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STYROFOAM™ Saves a Ton of Energy

Installed in millions of residential and commercial buildings around the world, STYROFOAM™ Brand Insulation products are estimated to reduce energy costs by more than US $10 billion annually.

The total 20 year North American production capacity of Dow insulation products (STYROFOAM™, THERMAX™, GREAT STUFF™ ) when properly installed in buildings could save over 10 trillion pounds of a carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent** during their useful lifetime. This represents a CO₂ impact equal to:

Planting 5 billion trees
Removing 850 million cars from the road for one year.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, energy costs for an average family have increased dramatically since 1998, and home heating and cooling bills are typically the largest monthly payment for families after their mortgage. It's no wonder, then, that energy is one of the most important issues of our time for homeowners, builders, architects and legislators alike.

Related Information
Continuous Insulation for Energy Efficiency and Moisture Management Installing energy-efficient windows and doors is one effective way to fight energy loss. Many timber-frame builders are also increasing the size of the studs to allow space for more batt insulation in the wall cavity. However, adding a continuous layer of insulated sheathing to the exterior wall offers an easier, more cost-effective and far more energy-efficient solution that also helps with moisture management.
BLUE™ Is Better These thermal images demonstrate the effectiveness of continuous exterior insulation. Heat loss is indicated on a scale of red, the most heat loss, to purple/blue - no heat loss.	House with oriented strand board (OSB) and R-13 fiberglass batts. A good start, but look at all of the thermal shorts.	Home with OSB and R-13 batts, covered with 1/2" (13 mm) rigid foam insulation.
Think Outside the Stud Cavity Wood framing and poorly insulated ducts, wiring and plumbing make up over 25 percent of the exterior wall surface area on an average timber-framed home. Since cavity insulation goes between the studs and often around these fixtures, it's as if an entire side of a square home is left uninsulated. These exposed areas allow heat to escape in cold climates and intrude in warm climates – an energy-draining phenomenon called thermal bridging. Rigid foam insulation – alone or in conjunction with batt insulation – is an excellent choice for maximum energy efficiency and moisture control.
Read More About It Streetman Homes Case Study (Adobe PDF, 442KB) Sovereign Homes Case Study (Adobe PDF, 398KB)

** Based on maximum production capacity at NAA facilities during a twenty year period, a product lifetime of 50 years, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions from the "Use of Dow Thermal Insulation." This LCA study will be submitted for external publication in 2009.