Category Archives: Material Selection

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Free Services Offered for Insulation Projects

Do you have insulation specification, material, or project questions? These companies want to solve it for you!

NIA members are true advocates for insulation because they know how it protects workers, extends equipment life, reduces noise pollution, enhances fire and life safety, and helps cut energy use and carbon emissions. NIA member companies were asked to share all the services they offer for contractors, project managers, engineers, specifiers, owners, and other insulation users. Insulation Outlook staff encourages you to save this issue and use the magazine’s website, www.insulation.org/io, to help find the correct resources to answer your insulation and project questions. Together, we can make your plant, facility, or building—and the planet—a greener space.

All NIA members were invited to participate through our communications and during NIA’s 2023 Annual Convention. The respondents are listed alphabetically and will be posted to our website. Any additional member companies are welcome to submit a 500-word column describing their services for insulation users, and it will be posted online for the benefit of Insulation Outlook readers.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global > Material Selection

The Benefits of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

Introduction

An Environmental Product Declaration, or EPD, is a third party–verified document about a product’s environmental impacts at different points in its life cycle. The creation of an EPD requires the manufacturer and those involved in the production and distribution of the product to determine and disclose detailed information about the materials, power, water, and other resources used at each part of the creation, use, and disposal of the product. For those manufacturers that complete the EPD journey for their products, the benefits are strong—both for them and for the specifiers and designers looking to use the products in their building designs.

Numerous benefits can be found in the use of EPDs for companies in the value chain for a building project, depending on the subject or level of information necessary to perform their work. This article focuses on three of the broad benefits of EPDs: 1) the information contained within an EPD is trustworthy, 2) an EPD provides environmental impact details that help increase sustainability for both manufacturers and specifiers, and 3) achievement of whole-building calculations and certifications are made easier by
using EPDs.

Trustworthy Information

After a manufacturer has compiled the necessary information for an EPD, a third-party certification body reviews the information and verifies the results are complete and accurate. This ensures that the environmental impacts of the product were calculated appropriately and helps to publish a report indicative of the life cycle of the manufacturer’s product. As such, specifiers and designers can trust that the information contained is accurate for their use because multiple parties, including one outside the actual product manufacturer, are involved in its development. EPDs reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly of the product’s life cycle and do not allow for any information to be hidden or downplayed, giving the specifier or designer an honest look at that product’s environmental impact throughout the life cycle.

Going through the formation process of an EPD, the product manufacturer shows that it is willing to publicly report on the level of environmental impact during the life cycle of its product. An EPD provides supporting promotional material for the manufacturer’s sustainability message and gives the specifier an inside look into the product’s life cycle that may be difficult to gain otherwise. Conversations by the manufacturer and its representatives around sustainable practices with the specifier can be supported using the data published from the EPD and substantiated with the third-party verification of the information. With an increase in designs incorporating the sustainability of the systems and products from the beginning, it is to their advantage that these companies can provide this information in an EPD and knowledgeably discuss their own sustainability impacts with specifiers and designers.

Environmental Impact

An EPD contains a wealth of information about the product’s impact on the environment throughout part or all of its life cycle, depending on the type of EPD completed. The document outlines the function and production process of the product and walks the reader through what was, and what was not, considered throughout the different points in the product’s life through the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). With the results of the LCA included in the document, readers can learn about the product’s contributions toward many different environmental considerations, including global warming, ozone depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, human toxicity, and water pollution throughout the different points of its life.

For companies involved in the manufacture of the product, an LCA and EPD give them knowledge of areas of possible improvement in decreasing the environmental impact during their portion of the life cycle. As companies focus on how to reduce the environmental impacts they make during their portions, more informed conversations between the manufacturer of the product and its suppliers can be had on how to minimize these impacts. Environmental stewardship is becoming a more frequent dimension of discussion, and companies will need to be aware of and be able to speak to their environmental impacts or risk being left out of the conversation entirely.

For specifiers and designers, the EPD gives them knowledge of the impacts their product choices make not only during their portion of the building development but before the product is delivered to the job site and after the building’s use as well. Specifications can be written with sustainability in mind, and with the understanding that the products selected not only meet the required technical attributes and standards required but also will minimize the hazards to the environment, both at the building site and far from it. Specifiers and designers can promote the sustainability of their designs to their clients and use the information gained from EPDs to have stronger conversations about the environmental impacts of their clients’ projects. This, in turn, makes calculation of the whole building’s sustainability easier and can lead to more sustainable design choices for each part of the project much earlier in the process, especially if that project is looking to achieve certification in a green building scheme.

Usable in Green Building Schemes and Evaluation of Building Sustainability

The information provided by an EPD does not stop at the product level, and it is a vital tool in the assessment of a building’s overall sustainability. As more and more jurisdictions implement sustainability initiatives and mandates, understanding the whole building’s impact on the environment is crucial to meeting the requirements, and products with EPDs will be sought out to supply this information. With many different products and systems running throughout the building, calculation of a building’s sustainability is a difficult task, but one that can be made easier with the information provided by EPDs.

