.”

Let’s have a look at 40 ACH (40 air changes per hour). Take a small, 2-story house that has a 24’ x 36’ footprint, which is 864 square feet. If we figure it has two stories at 8 feet tall, the basement is 8 feet tall, and the band joists are 1 foot tall, that’s an overall height of 25 feet.

Now let’s take the square footage (864 feet) times the overall height (25 feet) and you’ve got 21,600 cubic feet. When multiplied by 40 ACH, you will have to move 864,000 cubic feet of air in an hour!

If we take the cubic feet of air moved in an hour and divide it by 60 minutes, we calculate that we’ll need to move 14,400 cubic feet of air per minute. That takes some pretty big fans, but the average insulation company uses fans that move 2,500 cfm of air (like the one in the photo). That means that you have to have six of these fans running while you are spraying and you’ll need to leave them running for an hour once you finish spraying. And this is on a small house! The larger the house, the more fans you will need!

TGC regularly works on homes that would require 12 or more fans to hit the number. That is a lot of fans to purchase, set up, take down, and move around from job to job.

Safety First

Ask your contractor how many and what size fans they are planning to use if they install Icynene. We suggest you stop by the home and take a peek to make sure the contractor uses the right number of fans needed (see math above). Your safety should come first.

TGC chooses not to offer Icynene spray foam as Icynene reps are only allowed to spray Icynene. TGC is an independent spray foam insulation company, so we spray the product that we think is the greenest and safest for our customers. We don’t like to be pigeon-holed into using one product that might not be the best fit.

Before you purchase any spray foam insulation, get a second opinion from The Green Cocoon.

The Green Cocoon Is a Member of the US Green Building Council

Environment, Green, Memberships, Sustainability

The Green Cocoon (TGC) is a member of the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council). This organization is committed to a sustainable, prosperous future through LEED, the leading program for green buildings and communities worldwide. The USGBC’s vision is that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation.

Education and Resources

“USGBC offers a wide-variety of courses and certifications,” said James Materkowski, president of TGC. “I love that they are helping to advance the knowledge of green building and sustainability concepts and practices.”

To learn more about USGBC, go to their website, https://usgbc.org.

Mineral Wool Insulation Market Increasing

Green

ROXUL Inc. Now ROCKWOOL

According to PR NewWire.com, the global mineral wool insulation market is expected to reach an estimated $23.7 billion by 2023. Moreover, the CAGR (compound annual growth rate) is expected to be 3.8% between 2018 to 2023. The major growth drivers are increasing construction activities and tougher global government regulations. Additionally, stricter building codes for energy efficiency and fire safety regulations have added to mineral wool insulation growth.

Emerging Trends

Emerging trends, which have a direct impact on the dynamics of the mineral wool insulation industry, include the shift towards eco-friendly insulation (“green”). Likewise, there is the growing focus on glass wool insulation recycling and the development of lightweight and highly fire-resistant insulation.

Mineral Wool Is Recyclable

The Green Cocoon uses mineral wool insulation and has been for quite some time in the New England area. Mineral wool is friendly to both people and the environment and is gaining in popularity. It is 100% recyclable, VOC-free, and formaldehyde-free.

ROXUL Now ROCKWOOL

ROCKWOOL (formerly ROXUL Inc.), North America’s largest producer of stone wool insulation, is the mineral wool we use. ROXUL rebranded itself to ROCKWOOL in early 2019. Furthermore, the ROCKWOOL brand has been marketed internationally for 80 years, and it will now be adopted in North America.

If you would like more information on mineral wool insulation or its application, please contact us.

Photo courtesy of familyhandyman.com.

6 Trends in Sustainable Construction for 2019

Green, Passive, Sustainability

Building a new home comes with a myriad of decisions: How many bedrooms? Do you need a big garage? What about your landscaping? One of the easiest decisions to make is to build sustainably.

