Symposium POYURETHANES ISOLERER BEDRE

Environmental and cost performance of PU solutions in low energy buildings

Nyborg, 30/05/2013

Oliver Loebel, PU Europe Secretary General

PU solutions in low energy buildings

Who we are

• PU Europe is the European association representing the PU (PUR/PIR) insulation industry;

• Insulation boards, sandwich panels, spray foam, insulation cores for building blocks, technical insulation, SIPs,

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insulation, SIPs, district heating pipes;

• PU is the high performance insulantparticularly suitedfor nearly zero energy buildings.

“Sustainable buildings” must strike the best balance between minimising environmental impacts and life cycle costs while stimulating social development.

What is a sustainable building?

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PU is the most efficient, commonly available insulation product, …

… but what about environmental and cost

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and cost performance?

Notice:• All data used in this study come from an LCA / LCC study performed by PwC on behalf of PU Europe;

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behalf of PU Europe;• The methodology uses recognised European standards.

• All product data were taken from certified Environmental Product Declarations.

The city of Oldtown has big plans ….

Renovating and insulating the roof of the town hall

Building a new sport centre

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But Oldtown does not only want to build energy efficient but also environmentally friendly.

And that’s, where the trouble starts…..

In the night, the project manager has a dream…

If you want to protect the environment, take natural or mineral insulation products.

PU products are oil-based. They can’t be environmentally friendly!

But all insulants have

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Do not simply believe this, but ask for evidence!

But all insulants have an impact on the environment. We just have to find a method to compare them.

The following morning, the project manager decided to look deeper in this matter …

Use European standards EN 15643-2, EN 15978, EN

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15643-2, EN 15978, EN 15643-4 and EPDs.

Is there a method to quantify environmental and cost performance?

Yeah, but that’s complicated.

Environmental indicators:• Input: Resource depletion, primary energy demand • Output: Climate change, eutrophication, acidification,

This is indeed complex, but it is the only way to make an informed choice. Let’s look at the following

indicators.

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• Output: Climate change, eutrophication, acidification, photochemical ozone formation, waste

Cost indicators:• Construction: Products, transport, installation etc.• Use: Energy / water / repair / replacement• End-of-life: Disposal

Town hall

Pitched roof renovation: U= 0.16 W/m2.K

Aren’t you cheating when you compare different build-ups?

Different solutions for different insulants: PU, stone fibre, glass fibre and

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No, the build-ups are promoted by the producers and take account of the characteristics of each

material.

fibre and wood fibre

Example:PU (above rafters) and glass fibre (between and below rafters)

Pitched roof renovationPreliminary Environmental Assessment

82% 145%

16%

12%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

Total primary energy

Abiotic depletion Eutrophication

Normalised LCA results (level of European inhabitant)

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Environmental performances similar for all insulation solutions.

99%

72%

37%

16%0%

Non hazardous waste

Climate change Acidification

Photochemical ozone

formation

PU SW GW WF

Pitched roof renovationLife Cycle Cost Assessment

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PU solution significantly less expensive.

Surface: ca.2800m2

Similar

Sport centreNew flat roof: U= 0.18 W/m2.K

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Similar build-up for each insulation type: PU and stone fibre

300,0

400,0

500,0

600,0

GW

P [t

eq.

CO

2]

New flat roofPreliminary Environmental Assessment

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0,0

100,0

200,0

Helsinki PU Helsinki SW Brussels PU Brussels SW Rome PU Rome SW

GW

P

Steel Insulation

PU has significantly lower global warming potential* than the stone fibre solution thanks to lighter and more efficient insulation layer and 10% lighter steel structure

* Other environmental indicators not yet available

2800m2

New flat roofLife Cycle Cost Assessment

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Similar investment costs for both solutions.

Similar build-up for each insulation type: PU

Sport centreNew sandwich panel walls

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type: PU and stone fibre

New sandwich panel wallsPreliminary Environmental Assessment

0,50

1,00

1,50

2,00

GWP

APODP

Normalised LCA results (level of European inhabitant)

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Very good performance of PU solution in most impact categories thanks to lower density and thickness.

0,00

POCPEP

PU panel Stone fiber panel

New sandwich panel wallsLife Cycle Cost Assessment

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PU solution about 10% less expensive.

And after all these calculations ….

Nonsense. Now youare oversimplifying a complex matter!

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And the

winner is … …PU !!!

Our Conclusions

• Sustainability performance of insulation solutions depends on end-use application;

• Comparing impacts “per kg” is incorrect due to “knock-on” effects at the building level.

• Environmental performance of insulation solutions are

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• Environmental performance of insulation solutions are fairly similar in applications like pitched roof;

• PU can show superiour environmental performance, when specific mechanical properties are required (flat roof, sandwich panels);

• PU solutions are very cost competitive;

• These results cannot be extrapolated to all applications, design solutions, impact categories and climatic zones, but general trend is confirmed.

Watch live the construction of a passive house in Brussels

Polyurethane passive house in Brussels

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www.polyurethanes.org/passivehouse

• Offer policy makers the possibility to visit house during construction and use;

• Verify satisfaction levels

Thank you for your attention

www.pu-europe.euwww.pu-europe.euwww.excellence-in-insulation.eu

While all the information and recommendations in this publication are to the best of our knowledge, information and belief accurate at the date of publication, nothing herein is to be construed as a warranty, express or otherwise. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the user to determine the applicability of such information.