Life Cycle Assessment of High-Performance Thermal Insulation Systems for Domestic Buildings

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Life Cycle Assessment ofHigh-Performance Thermal
Insulation Systemsfor Domestic Buildings

• Ivo Mersiowsky, TuTech Integrated Management,
  Hamburg/Germany
• Hermann Krähling, Solvay Management Support,
  Hanover/Germany

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Sustainable Solutions for our Needs
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
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Thermal Insulation Products Its the System
Performance that Counts

• 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

Health and Comfort
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Foaming and Insulation Agents High-performance
Products

• 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 HighGlobal Warming
  Potential (GWP)

A previous LCA for Central Europe revealed a
Competitive Environmental Profile of HFC-365mfc
but does this apply to the Iberian Peninsula as
well?
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The Iberian Market 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.
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Thermal Insulation Climate Protection Why we
need the Systems Approach
? 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.
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Scope of the LCA Study Life Cycle of PU Thermal
Insulation Foam
Obviously, the Use Phase is an Important
Consideration, since that is where we spend
Energy for Decades!
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Applications of PU Insulation Foam 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 DaysVaried depending on
  Investigated Region.

Applications of Rigid PU Foam Spraysfor Domestic
Dwellings
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.
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Climatic Zones in Spain and Portugal According
to Applicable Ordinances
Major Cities were Selected Representing Climatic
Zones and Important Markets.
Barcelona
Avila
Madrid
Lisboa
Toledo
Almeria
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Energy Demand of a Pitched Warm Roof Comparison
of HCFC-141b, Water/CO2, HFC-365mfc
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.
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Global Warming for a Pitched Warm Roof
Comparison of HCFC-141b, Water/CO2, HFC-365mfc
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.
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Sensitivity 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.
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Identifying Sustainable Solutions LCA for
Reliable Decisions
Thermal Insulation for Domestic and Industrial
Buildings
1 kg HFC-365mfc in Thermal Insulation
? HFC-blown PUR Foams Reduce Energy Demand and
thus CO2 Emissions a Net Reduction of
Greenhouse Gas Emissions is achieved.
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Relevance of Climatic Zones Comparing USA and
Europe
The Basic Results apply to the US as well in
Colder Regions, Greater Benefits can be gained
with High-performance Thermal Insulation.
Environmental Benefit
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Conclusions 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

? 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.