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>>EPA Addresses Waste in "Life Cycle of Stuff"
Source: epa.gov
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages everyone to think about a product’s entire lifecycle when it comes to waste. Reducing what we use — and using stuff carefully — are the most effective ways to save natural resources and help create a more sustainable future for our planet. Everything we use goes through a life cycle, and each stage of the life cycle has environmental impacts, including climate change. However, reducing the use of materials in every stage of the life cycle minimizes the environmental impact associated with the stuff we use. EPA’s feature, the Life Cycle of Stuff, helps show the effects of our stuff at each stage of its existence, from materials extraction to end-of-life management.

SPFA also has a Life Cycle Assessment for SPF available on its website.The LCA research was conducted by independent, third-party, professional LCA practitioners with expertise in this field: PE Americas (now PE International) and Sustainable Solutions Corporation.

>>Economist.com's Ten Most Popular Articles from 2015

Source: economist.com

A few trends emerge from the list of The Economist's ten most-read articles of 2015. The theme of inequality remains top of mind for our readers; articles about Asian-Americans, working-class males and inherited privilege all found their way into the top four. And most of the pieces are leaders, which tells us that our readers want to know not only what happened but what can be done about it. The top piece, however, is an exception to all these trends: a fascinating science report about a new breed of animal called the coywolf.

>>Multifamily Residential Roundtable Explores Energy and Water Efficiency Opportunities
Source: betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency Kathleen Hogan kicked off a multifamily residential roundtable discussion in October with the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge (ABBC). Various multifamily stakeholders explored strategies to increase energy and water efficiency for multifamily housing.

ABBC’s multi-family housing program expanded in 2015, thanks to a grant funded by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) through its Energy Efficiency for All Project and the City Energy Project. Atlanta’s new Affordable Multi-family Housing Challenge (AMHC) is one of only three pilots in the country to launch in 2015. Chicago, Kansas City and Los Angeles have each launched Affordable Multifamily City Challenge Pilots as well.

>>Bending the Curve: Implementation of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
Source: aceee.org
This report reviews the implementation of the energy efficiency provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), including vehicle fuel economy standards, the light bulb standard, appliance and equipment standards, energy use labels, building efficiency policies, federal energy management, and efficiency programs. EISA was passed with bipartisan support in Congress, signed by President George W. Bush, and implemented mostly by President Obama’s administration. Although some policies have languished and some programs were never funded, the key standards have been implemented effectively, and other programs received billions of dollars in Recovery Act and other stimulus funding. We estimate that the law will save consumers over $2 trillion and by 2030 will reduce oil use by almost 3 million barrels a day and overall energy use by 8 quadrillion Btu (about 8%).

>>Polyurethane Highlighted on Home Improvement Radio Show

Source: americanchemistry.com
Mighty House Radio listeners recently heard about the many benefits of polyurethane and spray polyurethane foam. Lee Salamone, senior director of the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry, and Justin Koscher, director of the Spray Foam Coalition, spoke with the Mighty House Radio hosts about how polyurethane is present in many of the products that make our homes comfortable and stylish, including furniture, mattresses, appliances, carpet underlay and flooring.

>>3D-Printed House and Car to Be Displayed at IBS
Source: nahbnow.com
The evolution of 3D-printing technology is continually finding new ways to impact not only how we live, but also what we live in. Attendees at the 2016 NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas this January will get to experience what life would be like living in a 3D-printed home, which comes complete with a 3D-printed vehicle.

>>Dupont to Cut 1,700 Delaware Jobs Before Dow Chemical Merger
Source: bloomberg.com
DuPont Co. anticipates cutting about 28 percent of its workforce in Delaware in early 2016 as the chemical company proceeds with a merger with Dow Chemical Co.

>>Congress Passes $1.8 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill and $680 Billion Tax Extenders Package
Source: Craig Brightup
On December 18, 2015, Congress passed a $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill and $680 billion tax extenders package that the President signed into law. The "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016" funds the federal government through September 2016 and the "Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015" (PATH Act) extends over 50 tax breaks for businesses and individuals. Full coverage of this news will be included in the next issue of SPRAYFOAM Professional.

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