Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1174518
OCTOBER 2019 | 19 Insulation PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SOPREMA Cole goes on to point out that, "Two pound closed cell spray foam provides both great R values and building strength compared to typical bat products, because the foam attaches to wood. This results in very good wind shear performance as well as seismic benefits. Plus, the use of foam in basements will reduce the subse- quent damage caused by flooding." Frederic Deom, product manager – insulation for Soprema, is another strong advocate of spray-applied foam insulation, and he takes every opportunity to dispel prevailing myths about it, including the false claim that it is flammable: "In fact, this thermosetting product contains flame retardants that slow down the spread of fire rather than accelerate it. This is one of the reasons why poly- urethane is used in many household items, such as mattresses, sofas, toys, car interiors, and shoes." Deom describes his company as providing many technologies for roof and wall insulation. "For example, our Sopra-Cellulose blown insulation is made of 85 percent post-consumer recycled newspaper. It consists of loose small grey fibres, is odourless, and has a low-VOC content while acting as a protective shield to reduce the transmission of heat and sound. Meanwhile, our Sopra-SPF 201 is a fully monolithic spray-applied polyurethane foam that can be installed in hard- to-reach areas." A testament to the effectiveness of Soprema insulations is the new Halifax Hospice, the first of its kind in that city. The Hospice needed a highly effective insulation system, as the building's occupants would be at the terminal stages of their life and sensitive to cold and humidity. The builders used both Sopra- Cellulose and Sopra-SPF 201, and Darren Newhook, director-building envelope for Soprema, notes that one challenge overcome by these products was the lack of vents in the cathedral-like ceiling: unlike typical insulation that requires air movement to keep humidity levels low, the spray foam "connected, controlled, and brought everything back to it." Other recent projects that have sought Soprema's insulation expertise are the Art Gallery of Alberta and Edmonton International Airport, as well as Montreal's Lux Gouverneur Residences, a complex multi-service facility for seniors that required maximum soundproofing for the comfort of its residents. Finally, Lamia Chahboune, marketing director U.S. and Canada for Demilec, is suc- cinct in her reaction to the onset of the 2021 spray foam regulations: "We have been ready for two years now with our Heatlok Soya HFO product in Canada and even ear- lier in the U.S. with our Heatlok HFO Pro and Heatlok HFO High Lift products." Chahboune is referring to Heatlok Soya HFO, which leverages Honeywell's Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent technology with a GWP of one: 99.9 percent lower than traditional blowing agents. Also, Heatlok Soya HFO is Demilec's first product in Canada to leverage an ultra-low global warming potential blowing agent, has a zero ozone depletion potential, and contains a total of 22 percent recycled plastic and renewable soya oil. Chahboune adds, "We also provide the certified Demilec Air Barrier System, which saves time and cost with five functions: insulation, air barrier material, air barrier system, rain screen, and vapour barrier. This system has been designed and tested to withstand the highest sustained wind loads across Canada and can be installed in buildings up to 300 metres [90 storeys] with only 25-millimetre [one inch] of spray foam." A Sopra-SPF 201 fully monolithic spray-applied polyurethane foam. Triumph Roofing.indd 1 2019-07-18 12:07