Sustainability

Sustainability & XCELUS Building Systems

Sustainable design and low environmental impact are at the heart of XCELUS’ values. Our spray foam products can save up to 50% of the heating and cooling costs of a building and they not only air-seal and insulate wall cavities, crawl spaces, attics, and basements, our products also meet stringent qualifications and demanding environmental standards, as evidenced by our GREENGUARD Certifications. In addition, our portfolio of products are PBDE free.

Formulated For Performance. Engineered For Comfort

What Is GREENGUARD Certification?

Products that have achieved GREENGUARD Certification are scientifically proven to meet some of the world’s most rigorous third-party chemical emissions standards, helping to reduce indoor air pollution and the risk of chemical exposure. With this seal of approval, you can rest assured that the spray foam being installed into your building not only saves you money on your heating and cooling bills, but it also protects the environment.

XLS 2000 closed-cell spray foam uses an EPA approved, environmentally responsbile, 4th generation HFO blowing agent with a GWP of 1. No HFCs are used. When you choose XCELUS XLS 2000 you contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, our closed-cell foam is composed of 24% recycled content.

Our XLS 500 open-cell foam is formulated using 100% water as a blowing agent. The low Global Warming Potential of 1 means there is zero potential for ozone depletion.

What is GWP and why is it important?

Many spray foam products are undesirable because they have a high Global Warming Potential (GWP). GWP is a unit of measure which allows us to understand and compare the emissions levels and climate effects of different gases. The higher the number, the more it negatively impacts the environment. Many closed cell spray foam products use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as their blowing agent and these are one of the greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. They are very effective at trapping heat, which leads to the problem of greater warming of the planet. Some of the major effects of global warming include extreme weather, melting ice at the poles and warming of the oceans. All of these have devastating impacts on our planet, people and animals. For these reasons XCELUS uses only environmentally responsible, low GWP blowing agents in our spray foam products.

Why Sustainability

The definition of sustainability is as broad as the world is diverse.
The term is used in the context of:

In 1987, the UN “Brundtland Commission” released a report titled, “Our Common Future”. It defined sustainable development as: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”¹

It is a value shared by many individuals and organizations, including XCELUS, which is concerned about the kind of future we are leaving to the next generation.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”²

¹Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development.

²Margaret Mead, Cultural Anthropologist, Writer & Speaker.

Sustainable architecture takes into account:

Ever more stringent code requirements have led to the adoption of best practices in construction materials and methods. Among those is the specification of more efficient insulation systems, air barriers and seamless roofing assemblies. Closed cell sprayed polyurethane foam helps to meet the requirements of modern, sustainable design.

Resources

Energy efficiency is key to sustainability in architecture. One of the most powerful ways to improve efficiency is through building envelope insulation: 40% of a building’s energy can be lost to air leaks. Spray foam is not just an insulation. It also has air sealing properties which are ideally suited to sustainable building design.

Used extensively in commercial building projects, closed-cell foam adheres to the building envelope’s surface. The continuous spray contours around and into cracks and crevices, sealing air leaks and limiting potential water infiltration. Since only the material needed is used, construction waste is minimized. In addition, building life is prolonged, reducing resource consumption and waste generation resulting required for replacement.

Environmental Impact

Closed cell spray foam has many environmental benefits, including:

These characteristics offer superior thermal performance compared to traditional insulation materials. Spray foam’s thermal performance equates to lower energy use which reduces not only carbon emissions but also maintenance costs.

With air leakage prevention, the load on HVAC is reduced, leading to environmental benefits and better comfort. In addition, closed cell insulation increases building durability and longevity with enhanced structural integrity.

Spray foam insulation provides the highest R-value per inch of any insulation system. Since it also acts as an air barrier, it provides a solution to thermal bridging. Thermal bridges in steel studed walls that use steel components reduce thermal performance by up to 55 %. This can lead to lower wall cavity temperatures, which may result in moisture problems. Because closed-cell spray foam does not require metal fasteners and it continuously covers existing thermal bridges, it can reduce or eliminate these effects

Safety

Various factors, such as HVAC performance and emissions from building components and furnishings can dramatically impact indoor air quality (IAQ). A poorly insulated, leaky building envelope can result in condensation and mold growth, as well as invasion of outside contaminants, not to mention reductions in energy efficiency. Building envelope performance is vital to good IAQ. Spray foam’s inherent air sealing and mold resistance properties help to solve these problems.

XCELUS’ energy-efficient qualities, use of recycled content in our closed cell formulation, and low GWP all contribute to a low carbon footprint and sustainability. Whether you are an architect, builder, homeowner or contractor, you can be assured that It is our promise to continue to strive for the best sustainable spray foam solutions.