Armacell is the first manufacturer of elastomeric insulation materials (FEFs) to create a comprehensive LCA and have the sustainability of its main products assessed independently.
As an LCA can only provide very specific information on an individual manufacturer’s products, the results cannot be transferred to the products of other FEF manufacturers. Deviations in the raw materials used or the production process as well as the very different manufacturing footprints of the providers have a significant impact on the data. The system of the LCA and EPDs inevitably requires information to be restricted to specific products and/or the manufacturer.
Armacell began the complex project in March 2014: on the basis of EN 15804 and ISO 14025 and according to the guidelines provided by the IBU all material flows from the extraction of raw materials to disposal were determined at the four European sites: Münster, Begur, Oldham and Sroda Slaska. The company received support in the analysis of several thousand data sets from PE International (now thinkstep), the market leader in strategic consulting, software solutions and comprehensive services in the field of sustainability. The results were compiled for the products ArmaFlex Ultima, AF/ArmaFlex, AF/ArmaFlex Class O, NH/ArmaFlex, HT/ArmaFlex and SH/ArmaFlex. On the basis of this data it was then possible to draw up environmental product declarations for the ArmaFlex premium products. These EPDs contain information on the life cycle of the respective products, LCA reference values and test results for detailed interpretation.
In India, 2 flagship products of Armacell are EPD approved viz. ArmaFlex® Class O and ArmaFlex® Class O Plus with Microban®. ArmaFlex® Class O is a FM approved closed cell insulation material which offers comprehensive condensation control along with Class O Fire protection. ArmaFlex® Class O Plus with Microban® provides in-built anti-microbial protection to the insulation system for product life-time and has excellent thermal insulation properties. Armacell is the world leader in manufacturing of NBR insulation material and now the first company in the world to provide EPD approved insulation material.