Sustainable homes are beneficial for both homeowners and the environment. This is due to the energy efficient design process and green building practices. Read on to see six of the most popular sustainable home trends. Learn how they can improve your quality of life.

Passive Building Design

The word “passive” in this instance means that Mother Nature is doing all the work to maximize natural resources. This allows you to minimize energy consumption.

Instead of a design that uses technology like boilers and electric lighting, the internal environment in a passive home is powered by external elements. These include solar radiation, air pressure variations and outdoor temperatures. Passive homes will help restrict heat loss in the winter and reduce heat increases in the summer.

One of the most common features of a passive home is a large overhang as part of the roof. This helps shade windows in hot weather and prevent water from entering.

Use Sustainable Building Materials

Quality, reusable materials are sent to landfills every day. Sustainable building companies reclaim and repurpose them for use in homes.

Recycled materials typically include tile, flooring, reclaimed wood, roofing materials, light fixtures, steel and many others. Homes often incorporate these items for décor purposes too, like recycled barnboard to create an accent wall.

Sourcing for sustainable and recycled products can take longer than new materials. There may also be added costs. But by preserving these materials, you’re making what was once old new again and helping to limit waste. There are many salvage companies that collect spectacular items from homes that are being renovated or demolished. It can be an exciting challenge to hunt for a treasured vintage item.

Prefabricated Homes

A prefabricated home is another great way to limit waste. These houses are built at an off-site location. Building off-site makes the production process more efficient than building right on your lot.

Your site can be prepared at the same time your home is being built.

There are also hybrid processes. This is where parts of your home are prefabricated, while the rest is constructed on site. One of the most popular techniques is a panelized wall system. The walls are constructed off-site. Upon completion, they are delivered to the lot and assembled like a puzzle.

Green-Certified Homes

You can design and build a home with sustainability in mind. But, receiving a certification will really legitimize all of your hard work.

ENERGY STAR certifications are one of the highest a building can receive. To become certified, a home must meet the strict energy performance standards put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ENERGY STAR homes not only help protect the environment by emitting less greenhouse gas. They also help homeowners save energy and costs while creating an incredibly comfortable home, with fewer temperature fluctuations and greater sound control. In just 2017, ENERGY STAR buildings helped families and businesses save $30 billion in energy costs!

There are also LEED certifications, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. These set a standard for the design, construction and operation of high-performance homes and buildings. LEED has various rating levels, depending on how many points a home scores in terms of efficiency. These homes use less water and energy, reduce waste and enhance indoor air quality.

Use Non-Toxic Materials

Many materials found in homes contain hazardous chemicals and toxins that can be harmful to both homeowners and the planet.

Many glues, paint, adhesives, coatings and other materials contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These can enter the atmosphere of your home and travel outside. Formaldehyde is one chemical that’s commonly found in paints and solvents. It can cause allergic reactions, irritations and even trigger an asthma attack when it off-gases.

For a non-toxic, healthy home, opt for PVC alternatives, non-toxic wood and natural insulation materials. There are formaldehyde-free products available, along with zero or low VOC paints, and cellulose, for an eco-friendly insulation material.

Net-Zero Homes

In a net-zero home, you produce the same amount of energy that you consume. These homes are built to very high standards in order to produce the most comfortable temperatures and cleaner air with reduced allergens and toxins.

Net-zero homes require sophisticated design and build practices to ensure that the structure is airtight and well insulated. They also need solar panels to generate enough energy to power to your home.

The initial construction will likely run higher than the average cost to build a new home. However. you will be able to save by not having to pay monthly energy bills well into the future.

Once you’ve moved into your sustainable, eco-friendly home, don’t forget to incorporate green décor! Certain indoor plants, like Dracaenas, snake plants and Boston ferns, help purify the air and reduce VOCs. You can also continue to explore salvage options for your furnishings. The items that you select will come with their own historical relevance. The environment will appreciate it.

Article courtesy of Paul Kerrigan, Chinburg Properties Chief Operating Officer.