Numerous calculators have been created to help designers with this task, with many certification bodies and environmental interest groups providing their own tools to determine the overall sustainability of a building. Common across each of these calculators is the need for precise input data so that the information calculated is as accurate as possible and can be used with confidence as part of the project’s design. As such, products with EPDs are sought out by the organizations behind the development of these calculators, because using EPD data, rather than generic product data, allows the calculators to arrive at an estimation much closer to the actual sustainability attributes of the building. Manufacturers who can provide this EPD data have the inside track on being promoted by these groups through their calculators and are more easily specified on the associated projects because their products are being used in the design calculations for the building’s overall sustainability.

Not surprisingly, material transparency is a focal point in green building, and the project designs that use products with EPDs are rewarded as they move toward certification. For example, the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED v4.1 program, in the Building Design and Construction certification type, offers the Materials and Resources Credit “Environmental Product Declarations,” awarding up to two points when project teams select products with verified information on their environmental life-cycle impact.1 The Green Building Initiative rewards up to 39 points in the Product Life Cycle section of its Green Globes for New Construction system for using products with third-party verification/certification of the impacts throughout the product’s life cycle, such as EPDs.2 With the amount of environmental information EPDs provide, using products with EPDs is one of the most straightforward ways for a project team to help meet the requirements to achieve credits in a green building program for their building. Therefore, companies that can provide products that have an associated EPD are considered first for green building projects and are placed in an advantaged position within the design of these buildings.

Conclusion

EPDs provide numerous benefits for all members of the project chain. For specifiers and designers, an EPD represents a trustworthy, third party–verified collection of the environmental impacts the product makes before, during, and after its use as part of their project, giving a full-picture view of how their product choices affect the environment. Using an EPD makes whole-building sustainability calculations easier and more accurate than a generic counterpart and helps the project team meet the requirements for credit in green building project designs. For product manufacturers and the associated supply chain, EPDs provide the information necessary to lower their environmental impact throughout the chain and signal a commitment to a higher sustainability mission. These companies can add an environmental focus to their conversations with their suppliers, armed with the information gained by completing the EPD process for their product. On the marketability side, companies that can provide EPDs and the associated material transparency are able to provide the additional information on the project that specifiers and designers are looking for, giving them an edge in the project design.

As building owners continue to demand increases in the sustainability of building designs, the importance of EPDs and the information on the product life cycle they provide will continue to grow for all participants.

References
1. https://www.usgbc.org/leed/v41
2. https://thegbi.org/green-globes-certification/how-to-certify/new-construction/

 

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global > Material Selection

Seeing Clearly the Environmental Benefits of Mechanical Insulation—How to Read an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

The Johnny Nash classic song “I Can See Clearly Now” provides a backdrop to this article on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and their connection to a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and embodied carbon of materials such as mechanical insulation.

Background

To understand what an EPD is one must first look to LCA documentation. The insulation industry is using LCAs to identify products’ embodied carbon impacts more clearly. LCA is a technique following International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards and using software such as SimaPro, GaBi, or OpenLCA to assess potential environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product’s life:

  • A1 Raw Materials, A2 Transportation, A3 Manufacturing, A4 Transportation, A5 Assembly/Construction/Install
  • B1 Use, B2 Maintenance …. B7 Operational Water Use
  • C1 Deconstruction, C2 Transport, C3 Waste Processing, C4 Disposal
  • Reuse/Recycling

Put simply, an LCA measures potential environmental impacts of a product or process.

Why is an LCA important? The words of Nash’s chorus, “I can see all obstacles in my way; gone are the dark clouds that had me blind,” represent the clarity an LCA offers. Typically, it takes 6 to 9 months for a company to collect data, obtain verification, and finalize LCA documents for a particular product. LCAs are usually valid for 5 years and then are updated.

Sustainability and CO2 emissions are top of mind for many building owners and constructors as they are trying to achieve carbon-neutral or net-zero carbon construction targets. An LCA helps them define the potential environmental impacts in terms of “footprint” and “handprint.” Footprint is a newer term for what we used to call pollution. A more formal definition is a measure of the resources necessary to produce the goods that an individual or population consumes. Handprint is simply the benefit of a product to the world. At the end of the day, if the handprint of the product is better than the footprint, the result will be advantageous to the world. Footprint takes, while handprint gives.

Designers of buildings need to consider what is called embodied carbon of the products being used to create the building, as well as the construction of the structure itself. Once built, embodied carbon from building materials is locked into place. The introduction of zero-energy buildings makes buildings more energy efficient and reduces the rate of carbon emissions once they are in operation. The key to determining the embodied carbon of a product is to refer to its EPD.

All about EPDs

An EPD is an independently verified and registered document that communicates transparent information about a product’s environmental impacts throughout its life cycle. EPD documents can be found online in several program operators’ databases, such as https://spot.ul.com/, https://tinyurl.com/3a3ejzek, https://tinyurl.com/5y5cdd3f, and https://tinyurl.com/d2w4xta9. They also can be found on manufacturers’ websites as part of their product certifications, data sheets, and disclosures.

