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The Green Cocoon has a passion for efficiency, not only in our daily operations, but also in the projects that we choose to work on. We have insulated every type of project. Some of the projects include small renovations and existing attics. We also love to work with energy positive and net-zero homes. But, our favorite is the Passive House.
The term passive house (Passivhaus in German) refers to a rigorous, voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing its ecological footprint. A continuous, balanced supply of fresh air ensures unparalleled indoor air quality. Operable windows connect indoors with out. Super-insulated walls hold warmth in the winter and cool in the summer. Special windows and a snug building envelope help keep the desired warmth in the house – or undesirable heat out. This is done through a highly insulated roof and floor slab as well as exceptionally well insulated exterior walls. The results are buildings that require very little energy for space heating or cooling.
As of this writing, there are less than 100 certified passive houses in the United States. We had the privilege to be the insulation company that worked with most of them. We like to think of ourselves as the “go-to insulation company” for highly energy-efficient projects.
Learn more about this project and passive house building in general.
When it comes to reducing our carbon footprint and making our homes more efficient, the phrase “The more insulation the better” is often used. All insulation materials reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They do this by saving energy and reducing our use of fossil fuels. But, insulating with thick layers of spray foam often results in long “payback periods” for the global warming potential of the insulation. This is mainly due to the most commonly used blowing agents. That is why our foam is even greener!
The long-term benefits of spray foam greatly outweigh the possible environmental impact of the initial application of the material. Companies are always trying to make the manufacturing process and installation as environmentally safe and efficient as the final product. They do this in the pursuit of energy efficiency and the reduction of green house gas emissions.
Honeywell found a solution to this problem. 
They have created a new blowing agent called Solstice that has a GWP (Global Warming Potential) that is 99.4% less than the most currently used blowing agents. To give you an idea of ratings, the current blowing agents have a GWP of 725 and an atmospheric lifetime of 10.8 years. The new Solstice LBA has a GWP of 1 and an atmospheric lifetime of only 26 days.
The Green Cocoon is excited to use spray foams that have this new technology. You will lower your carbon footprint by having an air-tight and well-insulated home. And, you can be assured that the initial application of the product will not harm the environment.
For more information on blowing agents, visit BuildingGreen.
Do you want to know how spray foam can help your home or commercial building? Contact us.
The Green Cocoon was thrilled to work on an old farmhouse in Rye, N.H. We used closed cell spray foam on most of the farmhouse. Closed cell spray foam is great because it reduces excess waste and energy consumption in buildings by up to 50 percent. Simultaneously, it adds strength, R-value (7 per inch), and greater resistance to the leakage of air and water vapor. Closed cell is a “perfect vapor barrier” in both summer and in winter.
The house was completely gutted and rebuilt to current energy codes. We made sure that the house was well insulated all around, using spray foam on the roof and exterior walls. We used mineral wool for the interior walls and in the ceilings to help with sound deadening.
