Insulation Comparisions

InLCA-LCM 2002 e-Conference: [email protected] & [email protected] 1

Life Cycle Assessment ofLife Cycle Assessment ofHigh-Performance Thermal Insulation High-Performance Thermal Insulation

SystemsSystemsfor Domestic Buildingsfor Domestic Buildings

Ivo Mersiowsky, TuTech Integrated Management, Hamburg/Germany

&Hermann Krähling, Solvay Management Support,

Hanover/Germany


Sustainable Solutions for our Sustainable Solutions for our NeedsNeeds

Depending on the Climate, we spend more or less Energy on Heating (or, Cooling). The Demand of Energy can be significantly reduced by Insulating our Homes …


What do we need Thermal Insulation of Buildings for?

Warm, Dry and Hygienic Rooms

Reduce Heating & Cooling Energy

Save Money

Which are the Main Success Factors for a Thermal Insulation System?

Technical Performance

Costs

End Users‘ and Workers‘ Safety

Environmental Profile

Thermal Insulation ProductsThermal Insulation Products— It’s the System Performance that Counts …— It’s the System Performance that Counts …

HealthHealthandand

ComfortComfort


High-performing Insulation Sprays and Boards Rigid Polyurethane (PUR) Foams – Very Low Thermal Conductivity As Foaming and Insulation Agents, Hydrochlorofluorocarbons, e.g. HCFC-

141b, were employed due to their Advantageous Properties. BUT — Montreal Protocol: HCFCs are phased out due to their Ozone

Depletion Potential (ODP).

The zero-ODP Hydrofluorocarbon HFC-365mfc is Developed to Replace HCFC-141b.

Excellent Insulation Performance Safe Handling, no Risks for End-users Significant Reduction of Heating/Cooling Costs BUT — HFC-365mfc possesses a High

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

Foaming and Insulation AgentsFoaming and Insulation Agents— High-performance Products —— High-performance Products —

A previous LCA for Central Europe revealed a Competitive Environmental Profile of HFC-365mfc – but does this apply to the Iberian Peninsula as well?


The Iberian MarketThe Iberian Market— Success Factors of an LCA —— Success Factors of an LCA —

What we needed was a Focused Study Considering the Specific …

Climatic Conditions

Construction Habits

Heating/Cooling Technologies

… and thus allow us to Support Product Development and Market Positioning.

Among the Crucial Success Factors of an LCA is the Selection of Partners along the Entire Product Chain who know the Market, the Customers, and their Needs.


Material Energy

Waste Emissions

Thermal Insulation & Climate Thermal Insulation & Climate ProtectionProtection— Why we need the Systems Approach —— Why we need the Systems Approach —

Thermal EnergyGeneration

CO2

Heating/Cooling

Only when taking the Generation and Use of Thermal Energy for Heating and Cooling into consideration can we assess the Performance of a Thermal Insulation System.

HFC


Energy, Mineral Resources, Water

Energy, Mineral Resources, Water

Scope of the LCA StudyScope of the LCA Study— Life Cycle of PU Thermal Insulation Foam —— Life Cycle of PU Thermal Insulation Foam —

GWP: global warming potential ODP: ozone depleting potential AP: acid rainNP: nutrification of water and soil POCP: summer smog

Emissions(GWP, ODP, AP, NP, POCP)

Emissions(GWP, ODP, AP, NP, POCP)

Waste Management

Components PU Foams Use Phase

Obviously, the Use Phase is an Important Consideration, since that is where we spend Energy for Decades!


Applications ofRigid PU FoamRigid PU Foam SpraysSpraysfor Domestic Dwellings

Applications of PU Insulation Applications of PU Insulation FoamFoam— Variants and Parameters for LCI Calculation —— Variants and Parameters for LCI Calculation —

Foaming/Insulation Agents HCFC-141b (Reference) Water/CO2 (non-HFC Variant) HFC-365mfc (New Product)

Parameters Spray Thickness:

30 mm HFC Production Losses:

5 % HFC Diffusion Losses:

1.2 %/a Service Life:

50 years Heating Degree Days:

Varied depending on Investigated Region.

Pitched Warm Roof

Cavity Wall

Roof and Wall Scenarios were specified according to Spanish Construction Examples. Climatic Conditions were in Accordance with the Applicable Spanish Ordinance on Thermal Insulation of Buildings.


