Going Green

Going Green

By Dirk Benthien, CPI

 

The world has always gone through major trends, from fashion and art to science and business. I have to confess, I was not the first to see “going green” as a viable business opportunity — but that has changed. The core of CPI’s business is foam insulation in a broad sense. More narrowly, we are in the business of servicing contractors who are in the foam business by providing spray equipment, spray rigs, parts, training,

Foam Roofing Sale

repair services, and, of course, foam. When CPI was started, foam was sold on the basis of certain of its merits such as energy savings or sound control. Times have changed: now we need to start marketing foam for its environmental benefits. To put it in perspective, consider these revolutionary changes taking place everywhere:

Would Wal-Mart strike you as a green company? Go check walmart.com and see that they have a page called “Wal-Mart Sustainability”. By the way, they just announced their “Global Responsible Sourcing Initiative” which includes tough environmental goals suppliers must meet if they wish to do business with Wal-Mart.

Looking at the presidential candidates, McCain has a page devoted to Climate Change  which calls for a “market-based system to curb greenhouse gases”. Likewise, Barack Obama promises to “reduce our greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050”

Just randomly searching the internet, it seems that everybody is on board: Continental Airlines offers a carbon offset program. General Motors is developing an electric car, the Chevy Volt. New buildings are LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. Consumers buy Energy Star rated appliances. The list goes on and on.

What does it mean to us, the foam applicators?

It’s all good news, because foam really is green. The general challenge is for us to tread lightly on our planet by saving emissions while we allow ourselves to maintain our lifestyle by keeping everything affordable. Foam does exactly that: it helps save the planet by reducing emissions by 50% compared to traditional methods, and also by saving 50% of the associated energy bill. The problem is that we as an industry don’t tell the world how good we are. Imagine if Ford had a new truck using 50% less energy. It would be all over the news!

So, this is what CPI does for its customers, our industry, and ultimately, in our small way, for our planet:

1. We’re putting out the message to home owners and builders that foam is green, and saves money and the planet in one step.
2. We’re helping our customers (the contractors) gain market share by cultivating the E:zero foam brand. E:zero addresses home owners’ big concerns:
   • Being able to afford future energy bills by cutting energy consumption by 50% today
   • Installing only comfortable, reliable and performing materials without health concerns
   • Keeping the planet healthy for our children and grandchildren.
3. We admit that we’re a green company, meaning that long-term sustainability is a huge goal for us and for our customers.
4. We are helping our customers to get ready to capitalize on the coming green revolution. We believe that there will be intense green pressure from consumers, businesses and the government. The good news: the foam industry is already there. If all homes were foamed, many good things would happen:
   • Total national energy consumption would be reduced by at least 20%
   • Personal and public debt would sharply decrease as our nation would save billions annually
   • We would make huge progress in our effort to reduce carbon emissions

Please join us in foaming the world!

Links

www.cpifoam.com

www.cpifoam.com/going-green.aspx

Foam Roofing Reduces Energy Costs in the Winter

There has been a lot of increasing buzz recently about foam roofing and it’s energy-saving benefits in the summer.  What about during winter – are there any benefits? The answer is “YES” there are many benefits and not just limited to energy-savings. 

 

The benefits of having a foam roofing system in the winter include:

 

Energy Savings in Winter

One of the great aspects of Armstrong’s Foam Roofing Systems is that is has the highest R-Value of any roofing material at 6.7 per inch at 75°F.  The R-Value improves  as the temperature outside decreases, whereas other roofing systems (tar & gravel, etc) either remain the same or actually decrease in R-Value.  The R-Value of an Armstrong foam roof is up to 7.5 at temperatures up to 40F. So since heat rises, our foam roofing systems are very efficient at the prevention of heat loss through your roof, providing energy-savings on your home heating.

 

Waterproofing/Reparing Leaks

Since application of the roofing system is sprayed foam, the system is seamless which eliminates most of the seams or joints which are the major source of leaks  in a typical roof.  Your whole roof becomes a solid membrane that is sealed from water/moisture penetration.

 

Severe Weather Resistance

Armstrong’s foam roofing systems have a high wind-uplift resistance, preventing gusts of wind from compromising your roof.   Hail isn’t typically a huge issue in the Bay Area, but it’s also worth mentioning that foam roofing is impact-resistant.

 

If you would like to know more about Armstrong’s foam roof systems, please feel free to contact us or call us today at 777-1234 (no area code needed in the Bay Area).

Foam Roofing is Better Than Tar and Gravel Roofs

Did you know that the highest energy efficient roofing material available (over 500% greater than tar & gravel) is foam roofing?  Foam roofs are extremely durable with high tensile and compressive strength.   Through out the Bay Area,  many homes were designed using flat roofs to create their unique look.  Maintaining a flat roof is much more difficult than standard pitched roofing.  If you are looking for an alternative to tar and gravel roofs that actually incorporates insulation and roofing into one material, then foam roofing is the solution for you.

Most people see pictures of foam roofing and think that the material is soft and fluffy.  Foam roofs are anything but soft.  It is more like walking on concrete.  You can walk on these roofs without the worry of creating a leak.  These roofs are made to withstand construction traffic as well without damaging the surface.