Building Envelope Systems with Sprayed Cellular Insulation —A Program for Developing Evaluation Procedures

Components of the research program jointly sponsored by the Institute for Re search in Construction, National Research Council of Canada, and the Polyurethane Division, Society of the Plastics Industry of Canada, are described. The program is designed to improve the means of evaluating and comparing the value-in-use of various residential thermal insulation materials and systems. To assess value-in-use of insulations such as glass fibre, cellulose, and spray-applied products of which sprayed polyurethane foam is one, the performance of the building envelope as a system, in addition to analysing the materials and components, will be considered. Elements of the program will include: • thermal and energy performance, • contribution of the insulation to the air and vapour barrier performance of the en velope system, • interaction with other building components, • changes in the material performance with time.