Development of a Product Category Rule (PCR) for Building Envelope Thermal Insulation

Transparency
Clear, credible information on environmental impacts of insulation helps customers and consumers make more informed choices. It also drives improvement as manufacturers strive to improve the energy efficiency, durability, and environmental performance of their products.
American Chemistry Council Plastics Division DLane Wisner & Mike Levy American Chemistry Council 700 Second St., NE Washington, DC 20002 Jerry Phelan & George Pavlovich Bayer Material Science LLC 100 Bayer Road Pittsburgh, PA 15205

Research existing PCRs for building thermal insulation, use Norwegian PCR

Form coalition of trade insulation associations & execute Memorandum of Understanding

Coalition prepares Draft North American PCR based on existing Norwegian PCR Request proposals, select Program Operator to develop PCR with stakeholder engagement Completed PCR available for stakeholders to develop insulation product EPDs

Architects and Designers want to know

that products meet industry codes and standards, as well as government regulations...information summarized in the EPD.

PCR critical review conducted per ISO 14025 by LCA/PCR experts

Building Owners want greener buildings with smaller Retailers need to provide customers with information on product
applications and energy/environmental benefits, which are all clearly described in the EPD.

environmental footprints. The EPD shows them how insulation can reduce global warming impacts over the lifetime of their investment.

PCR Development Process

A coalition of seven broad-based insulation trade groups formed in 2010 under the auspices of the American Chemistry Council to launch the development of the first U.S. Product Category Rule (PCR) for building thermal insulation products. The coalition included products represented in the American Chemistry Council (ACC), Extruded Polystyrene Foam Association (XPSA), Expanded Polystyrene Molders Association (EPSMA), Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA), North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA), ACCs Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) and the Spray Polyurethane Foam Association (SPFA). Development was completed with a Program Operator and fullstakeholder engagement.

attributes to confirm that it meets the building requirements. The EPD includes key information on product durability and physical and thermal properties, and it also lists test methods and product quality certificates.

S pecifiers can quickly identify a product's

more effective an insulation is, the more energy savings it yields over the life of the building.

Home Builders can use the EPD to explain how the Contractors have guidance at their fingertips

Credibility
Green product or material claims, whether based on certification programs or as stand alone claims, are proliferating in the marketplace, and navigating the meaning and validity of these claims is increasingly difficult. An EPD is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate a products environmental attributes based on comprehensive analysis of life cycle impacts and transparent data. Moreover, it is a process that requires third party verification of conformance to EPD requirements per ISO 14025 and LCA requirements according to ISO 14040. Since these are internationally recognized standards based on a broad consensus, companies gain credibility through use of both the ISO processes and the associated verification.

on product installation, including health and safety measures. Environmental issues related to proper management and waste disposal are also addressed.

Comprehensive Life Cycle Approach

The heart of the EPD is the LCA. An LCA provides a comprehensive, balanced, quantified look at product impacts that are significant. LCAs for insulation products consistently show that two features - energy saved and global warming potential (GWP) prevented during the use phase - far outweigh the relatively negligible embodied energy and associated GWP generated from other phases. This information, along with the associated technical performance data on a product, can be summarized in an EPD and used for purposes ranging from marketing to product innovation.

September, 2011