Midland, MI - September 24, 2009
STYROFOAM SIS™ Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing has won an MVP Award for "Most Valuable Product 2009" from Building Products magazine, a Hanley Wood publication. STYROFOAM SIS™ was selected as a winner of this coveted award by a panel of judges comprised of builders, remodelers, architects and developers who evaluated product submissions based on their ability to reduce installation time, callbacks, or labor costs, and other factors that bring "value" to building professionals.
"Each of these products will make a strong impact on the way builders and remodelers do their job. From improving efficiency to cost-savings, the winning products represent some of the best new products to enter the housing industry over the previous year," said Jean Dimeo, editorial director of ebuild and Building Products.
Developed by Dow to help make building energy efficient homes easier for builders, STYROFOAM SIS™ is a 3-in-1 solution that provides R3-R5.5 insulating value, meets or exceeds structural codes, and is one-third the weight of OSB*. Because OSB and housewrap are not needed, STYROFOAM SIS™ reduces the number of trips around the house and saves on installation time and labor costs. "This is an excellent tool to cope with more aggressive R-value code requirements being adopted," said one judge.**
In addition to providing the racking shear needed for exterior walls, STYROFOAM SIS™ blankets both the wall cavities and the studs to shield against thermal bridging which minimizes heating and cooling loss due to air infiltration. "You don't have cold spots on the wall that radiate cold in the wintertime or radiate heat in the summer," said Mark Buschman of Buschman Homes in Gurnee, Ill., a builder who installs the product.
STYROFOAM SIS™ also helps move the dew point from inside the wall cavity (where mold and mildew can accumulate and go undetected) to outside of the wall cavity where it belongs, and, when taped at the seams and joints, STYROFOAM SIS™ meets code for water-resistive barrier.
"We are very grateful to the judges and the editorial staff at Building Products magazine for selecting our product for a 2009 MVP Award," said John Hammer, residential market manager, Dow Building Solutions, North America. "Builders want energy efficient solutions that are cutting edge, but they have to be practical too. With STYROFOAM SIS™ they can install one product that provides homes with continuous insulation, structure and water resistance, without adding steps and without the need for OSB and housewrap."
Builders are incorporating STYROFOAM SIS™ into "green" package options for their customers as a point of differentiation. Made of up to 80 percent post-consumer recycled content by weight, STYROFOAM SIS™ is also ENERGY STAR-qualified and can save homeowners between $200- $500 per year*** in energy bills. The reduction in home energy usage helps reduce carbon emissions and may enable the use of a smaller HVAC unit, which could earn credits in the USGBC's LEED program or NAHB's National Green Building program.
The thermal performance advantages of STYROFOAM SIS™ can also help builders earn the $2,000 U.S. Energy Tax Credit for energy efficient homes built in 2009. STYROFOAM SIS™ provides a high R-value (R-3.0 at 0.5" or R-5.5 at 1.0") without having to extend window and door jambs, and is cost-competitive with wood sheathing and housewrap in many instances, so builders can promote the benefits of insulation with little to no added expense.
So that code approvals run smoothly once installed, the STYROFOAM SIS™ ICC-ESR-2436 allows contractors to quickly validate the product's racking shear and water-resistive performance.
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About Dow Building Solutions
Dow Building Solutions has a 60-year legacy of providing energy saving solutions to the global commercial and residential construction industry, which began with the launch of its flagship STYROFOAM™ extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation, one of the most recognized brands of insulation in the world. A business unit within The Dow Chemical Company's Advanced Materials Division, Dow Building Solutions offers unsurpassed expertise to help builders, designers, architects and homeowners reduce energy costs and protect against wind, rain and moisture, while contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
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* Based on ½" STYROFOAM SIS™ Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing
** "The 2009 MVP Awards," Building Products Magazine, Summer 2009, p. 20
** Savings will vary based on based on heating/cooling system, geographical location, energy costs, wall assembly and configuration and thickness of insulation installed.
For Editorial Information:
Jan McKinnon
The Dow Chemical Company
1-519-541-0336
Marissa Peterson
Gibbs & Soell Public Relations
1-212-697-2600
mpeterson@gibbs-soell.com
