Energy-Saving Products
Our commitment to sustainability starts with energy-saving and durable products. Included below are a few of our many products that conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Insulation
Fiberglass insulation, first commercialized by Owens Corning in the 1930s, is the most widely used type of insulation in the U.S., Canada and Mexico today. It saves 12 times the energy used to produce it — in its first year installed alone. And it helps conserve energy year after year without consuming any additional resources.
In 2010, we developed our EcoTouch™ insulation with PureFiber® Technology; a revolutionary new product platform that uses natural materials instead of a formaldehyde-based binder to hold glass fibers together. EcoTouch™ insulation includes a minimum of 50 percent recycled glass content and meets stringent certification standards for indoor air quality. And EcoTouch™ insulation continues to deliver the energy-saving and acoustical performance our customers expect from Owens Corning.
Our FOAMULAR® Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Insulation, a rigid board, is used on exterior and interior walls and is reusable, with a proven history of removal, salvage and reuse. It's the only extruded polystyrene insulation that is not only certified for its recycled content of at least 20 percent, but also certified by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute's GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM Certification.
Owens Corning FOAMULAR® Insulation is also approved under the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center Green Approved Products seal of approval.
Other insulation products include glass fiber insulation for air-handling systems and molded fiberglass insulation for both hot and cold pipes.
Roofing
Our Duration® Premium Cool shingles use a new, highly reflective granule technology that bounces back the sun's rays, helping keep roofs cooler and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They meet ENERGY STAR® requirements for solar reflectance of .25, the fraction of solar energy reflected by the roof.
Composites
Fiberglass-reinforced composites can be light, insulating and corrosion-, impact- and heat-resistant, and are used to replace steel, aluminum, wood and other materials. Fiberglass as a reinforcement provides for lighter weight with comparable or better strength than materials such as steel. Lighter weight means more fuel efficiency in all forms of transportation.
Glass fiber composites also have been shown to have less impact on the environment through comparison of the life cycle assessment of specific parts made from steel and aluminum. Life cycle assessment takes into consideration the raw materials extraction, manufacturing, installation, maintenance and end of life of composite parts vs. other materials.
With increasingly higher strength technology, composites have also provided more efficiency and greater economy for wind energy turbines using longer and more productive blades.
