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
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