Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1149947
AUGUST 2019 | 15 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BUILDING PRODUCTS OF CANADA; CUFCA Building Envelope Excel's 1.5 R-value is three times that of Oriented Strand Board (OSB), and its use instead of OSB can negate the need for drain water heat recovery units. Excel's built-in air barrier also negates the cost of wrapping a house, which also translates into substantial time and labour savings. Both Excel and R-5 XP (installed blue side out) offer an integrated external air barrier after the joints are taped. "This is a structural wall in addition to being an external air barrier," says Lowes. "The product has undergone extensive strength testing at an independent laboratory, with amazing results." Both Excel and R-5 XP are light and easy to work with, come in four-by-nine foot sheets and can be installed on an eight-inch foundation, negating the need and cost of larger foundations, while offsetting additional CO2 emissions associ- ated with larger pours. According to Demi Christou, operations manager at Flexstone Coatings, 2019 is significant for his company because "this is the first year our product is start- ing to get specified more frequently by engineers: we're starting to attract the attention of developers, and we're currently busy working with our dealers on a number of projects as a result." The product Christou refers to is Flexstone's sundeck and flat roof membranes, which are versatile, seamless, flexible, reflective, UV stable, and designed for harsh climates and traffic. Also, they are CCMC approved, which sets them apart from other liquid coatings on the market. "The CCMC approval is one of our biggest selling points, as this is not an easy designation to obtain and means that our mem- branes are approved across Canada for new construction projects," says Christou. The Flexstone four-ply membrane relies on the foundation of its solvent-free base coat, which adheres to nearly any substrate and is installed thick, with a v-notched trowel or squeegee. The finish coats are not only esthetically pleasing, they provide a tough outer shell that keeps the membrane safe from heavy traffic and UV damage. "Our membrane is best used for deck applications over living spaces and a far more versatile alternative to torch-on roofing with heavy pav- ers," says Christou. Finally, Andrew Cole, executive director of the Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association Inc. (CUFCA), points out that "underslab basements are the forgotten part of building envelopes but deserve equal attention, because the build up of radon – the second largest cause of lung cancer in the country – is a naturally occurring element and a major concern for developers." The CUFCA actively promotes spray-applied polyurethane foam as a solution to this problem, and Cole notes that due to his association undertaking extensive research, "we have a Canadian Construction Materials Centre number for our foam as an effective radon barrier, and the application is actually more affordable than alternative methods of code compliance because it consists of a one piece assembly, two inches thick – with no heat loss or moisture transmission." A Application of Radon Control System. Excel Exterior Structural, Continuously Insulated Sheathing.