Looking at the carbon emissions associated with a building’s embodied carbon by using a manufacturer’s EPD, first note that the EPD is the main document that quantifies the amount of potential environmental impacts of a manufacturer’s products during its life cycle stages (listed in Background)—called cradle to gate—or its entire life cycle—called cradle to grave. It is estimated that 62% of global greenhouse gas emissions (excluding those from land use and forestry) are released during the extraction, processing, and manufacturing of goods to serve society’s needs, while 38% are emitted in the delivery and use of products or services.

These impacts are included in what is called Life Cycle Impact Assessment:

  • Global Warming Potential (GWP )–potential for global warming due to emissions of greenhouse gases to the air
  • Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)–potential for destruction of the ozone layer due to emissions of air
  • Acidification Potential (AD)–potential for soil and water acidification from emissions to air of nitrogen and sulfur oxides (acid rain)
  • Eutrophication Potential (EP)–potential for over-enrichment of water ecosystems from nitrogen and phosphorous-containing compounds
  • Photochemical Ozone (smog) Creation Potential (POCP)–potential for creation of smog
  • Abiotic Depletion Potential–Fossil (ADPfossil)–potential to deplete natural fossil fuel resources like coal and oil
  • Abiotic Depletion Potential– Elements (APDelements)–potential to deplete natural non-fossil resources
  • Water Scarcity Potential / Use of Fresh Water (FW)–relative amount of water used

GWP is largely the metric used by industry because it measures for global warming and is expressed in kg CO2 equivalents. The LCA requires not only detailed information about a manufacturer’s product ingredients, but also knowledge about its operations, its supply chain, and how its products are being used by its customers. An EPD is drafted based on LCA results and follows an industry-consensus set of Product Category Rules (PCRs). All documents undergo third-party verification.

So how can we “see clearly now” the potential environmental impacts of products if we are armed with an EPD? The ISO 14025 standard on EPDs recommends considerable caution when trying to compare numbers from two different EPD documents, particularly if they do not have similar functional units, system boundaries, secondary data sources, and impact assessments. Manufacturers’ development of EPDs will be of benefit to all participants of the mechanical insulation industry. As most readers of this magazine know, mechanical insulation is typically used at high operating temperatures, which translates to better savings on greenhouse gases if insulation is applied to bare pipe surfaces running at higher temperatures. Taking this fact back to embodied carbon and greenhouse gases, on higher temperature applications, mechanical insulation will have a smaller footprint (impact) and a much larger handprint (benefit). How much of an impact can be determined by performing the calculations with a respective manufacturer’s EPDs.

Conclusion

In summary, the mechanical insulation industry provides users of its products tangible benefits of CO2 reduction as well as saving on BTU loss and energy usage. Greenhouse gas reduction is becoming more center stage as companies and states work to reduce their emissions. The mechanical insulation industry is developing tools to help users “see clearly” these benefits. These tools also will help minimize greenwashing, which is the practice of giving a false impression of products being eco-friendly when they are not.
The mechanical insulation industry, led by the National Insulation Association (NIA), is developing the resources—i.e., a glossary of terms, sustainability training, and more—to ensure that “it’s going to be a bright, bright sunshiny day.”

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Developing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

Environmental Product Declarations, or EPDs, provide information on various environmental aspects of a manufacturer’s product. EPDs are developed using Product Category Rules, or PCRs, that are set as a consensus standard for various product types. For example, one such PCR addresses thermal insulation. A PCR defines the scope of the category, identifies the impacts the manufacturer must share, and provides details on the information needed as well as the methods to measure each of these impacts.

The measurement of these impacts is calculated using specific mathematical models in commercially available computer programs. These programs incorporate the PCRs and calculate the environmental impact values found in an EPD. An EPD can based on a specific product by a specific company, the production of that product at a specific facility, or as an industry average among producers of like products.

To develop an EPD, the manufacturer must first conduct a Life Cycle Assessment, or LCA. The LCA looks at the impacts of the product through various phases of production and use, beginning at the earliest tier for production or mining of raw materials through raw material processing and transport to the manufacturing facility and beyond.

PCRs define whether the LCA is to be “cradle-to-gate” or “cradle-to-grave.” Both types begin in the raw material stage, but cradle-to-gate assessments stop at the gate of either the manufacturer or first customer, depending on the PCR definition. Cradle-to-grave assessments continue through the installation, use, and disposal of the product (see Figure 1).

The current PCR for thermal insulation employs a cradle-to-gate model, but the rules are currently in a periodic update process. Because insulation saves energy throughout its life span, using a cradle-to-grave analysis would more accurately report greenhouse gas impacts of insulation products by accounting for this energy savings.

When conducting an LCA, companies must map their inputs and outputs, including raw materials, energy use, packaging materials, and transportation of the inputs and the products. Where the PCRs specify cradle-to-grave analysis, the impacts of installation,
use, and disposal must also be considered. The company must collect data throughout the processes mapped, though the software programs help provide generic values when certain data—such as upstream raw material processing impacts—is not reasonably available. This activity involves procurement, operations, engineering, logistics, and other company resources. The life-cycle map is used to develop a life-cycle model in the software, with the collected information becoming inputs to the model.

