SPFA Exhibits and Speaks at SEC Expo and Policy Forum

The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA), the premiere 501(c)6 professional trade association and voice of the Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) insulation and roofing industry, participated today in the 20th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Expo. The event was held across three rooms in the US House Rayburn building in Washington DC, two dedicated exhibit rooms and one dedicated to a variety of panel sessions that took place throughout the day. It brought over 40 exhibitors together representing the leading voices in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and net-zero energy for a day of celebration of the principles, efforts, plans and dedication to the energy generation and use in our future-United States.

The event was organized by the Sustainable Energy Coalition (SEC) and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), and hosted jointly by the US House and US Senate Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Caucuses. Several Congressional speakers joined the event throughout the day to offer their take on energy policy and America’s energy future, including Rep. Paul Tonko (NY), Rep. Ryan Costello (PA), and Sen. Ed Markey (MA), a stalwart participant and supporter of the event along with current chairman of the US Senate Climate Change Task Force. All noted the great leadership work being done to reach our national energy goals by the participants and thanked them for their efforts.

"This is such a great opportunity for so many different technology, policy and industry leaders to come together in the common interests of energy efficiency and renewable energy, in our nation’s capitol and here in this beautiful historic building," stated Kurt Riesenberg, executive director of SPFA.

SPFA was one of a limited number of exhibitors, bringing information on SPF to key audiences of energy efficiency professionals, colleagues, other trade organizations, NGOs and predominantly legislative staff from both the US House and Senate. Sprayfoam benefits were widely known and recognized by attendees, allowing discussion to move beyond basic benefits to more robust, strategic uses of SPF and where it fits in the future landscape of America’s energy efforts.

"All of the technologies, and intent behind them here at this event, focus upon the use of the best energy sources, the best available technology to make the most of that energy, and to do it in a sustainable way that brings comfort and satisfaction to the users," he said.

Riesenberg went on in his comments to explain his perception of SPF’s role in net zero energy homes and buildings, and the symbiotic relationship between SPF and distributed, or renewable energy systems.

"Investing in technology like wind or onsite generation is a great thing, but it does carry a price tag, and you need to have a strategy for that energy use to go into service in buildings that don’t otherwise leak like they were built with Swiss Cheese," said Riesenberg. "Making sure the building is sealed and insulated properly, allowing the mechanical ventilation to do its job for comfort and improved IAQ, is essential. And in the case of PV, it’s a natural fit for rooftop assemblies to have spray polyurethane foam roofing because it air- and moisture-seals the building from the top down, and even allows for reflective or cool-roof coatings to be applied to its top surface."

Riesenberg concluded "Notably SPF also provides a seamless, self-flashing connection to the stantions, or feet of the PV assemblies. This is where the PV array is to be secured to the roof deck of any low-slope residential or commercial roof. This is a critical point of water and air-intrusion. SPF’s ability to work so well in sealing those penetrations makes it such a natural complement to PV systems that an SPFA task force invested significant time and attention in creation of the newly released SPFA-150 technical document Photovoltaic Systems and SPF Roof Systems."

SPFA-150 Photovoltaic Systems and SPF Roof Systems recognizes that self-flashing properties of SPF roofing systems, along with superior energy savings, make SPF an excellent choice to complement most types of roof-mounted PV system. The document covers installation of SPF roofing with roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems, and includes an introduction to PV technology, design considerations, service and maintenance (assembly), warranty questions (roof), applicable codes and standards and an overview of mounting options.

"We are really looking forward to working closely with our onsite and renewable energy colleagues in the coming years as focus upon their performance, and how the critically complementary performance of SPF will move our country in the right directions," said Riesenberg. "This document is just an early but important step."

As was the case in 2016, the 2017 Congressional Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Expo event live-streamed most of the panel content and recorded it for later viewing. Those videos will be available shortly on the EESI website www.eesionline.com.

Founded in 1987, the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) is the voice, and educational and technical resource, for the spray polyurethane foam industry. The Alliance is a 501(c)6 trade association composed of contractors, manufacturers, and distributors of polyurethane foam, related equipment, and protective coatings, inspections, surface preparations, and other services. The organization supports the best practices and the growth of the industry through a number of core initiatives, which include educational programs and events, the SPFA Professional Certification Program, technical literature and guidelines, legislative advocacy, research and networking opportunities.

The Sustainable Energy Coalition shall act as a facilitator to focus the message of advocacy, technical, and industry organizations to move forward in a coordinated fashion to accelerate the development and implementation of sustainable, renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. SEC envisions that the United States in 2025 must have an energy portfolio providing a predominance of clean and sustainable technologies, domestically produced, including primarily renewable energy and efficiency.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting environmentally sustainable societies. EESI believes meeting this goal requires transitions to social and economic patterns that sustain people, the environment and the natural resources upon which present and future generations depend. EESI advances innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path.