SPRAYFOAM Professional - Spring 2015 - (Page 30)

BEHIND THE FOAM SPF INDUSTRY PREPPING FOR CODE CHANGES IN SWEDEN BY SHANI CALVO I n Sweden, where the average low in the winter is between 20-54 degrees and temperatures have reached as low as -17 degrees, efficient insulation is in demand. Take into account the mere 4-6 hours of daylight Northern Sweden sees in the winter, and the demand seems like it would be staggering. But, spray polyurethane foam has not dominated the markets there, as it has begun to do in other parts of the world. In fact, according to a report by KEMI, the Swedish Chemical Agency (www.kemi.se), the use of diisocyanates in Sweden for insulation purposes in 2010 was only 1%. The bulk of the use was for plastics raw material (86%). See chart on p32. At SundaHus, an environmental registry in Sweden, the report is the same. Jane Wigren, an assessment manager at SundaHus, said, "SPF is basically still pretty new in Sweden. It is not an established product range; mineral wool is more common when it comes to insulation." As SundaHus provides assessments of construction materials, "We can see which products have been chosen. There have not been so many projects that have registered this product," said Wigren. "People are very conservative. To start with something new is not so easy." 30 SPRAYFOAM PROFESSIONAL | Spring 2015 Ronald Kershaw, owner of IsoGreen Industries AB, is all too aware of the numbers, as his business is based in Sweden and he has been educating Scandinavians on its benefits for the past six years. "I have been involved in sprayfoam since 2009," said Kershaw, who started his company in 2010. "We were looking for solutions in a building company - I had to make the buildings more energy efficient. I was introduced to sprayfoam, attended the International Builders' Show to find out more, made contact with a manufacturer, then we were offered the distribution. We decided to make the best of it." Almost immediately, Kershaw realized the importance of having trained applicators and, with the help of the equipment and chemical manufacturer, started training contractors on the correct application of SPF. Now, Kershaw said his company has been involved in educating a lot of the applicators in Sweden. And, Kershaw said he has noticed an upswing in SPF demand and expects an even bigger demand come 2018. "In 2018 the building regulations for energy usage will be so tough, it will be almost impossible for traditional insulation to meet those requirements without having a 2-foot thick wall," said Kershaw. "So we preparing and waiting to see what happens when the new regulations go into effect." In http://www.kemi.se

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SPRAYFOAM Professional - Spring 2015

Executive Director’s Corner
President’s Post
Foam Business News
SPFA Today
Industry by Design
Legislative Update
Why I Support SPF
Safety First
Energy Codes and the Benefits of SPF
Behind the Foam
SPF Industry Prepping for Code Changes in Sweden
How to Make Money and Have Fun Doing It
What You Need to Know Before You File in 2015
Tips on Spraying Foam – Are You Doing It Right?
Choosing the Right Strategy for Complex Construction Claims
10 Ways Your Company Can Use Instagram
ABBAA News
Ask the Expert
Calendar of Events
Index of Advertisers/ Advertisers.com

SPRAYFOAM Professional - Spring 2015