The algorithm in the EPD software calculates the impacts of the product at each of the stages, and in aggregate, in the LCA report. The values are then used to create the EPD, which outputs total environmental impacts of the product over its life cycle (as defined by the PCR) in the areas of acidification, eutrophication, global warming potential, ozone depletion, smog creation, and abiotic resource depletion. Differing software types each have their own algorithms, varying assumptions made either in the algorithm or to fill data gaps, and variances in data-gathering methodologies, which result in uncertainties that need to be taken into account when comparing EPDs.

Once the LCA and EPD documents are completed, they will be sent to one of the certifying entities for review. That entity will ensure the EPD was developed according to the PCR requirements and that the inputs and outputs are accurate and complete. Once confirmed, the entity will certify the EPD. This certification is valid for 5 years, after which the EPD must be updated and the process starts over again.

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Mechanical Insulation Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

Reducing energy use and carbon emissions are global problems, and some of the proposed solutions are in the clouds. The answer is actually very down-to-earth and common—insulation. Insulation allows systems to function using less energy, therefore producing less carbon and GHG emissions. Aside from preventing CO2 emissions and providing thermal control, the different types of mechanical insulation give end users a spectrum of added benefits, including reducing dependence on foreign oil, safety and protection of personnel, fire and life safety, noise reduction, moisture resistance, and corrosion mitigation. Insulation products are the key to a greener building and a cleaner world, and manufacturers can prove it! This issue is devoted to understanding Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

Last fall, NIA invited all manufacturer member companies offering EPDs to share the products it covers with Insulation Outlook readers. In this special section, responses and product images received from three companies are presented (in alphabetical order): AEROFLEX USA, Armacell, and Knauf Insulation, Inc.

If your company missed the request or is now offering an EPD, email editor@insulation.org to let us know by April 1, 2023. This section and additional products will be added to www.InsulationOutlook.com for our readers’ convenience. We also welcome all NIA insulation product manufacturers to contact us to participate in an upcoming issue on the technical and product services they offer to end users.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global > Material Selection

Aeroflex EPDs

About AEROFLEX® EPDM Closed-Cell Elastomeric Insulation

AEROFLEX® products that offer a product-specific
type III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

  • AEROFLEX® Self-Seal™ EPDM Pre-Slit Pipe Insulation
  • AEROFLEX® EPDM Unslit Pipe Insulation
  • AEROFLEX® White/Gray EPDM Unslit Pipe Insulation
  • AEROFLEX® with SaniGuard™ EPDM Jacketed Pipe Insulation
  • AEROFLEX® EPDM Sheet & Roll Insulation
  • AEROFLEX® EPDM Sheet & Roll with PSA Insulation
  • AEROFLEX® AeroFit™ EPDM Fitting Covers
  • AEROFLEX® Aerofix® Insulated Pipe Supports
  • AEROFLEX® Cel-Link II® Glueless Seal Seals
  • AEROFLEX® Protape® EPDM Zero-Perm Rubber Tape
  • AEROFLEX® Aeroseal LVOC™ Black Adhesive
  • AEROFLEX® Aerocoat™ Insulation Coating

Visit: https://aeroflexusa.com/environmental-product-declarations-aeroflex.

  • Pre-slit dual-tape closure system
  • EPDM is nonpolar, hydrophobic
  • IDs: 3/8” – 16” IPS
  • Thicknesses: 3/8” – 2”
  • K-Value = .245 (all thicknesses)
  • Perm Rating = 0.02 perm-inch
  • Upper operating temperature = 257°F (125°C)
  • ASTM E84 25/50 – passes up to 2” thick
  • Noncorrosive on stainless steel
  • Naturally microbial-resistant – no biocides added
  • Cold-weather applications – greater flexibility in cold temperatures
  • LEED-compliant = EPD (product-specific type III), HPD, low-VOC emissions
  • Buy American compliant

Visit https://aeroflexusa.com/environmental-product-declarations-aeroflex to learn more.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global > Material Selection

Armacell EPDs

About AP ArmaFlex

Armacell products that have Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs):

  • AP ArmaFlex® tubes
  • AP ArmaFlex sheet and rolls

Visit: www.armacell.us

Flexible insulation materials are among the few industrially made products that save more energy over the product life cycle than is needed for their manufacture. Armacell’s product portfolio continues to offer new solutions that conserve resources, reduce energy usage, and make a positive commitment to the environment. Environmental protection is one of the main pillars of Armacell’s corporate philosophy, and it is an integral part of the business strategy. To efficiently utilize resources, we are constantly searching for ways to reduce raw material use, energy consumption, and waste. Our environmental policy obliges all Armacell employees worldwide to aim to protect the environment and conserve natural resources.

Armacell was the first elastomeric foam insulation manufacturer to publish EPDs for its AP ArmaFlex pipe, sheet, and roll insulation in North America. Each EPD report—prepared by Ecovane, a sustainability consultant firm, and verified by UL, a global safety science organization—discloses the life cycle of the product in a single, comprehensive document. The EPDs provide reliable “cradle to installation with end-of-life” information about the product’s resource usage and waste output, as well as its impact on the environment, such as global warming potential, ozone depletion, and ecotoxicity. Green building programs, including the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® program and the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge, expect material transparency to achieve green building credits. As a leader in the flexible elastomeric foam industry, Armacell is committed to material and resource transparency, and fully supports providing green building designers information to make sustainable design choices.