Climatic Zones in Spain and Climatic Zones in Spain and PortugalPortugal— According to Applicable Ordinances —— According to Applicable Ordinances —

Barcelona

Toledo

Madrid

Almeria

Lisboa

Avila

Major Cities were Selected Representing Climatic Zones and Important Markets.


Energy Demand of a Pitched Warm Energy Demand of a Pitched Warm RoofRoof— Comparison of HCFC-141b, Water/CO— Comparison of HCFC-141b, Water/CO22, HFC-, HFC-365mfc —365mfc —

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

En

erg

y [

MJ

/ (m

2.5

0a)]

Production Madrid Avila

Almeria

Barcelona Toledo

Lisboa

(Cooling)Thermal Energy

(Heating)Thermal Energy

Wate

r/C

O2

HC

FC

-14

1b

HFC

-36

5m

fc

Due to better Insulation Properties of the resulting Foam, HFC-365mfc results in a lower Energy Demand compared to using Water/CO2 as a Blowing Agent. Results for AP and NP are similar.


Global Warming for a Pitched Warm Global Warming for a Pitched Warm RoofRoof— Comparison of HCFC-141b, Water/CO— Comparison of HCFC-141b, Water/CO22, HFC-, HFC-365mfc —365mfc —

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

GW

P1

00

[kg

CO

2 e

q.

/ (m

2.5

0a)]

Avila

Production

Almeria

Barcelona

Toledo

Madrid

Lisboa

Thermal Energy(Heating)

Wate

r/C

O2

HC

FC

-14

1b

HFC

-36

5m

fc

Thermal Energy(Cooling)

Diffusion

HFC-365mfc has Advantages even regarding GWP, except in Regions with Low Demands on Thermal Insulation where the smaller Savings are compensated by Diffusion of the HFC Blowing Agent with its High Specific GWP.


Sensitivity and Scenario AnalysesSensitivity and Scenario Analyses

To Confirm the Validity of the Results, we have varied:

Thermal Conductivity

Service Life

Diffusion Rate during Service Life

Thickness of Spray

Climatic Zones(Heating/Cooling Degree Days)

Heating Systems

Incineration and even Landfilling as Waste Management Scenarios do not significantly change the Results.

The Scenario and Sensitivity Analyses Confirm the Outcome: HFC-365mfc shows a Competitive Environmental Profile. It has Advantages wherever High-Performance Thermal Insulation is Required.

Product

AssessmentApproach

EnvironmentalImpact

1 kg HFC-365mfcin Thermal Insulation

Greenhouse Impact• ca. 150–750 kg CO2 Equivalents

(Blowing Agent Loss 15–85 %)

Only HFC Emissionsconsidered

1 kg HFC in PUR Thermal Insulation

Saves up to 1000 kg CO2 Equivalents

compared to non-HFC variant.

Net Greenhouse Gas Reduction• CO2 Reduction (»gross«)• Minus: HFC Emissions

gro

ss

net

Thermal Insulation for Domestic and Industrial Buildings

HFC-blown PUR Foams Reduce Energy Demand and thus CO2 Emissions– a Net Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions is achieved.

Identifying Sustainable SolutionsIdentifying Sustainable Solutions— LCA for Reliable Decisions —— LCA for Reliable Decisions —


Heating Degree Days HDDBase Temperature 18°C = 65°F

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000

Key West/Florida

Los Angeles/California

Almeria (Spain)

Las Vegas/Nevada

Barcelona (Spain)

Toledo (Spain)

Roswell/New Mexico

Madrid (Spain)

Washington/DC

Avila (Spain)

Columbus/Ohio

Germany (Average)

Chicago/Illinois

Portland/Maine

Fargo/North Dakota

Anchorage/Alaska

Mt. Washington/New Hampshire

Barrow/Alaska

Relevance of Climatic ZonesRelevance of Climatic Zones— Comparing— Comparing USA and Europe —USA and Europe —

Enviro

nmenta

l Benefit

The Basic Results apply to the US as well: in Colder Regions, Greater Benefits can be gained with High-performance Thermal Insulation.


ConclusionsConclusions … …— — … … and Lessons Learnt —and Lessons Learnt —

Reduction of Energy Demand approx. 15 % due to Lower

Thermal Conductivity of HFC-blown PUR Foams

Equals: Every 7th year You get Heating/Cooling for Free

MadridMadrid

GWP Reduction

11%11% 0%0%

Only when we know the Environmental Profile of the whole Product System – and take the Climatic Conditions of the Envisaged Market into account – can we Successfully Position a Thermal Insulation System.

Insulation Comparisions

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