“Mind-blowing.”
These are the actual words of more than one real-life customer
of AeroBarrier, a breakthrough aerosol envelope-sealing
technology that was named Best in Show
and Most Innovative Building Product during the Best of IBS Awards at
the NAHB International
Builders’ Show® in
Orlando.
Historically, building envelope energy savings have been
challenging to achieve. At the same time, building standards for envelope tightness are escalating.
AeroBarrier, a division of Centerville, Ohio’s Aeroseal,
LLC, was built on technology developed at the University of California, Davis, that
simultaneously measures and seals building envelope air leaks. It replaces the
traditional multi-stage, multi-product sealing process with a simple,
highly-effective, single-step process–with guaranteed results.
“The response was overwhelming,” said Paul Springer, Manager
of Business Development for AeroBarrier. “Builder engagement was significant,
and we have seen an uptick in builder interest from across the U.S. and
Canada.”
This year’s Best of IBS Awards competition was fierce, with
more than 300 entries in nine product
categories. These entries were narrowed to 60 finalists, of which AeroBarrier
was named the Best in Show winner, as well as winner in the Most Innovative
Building Product category. Awards were given to exhibitors with a product or
line that shows the best combination of design, functionality and innovation,
as well as its usefulness to consumers and/or home builders.
You might have seen AeroBarrier at IBS
and not even known—it was featured in The New American Home (TNAH), cutting the
Air
Changes per
Hour (ACH)
in half, from 6 to 2.78. This helped TNAH achieve a HERS Index of 45, LEED
Platinum certification, NGBS Emerald Certification, and ZERH certification
requirements for envelope leakage reduction.
“Knowing this, is a source of pride for the entire AeroBarrier
team, including those who dedicated the past five years to making the research
a reality,” says Springer. “We are excited to announce AeroBarrier will be used
on the 2019 TNAH.”
So how does AeroBarrier work? After
covering exposed surfaces and pressurizing the room, AeroBarrier sprays a
fog of sealant particles that travels to the air gaps and holes. These particles
build up around any gaps and holes to seal leakage areas without coating
surfaces. The coverage seals gaps up to one-half inch and can be painted over.
It is safe to use in homes, schools and healthcare facilities.
Springer describes four “critical improvements” that result from the
application of AeroBarrier.
- It enables builders never
to fail a blower door test. - The application is easy,
and the process takes less than two hours. - Gone is the need for
guesswork and countless hours of searching for holes to caulk. This cuts labor
costs. - By achieving a near
leak-free envelope, energy demand is reduced, which makes zero energy homes financially
feasible and scalable.
For additional
information on all of the Best of IBS winners and finalists, visit buildersshow.com/bestofibs.