As inventors of flexible foam for equipment insulation, and as a leading provider of engineered foams, Armacell develops innovative and safe thermal, acoustic, and mechanical solutions that create sustainable value for its customers. Armacell’s products significantly contribute to global energy efficiency, making a difference around the world every day. Following our corporate philosophy, and to promote the principles of the United Nation’s Global Compact, Armacell is always undertaking initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility. One of the ways Armacell accomplishes that goal is by providing greater material transparency to support environmental and sustainable designs by publishing an EPD for its ArmaFlex products.

Armacell’s EPDs are available for download on UL’s SPOT green products database at https://spot.ul.com/. Housing more than 130,000 products, SPOT is the largest sustainable product database with solutions for architects, manufacturers, retailers, and professional purchasers.

For more information about Armacell and our EPDs, visit www.armacell.us.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global > Material Selection

Knauf EPDs

About Knauf Earthwool 1000° Pipe Insulation with ECOSE Technology—Energy Efficient and Environmentally Sound

Knauf products that offer an EPD:

  • Earthwool® 1000° Pipe Insulation
  • Atmosphere® Duct Wrap
  • Earthwool® Insulation Board
  • Acoustical Smooth Board
  • Atmosphere® Duct Liner
  • Wall and Ceiling Liner M
  • Black Acoustical Board

Visit www.knaufnorthamerica.com/en-us/sustainability

Knauf Earthwool® 1000° Pipe Insulation with ECOSE® is noted for its sustainability, thermal and performance properties, quality, and is the only formaldehyde-free fiber glass pipe insulation available in the market today. Earthwool® 1000° is a durable and resilient commercial and industrial fiberglass pipe insulation, designed to handle operating temperatures from 0°F to 1000°F, and is intended for use on piping and piping system components made from polymers (plastic), steel, copper, and stainless steel.

The main ingredients of Earthwool® 1000° Pipe Insulation with ECOSE® technology are recycled glass, sand, and bio-based, rapidly renewable ECOSE® binder. This composition delivers many benefits including energy savings, emissions reduction, resource use maximization, reduction in waste stream, and minimal waste generation due to longevity of service.

ECOSE® technology is our patented, bio-based binder. The unique binder holds our product together and gives the product its brown appearance. ECOSE® technology is a formaldehyde free-binder technology, based on rapidly renewable materials. It reduces embodied energy and delivers superior environmental sustainability.

The key recommended reasons to use Earthwool® 1000° Pipe Insulation with ECOSE® are energy savings, process control, condensation control, personnel protection, acoustical control, condensation control, and fire resistance/safety.

Ideal applications for the product, include:

Commercial

  • Office
  • Healthcare
  • Education
  • Institutional
  • Public Safety
  • Retail
  • Sports & Entertainment
  • Transportation Terminals

Industrial

  • EV Battery Manufacturing
  • Semiconductors/Microchip
  • Automotive Components and Assembly
  • Food and Beverage Production
  • Power Generation
  • Midstream and Upstream Oil and Gas
  • Pulp & Paper
  • Biofuels
  • Chemical Processing
  • Mining and Minerals
  • Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
  • Water/Wastewater Treatment

Earthwool® 1000° Pipe Insulation with ECOSE® is a highly versatile product that works well in a variety of piping systems, including:

Commercial Piping Systems & Equipment, HVAC and Plumbing

  • Chilled Water Supply & Return
  • Halocarbon Refrigerant Supply and Return
  • Chilled Water Pumps and Vessels
  • Heating Hot Water Supply & Return
  • Steam Supply & Condensate Return
  • Heating Hot Water, Steam, and Condensate Vessels
  • Domestic Water, Hot and Cold
  • Backflow Preventers
  • Storm Water Drain Leaders
  • Roof Drain Bodies
  • Waste Water–Branch Drains, Main Stack

Industrial Piping Systems and Equipment, Building Services and Process Systems

  • Product Conveyance Piping
  • Compressed Air
  • Drains
  • Thermal Transfer Coils – Heating and Cooling
  • Radiant Heaters
  • Process Temperature Control – Heating or Cooling
  • Steam Supply and Condensate Return
  • Hot Water Supply and Return
  • Hot Oil Loops
  • Chilled Water – Supply and Return
  • Refrigerants Supply and Return

Knauf uses Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to produce Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that detail the environmental impact — including CO2 emissions — of Earthwool® 1000° Pipe Insulation with ECOSE® from the cradle to the grave. For years, we have been measuring the embodied carbon of our products through the Life Cycle Assessment process and publishing results in Environmental Product Declarations.

For more information, visit https://www.knaufnorthamerica.com/en-us/products/pipe-insulation.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global > Material Selection

NIA Releases an Updated Standard for Faced Metal Building Insulation

One of the key objectives of the NIA’s Metal Building Laminator (MBL) Committee is to develop technical and professional guidelines that will help laminators deliver the highest quality products and services, and to promote these standards within the metal building industry, in conjunction with the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association and other relevant organizations. In adhering to that objective, the MBL Committee decided that the existing NIA-Certified Faced Insulation Standard (Standard) for metal building insulation needed to be reviewed and updated.

A task force was formed to review and recommend changes to the Standard. After several task force meetings with NIA EVP/CEO and NIA Legal Counsel, the group was able to present an updated Standard to the MBL Committee during the October 2022 meeting at Metalcon in Indianapolis, Indiana. Following much discussion, the MBL Committee voted to accept and present the updated Standard to the NIA Board of Directors.

During the NIA Fall Summit at MGM National Harbor in National Harbor, Maryland, on November 3, 2022, the NIA Board of Directors voted to unanimously approve the revised Standard.

What Has Changed in the Standard?

There were two major additions to the Standard:

  1. Third-Party certification mark on the finished product label for R-value.
  2. Third-Party certification mark on the finished product label for surface burning characteristics.

What Is Third-Party Certification?

Third-party certification means that an independent organization has reviewed the manufacturing process of a product and independently determined that the final product complies with specific standards for safety, quality, and/or performance. This review typically includes comprehensive formulation/material reviews, testing, and facility inspections. Certified products will bear the certifier’s mark on the laminator’s packaging to give buyers confidence that the product will meet any claims made by the laminator.

R-Value

In 1979, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) established what is known as the R-Value Rule, or FTC 16 CFR Part 460. This rule establishes the criteria for claims regarding the R-value of insulation products. It is important that industry consumers have confidence that the R-value stated on our products meets the R-value of the product in that package.

The updated Standard now states that metal building insulation laminators must use an independent, third-party laboratory to test, monitor, and certify their products. Additionally, the third-party lab’s certification mark must also be present on the product label.

Surface Burning Characteristics

All products that are used within a building envelope are subject to scrutiny by various building codes. In particular, the International Building Code, International Mechanical Code, Uniform Mechanical Code, and the National Fire Protection Agency all have specific requirements for products related to their surface burning characteristics—i.e., the flame spread and smoked developed values of the product.

To qualify for the updated Standard, metal building insulation laminators must use an independent, third-party laboratory to test, monitor, and certify the resulting surface burning characteristics of their products. After doing so, the laboratory’s certification mark, along with the “Flame Spread and Smoke Developed” rating of the product, must be present on the product label.

It should be noted that the Standard is not a mandatory requirement for metal building laminators. It is voluntary. Each laminator of faced metal building insulation must decide whether they will or will not comply with the Standard and undergo third-party testing.

Where Can the Updated NIA-Certified Faced Insulation Standard Be Found?

As of January 2023, the updated Standard will be available free to all. You will find it on the NIA website at www.insulation.org.

What Do Building Owners/End Users Need to Know or Ask for?

End users should ask their supplier if the metal building insulation they are purchasing is NIA-certified faced insulation that meets the updated standard. The best way to know is if the product’s label lists R‑value, flame spread/smoke developed values, and have the certifications marks of the third-party labs for both R-value and surface burning characteristics.

There are various independent, third-party laboratories that certify insulation products. Figure 1 shows just one example of a faced metal building insulation label that meets the updated Standard. This example has the R-value certification by Home Innovations Lab and surface burning characteristics certification by Underwriters Laboratories, showing a flame spread/smoked rating of Fire Hazard Classification (FHC) 25/50.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global > Material Selection

Even More Training Opportunities from Your Insulation Industry Education Leader!

NIA is committed to being the insulation industry’s leader in education, offering access to instructive online tools and a variety of learning programs including professional development and certification-level courses, and live and pre-recorded webinars. NIA’s goals are to provide learning resources for every level of insulation professional and to increase the understanding of proper insulation system design and maintenance among our members, the construction industry, and insulation end users.

NIA is excited to continue to launch new programs and resources to help users learn how to properly design, specify, install, and maintain insulation, leading to a host of benefits for their facilities.

NIA’s Newest 2021 Learning Programs and Resources!

Insulation Estimator’s Handbook
In its first update since 1998, this resource is an essential tool for any estimator. The classic NIA reference guide has gotten a complete update, which includes brand new graphics and easier-to-read charts. It is available in both print and digital formats.

Known throughout the industry for providing the data needed for almost every type of mechanical insulation estimate, this handbook contains valuable technical information for estimating insulation, as well as formulas and conversions, and information on insulation accessories and technical variables of an insulation project.

Level of Training: Intermediate
Learn More: www.programs.insulation.org/store/insulation-estimators-handbook/81

Understanding the Submittal Process

This course is designed to benefit multiple audience segments involved in the design,
application, and use of mechanical insulation in both the commercial/building and industrial markets for new construction and maintenance. Students will learn how to identify the type and scope of submittal requirements, the components and importance of the submittal package, and the purpose of the submittal process. Students will review a submittal example and be given a submittal log template to use at their businesses. Also, as part of the course, each student receives a full-color printed course manual.

Level of Training: Intermediate
Learn More: www.insulation.org/training-tools/submittals

Understanding Specifications

The course is designed to benefit multiple audience segments involved in the design,
application, and use of mechanical insulation in both the commercial/building and
industrial markets for new construction and maintenance. Course participants will learn
how a specification is developed; how to identify challenges and opportunities created
by specifications; how codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines are intertwined in
specifications; how conflicting information in specifications may be problematic; how to understand and overcome the consequences of a “bad” specification; and how increased
knowledge of mechanical insulation and insulation inspections can improve specifications.

Level of Training: Intermediate
Learn More: www.insulation.org/training-tools/specifications

Mechanical Insulation Basics

For anyone looking for basic insulation education, the mechanical insulation online training series is an excellent place to start. Available anytime, it contains five different modules, ranging from 15 to 35 minutes in length. The content of each module is self-paced and fully outlined, so your team can choose how to pair modules with your company’s existing training program. In 2 hours, new hires and office support staff will have a great foundation to better understand the industry so you can explain your company’s role within it.

• The principles of understanding energy;
• What the various types of insulation are;
• How insulation works;
• How to develop an insulation system design or specify materials;
• How the insulation calculators work, and how they are designed for the unique needs of insulation contractors and engineers; and
• How overseeing maintenance can keep a facility running smoothly.

Formerly available on the National Institute of Building Sciences’ website and known as the Mechanical Insulation Education & Awareness E-Learning Series or E‑Learning Modules, this training resource is being updated and will be available at www.insulation.org/basics. The series provides data on the science behind insulation,
helps specifiers and system designers construct insulation systems, explains design considerations, and offers practical data and case studies outlining potential energy savings. The course is a prerequisite for the Understanding Mechanical Insulation learning program, and a certificate and professional development hours (PDHs) are available
from NIA upon completion.

Level of Training: Beginner
Learn More: www.insulation.org/basics

NIA’s Mechanical Insulation Design Guide

Everyone has questions on how to design an insulation system because every application is unique. The Design Guide is one of the most comprehensive mechanical insulation resources on the web for design, project estimation, and/or product specifications. It answers the insulation designer’s basic questions—what, when, why, where, and how—and is useful for both beginners and experienced contractors, engineers, specifiers, and other professionals in the construction, design, specification, maintenance, and management fields. This advanced, detailed tool walks users through the steps to build an insulation system correctly, providing everything you need to know about the design, selection, specification, installation, and maintenance of mechanical insulation.

Level of Training: Beginner to Intermediate
Learn More: www.insulation.org/designguide

NIA’s Insulation Simple Calculators

These eight free calculators are uniquely designed to make common mechanical insulation calculations straightforward for users of all levels. The tools make it easy to discover proper insulation thickness, financial and energy savings, and the ideal insulation design.

• Mechanical Insulation Financial Calculator: Determines the simple payback period, the annualized rate of return, and the net present value for an insulation project.
• Personnel Protection Calculator for Horizontal Piping: Estimates maximum contact exposure times on the outer surface of a horizontal pipe with and without an insulation system to help avoid the potential for contact burn injuries.
• Condensation Control Calculator for Horizontal Pipe: Estimates the thickness of insulation required to prevent condensation on the outer surface of an insulation system.
• Energy Calculator for Equipment (Vertical Flat Surfaces): Estimates the performance of an insulated vertical flat surface given the operating temperature, ambient temperature, and other system details.
• Energy Calculator for Horizontal Piping: Estimates the performance of an insulated horizontal piping system given the operating temperature, ambient temperature, and other system details.
• Estimate Time to Freezing for Water in an Insulated Pipe Calculator: Estimates the time for a long, water-filled pipe or tube (with no flow) to reach the freezing temperature.
• Temperature Drop Calculator for Air Ducts: Estimates the temperature drop (or rise) of air flowing in a duct.
• Temperature Drop Calculator for Hydronic Piping: Estimates the temperature drop (or rise) of water flowing in a pipe.

Level of Training: Beginner to Expert
Learn More: www.insulation.org/calculators

More Courses for Expanded Skills and Services

NIA offers five distinct learning programs to fit the needs of industry members at various career levels. In addition to our newest offerings, Understanding Specifications and Understanding the Submittal Process, described on page 27, we have Understanding Mechanical Insulation, Thermal Insulation Inspector Certification™ Program, and Insulation Energy Appraisal Program™ (IEAP).

Understanding Mechanical Insulation

Formerly called Introduction to Mechanical Insulation, and Part 1 of the Thermal Insulation Inspector Certification Program, this material is now available as a stand-alone course for industry members who have some experience in the insulation industry to provide more knowledge about mechanical insulation, the industry, and its products.

The course includes a review of the insulation industry market segments; the need for and importance of inspection; the purpose of mechanical insulation systems, and why that is important to the inspection process; primary insulation materials and protective coverings; the importance of Safety Data Sheets; and codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines, and how they are intertwined.

Level of Training: Intermediate
Learn More: www.insulation.org/training-tools/understandingmi

Thermal Insulation Inspector Certification Program

A 4-day, 2-part course educates participants on how to inspect and verify that the materials and the insulation system have been installed in accordance with the mechanical insulation specifications. This course is designed for experienced participants and can help companies extend their business offerings to include inspections. It is helpful for anyone responsible for contracts, maintenance, business development, quality assurance/quality control, project oversight, safety, inspections, estimating, management, product
development, mechanical insulation system design, or specification development.
To become certified, participants must complete both parts of the course (the certification-level course and Understanding Mechanical Insulation) and pass the associated exams.

Level of Training: Advanced
Learn More: www.insulation.org/inspector

Insulation Energy Appraisal Program (IEAP)

Focused on energy, insulation, and a project’s return on investment, this 2-day course teaches participants how to determine the optimal insulation thickness and corresponding energy and dollar savings for a project. This refreshed course is designed for participants who have industry experience and companies that want to expand their business capabilities by adding insulation appraisals to show insulation’s return on investment to their customers. Participants will learn how to conduct a facility walk-through, understand the tools necessary to complete the appraisal, and how to create a final report for customers.

Level of Training: Advanced
Learn More: www.insulation.org/training-tools/energy-appraiser-certification

Classic Resources

The Fundamentals of Insulation Program
This training program was developed jointly by NIA’s Associates and Distributors/Fabricators Committees to teach new employees about insulation and how to optimize their insulation industry-specific customer service skills. The program contains a DVD and workbook split into 10 modules of approximately 3 to 4 minutes each that cover Heat Flow Basics; Btu; Values (Ks, Rs, and Cs); Insulation Selection Criteria; Cold and Colder Environments; Normal to Hot Environments; Super Hot Environments; Protective Coverings and Finishes; Specifications and Codes; and Selling Tools. These learning tools give your team information they can apply in insulation sales situations, making for a better bottom line.

Level of Training: Beginner
Learn More: www.insulation.org/products

NIA’s Insulation Sampler
Can you identify the most common types of insulation? Are your employees or clients familiar with insulation materials beyond what your company works with most frequently? This learning tool provides samples of 20 generic mechanical insulation product types and accessories for your staff or clients to see firsthand. The small, portable sample boxes are designed for ease of use, with an illustrative product schematic guide that denotes the product type. Each sample has its own compartment space to remain organized and undamaged within the sample box. In developing this kit, NIA aimed to represent many major mechanical insulation types. The kit is an excellent visual tool for your internal education and resource library, as well as for external sales discussions and presentations.

Level of Training: Beginner
Learn More: www.insulation.org/products

Mechanical Insulation Installation Video Series
To help explain how to install insulation, these videos (available in English and Spanish on the Vimeo site) are a great supplement to your company’s training program. Each one provides a general product overview, safety information, and how-to guide for installing mechanical insulation for various applications. In addition, each video incorporates consensus recommendations from the sponsoring manufacturers, and the applications demonstrated are completed by experienced field mechanics on piping and equipment mockups representing project applications. The videos are a great industry resource to supplement existing craft training programs, use as educational programs for new or existing sales or insulation service employees, and for indirect users to obtain an overview of application practices for the respective insulation materials.

Level of Training: Beginner to Intermediate
Learn More: www.vimeo.com/niainfo

NIA’s Online Training Portal at Vimeo
In 2020, NIA held 20 webinars viewed by more than 3,000 professionals, and these resources are now available on demand. You can stream NIA’s business management or educational offerings, which include how insulation contractors have responded
to COVID-19; sales strategies; long-term business planning; and health and safety topics like illness prevention on the jobsite, and injury reporting and recordkeeping guidance. Videos also are available about the Design Guide and insulation calculators that can help users with their insulation installation questions. Additionally, there are videos from past NIA Conventions and messages from NIA leadership.

Level of Training: Beginner to Expert
Learn More: www.vimeo.com/NIAinfo

Insulation Outlook Magazine Article Archives

Did you miss an issue, or are you trying to explain a design concept you read about? As one of the only educational resources available for our unique industry, NIA maintains a free online archive of almost all past educational and technical articles; safety columns; and insulation product guides, listed by application type. Each month’s issue of Insulation Outlook magazine is dedicated to providing useful information for the insulation industry.

Level of Training: Beginner to Expert
Learn More: Visit www.InsulationOutlook.com to start incorporating decades of research into your training programs or project research.

NIA Is Your One-Stop Shop for Insulation Knowledge

NIA is committed to helping insulation users expand their knowledge and learn more about the benefits insulation can offer their systems and bottom line. Insulation is a proven means for saving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing process productivity, providing a safer and more productive work environment, controlling condensation (thereby preventing mold growth and corrosion), supporting sustainable design technology, and realizing a host of other benefits. NIA resources can expand your team’s understanding of all the benefits insulation offers, going through the design process to ensure insulation is properly installed and maintained in your systems, leading to tremendous financial and energy savings, increased safety, and lower environmental impact. Our website offers updates on other NIA programs, events, and insulation-related activities. Bookmark www.Insulation.org as your resource for insulation information.

We invite you to connect with NIA through social media and stay up to date with all of NIA’s learning programs, resources, and products.

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/NIAinfo
• Vimeo: Vimeo.com/NIAinfo
• Twitter: NIAinfo (twitter.com/NIAInfo) and InsulationInfo (twitter.com/InsulationInfo)
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/NIAinfo