The Energy Shield team applied over 100,000 pounds of spray foam to the historic Argonaut Building in Detroit.

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   Enter Dave Fritzinger, a chemist with a thorough knowledge of urethane chemistry. He joined this emerging market, becoming one of the earliest spray foam contractors to begin applying this energy-efficient material formulated to lower energy costs and increase building occupant comfort with the ease of donning a warm wool sweater.  Energy Shield remains one of the few certified spray foam contractors in Michigan. Energy Shield is actually certified by three different organizations: the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance, the American Air Barrier Association, and Bayseal Roofing Systems.
    Again in the forefront, Energy Shield is beginning to apply this product as perimeter insulation. As energy concerns mount, a growing number of architects are specifying spray foam for this expanded use. “It has been used in walls all along, but it has never been as large a market as roofing,” said Fritzinger, president of Energy Shield.  “In the last two to three years, we have been seeing a tremendous increase in activity for perimeter insulation of spray foam.”
    Energy Shield recently completed its largest and most significant perimeter insulation project in 2009.  The firm pumped over 100,000 pounds of spray foam into the historic Argonaut Building, a 760,000-square-foot structure now housing the College for Creative Studies’ A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education in Detroit’s New Center area.  The building's 3-inch layer of new foam provides an R-value of 21 to this historic structure recently revitalized by the design and construction team of Walbridge and Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., both of Detroit.
    
Deploying the Energy Shield
    Energy Shield brought over three decades of experience to the colossal 11-story Argonaut Building.  Fritzinger began his own career as a paint chemist with Sherwin Williams in the 1960s, followed by a stint with Bee Chemical in Chicago and Detroit.  With the training of a chemist and the instincts of a businessman, he entered the spray foam market, first working with Foam Seal in Oxford and then forming Energy Seal with a business partner in 1974, before “flying solo” with the official launch of Energy Shield in 1978.
    For decades, the expertise of Energy Shield has reduced the collective energy bills of Southeast Michigan businesses and municipalities through application of spray foam to flat, metal and other roofing surfaces.  Application of spray foam to the existing metal roof of the City of Plymouth’s Department of Municipal Services building resulted in a 30 percent reduction in gas consumption based on a comparison of the baseline year of 2000 to 2005, a year with nearly identical demands for heat-load based on the heating degree days.  “The energy savings are tremendous,” said Fritzinger.  “Another client, Header Products, Inc. in Romulus, cut their heat bill almost in half.”
    Teal Electric Co., Troy, is another satisfied client.  Teal tracked its natural gas consumption from 1982 to 2007, beginning shortly before installation of its spray foam roof in 1984.  Because of spray foam application, Teal estimates the company saved about 125,000 ccf of gas.  (A furnace upgrade in 2000 saved another 26,000 ccf, for a grand total of 150,951 ccf.) According to Teal’s testimonial letter, “We feel the additional comfort both in summer and winter, along with the energy savings, justifies the difference in price.”  Spray foam roofing tends to be 1.25 times higher in cost, but the resulting energy savings offer a good return on investment.
    Used for LEED credits, spray foam is a highly efficient insulator, having an R value of 6.8 to 7 per inch as compared to most conventional insulation materials' typical R value of 3.8 to 4 per inch.  Energy Shield has installed this uber-efficient insulation on the roofs of about 40 post offices across Southeast Michigan.  Municipal roofs include Royal Oak’s City Hall and Saginaw’s historic Water Works Building.   In addition, the firm’s portfolio ranges from a sprinkling of hospitals and bowling alleys to schools in Novi, Flint, Byron and Ubly, as well as work for Adat Shalom and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Preparatory Academy.
    
The Bayer Facts
    It all began with Otto Bayer, a German chemist who discovered polyurethane chemistry in the mid-‘30s.  Spray-applied polyurethane foam is the result of the reaction of two components: an A-component (polymeric isocyanate) and an R-component (a blend of polyols and other materials, including an ozone-friendly blowing agent).  Approximately 10 to 20 percent of the polyols have an agricultural component such as sugar beets, sugar cane or corn, while others are manufactured from oils derived from soybeans.  
    The benefits of Bayer's chemistry include a product with a rapid cure rate of 30 to 45 seconds post application and the ability to easily isolate and repair any damaged roof area.  The location of the repair zone is self-contained, because water will not migrate through the closed-cell structure, and therefore, not laterally across the roof.  Spray polyurethane foam seals the building, effectively blocking water leaks and air drafts.
    The product is also very sustainable.  In a conventional re-roof application, the old roof and insulation is removed and then disposed in a landfill.  With a spray foam roof, however, only those areas that have been damaged need repair. This is done by scarifying the top layer, then re-foaming these areas only.  The entire roof is then re-coated with a rubber membrane and lightweight granules. Minimal waste is taken to a landfill.
    A typical sprayfoam roof consists of three layers.  First, the spray foam is applied to either the structural roof deck or to an existing roofing system. “We actually go directly on top of a metal roof,” said Fritzinger.  “We will go directly over the old roof, but we have to clean the surface and make sure its is sound and stable.” Secondly, the spray foam is applied to a thickness of 1.5 to 2 inches thick, giving the roof an R-value of 14 at 2 inches.  The third and final layer protects the foam from ultraviolet degradation by applying a final layer of silicon rubber or paint.  Lightweight granules are then broadcast into the coating to add reflectivity and skid resistance.
    Each Energy Shield installation is in the able hands of foam mechanics trained and certified by the Spray Foam Alliance or Bayseal. Bayseal also uses an independent, third party engineering consultant firm to inspect every spray foam roof installation upon completion and at periodic intervals over the life of the warranty. “There is a great deal of quality control built into the system if you have a certified contractor and foam mechanics,” Fritzinger added.    
    
Renaissance in the Wall
    All the benefits of spray foam roofing insulation are beginning to infiltrate perimeter insulation.  "Roofing and perimeter insulation are the two primary growth areas in the spray foam market," said Fritzinger. “We are continuing to invest in the spray foam roofing market, but for the first time, we are seeing spray foam perimeter insulation in the specifications on a broader scale."
    Camp Grayling’s current $1.5 million expansion calls for spray foam perimeter insulation during construction of five new barracks, new officer quarters, and two related buildings.  Energy Shield is currently bidding on school projects throughout Ohio and one in Michigan.  Spray foam insulation is slated for perimeter installation in four new elementary schools in Toledo, two in Cleveland, and one near Lima.  The Michigan project is an addition to Wylie Elementary School in Dexter.  
    Beyond bidding projects, Energy Shield has already applied spray foam perimeter insulation to several prominent Michigan buildings, including Oakland University’s retrofit of Kresge Library and a newly constructed MDOT facility in Pontiac. But the Argonaut Building in Detroit remains Energy Shield’s most extensive spray foam perimeter insulation project.
    The Argonaut Building's interior was essentially stripped down to the exterior bare walls, turning the interior into a blank canvas awaiting the application of spray foam.  Energy Shield’s five to seven person crew aided in turning the building - originally constructed in two phases in 1928 and 1936 - into an energy-efficient structure capable of meeting the demands of the
21st century.  
    The crew first underwent extensive safety training, studying 13 different safety modules as part of project preparation.  The modules included asbestos awareness as a precaution in case the crew encountered any potentially remaining asbestos.  Fall protection was thoroughly planned to help the crew safely navigate large access openings temporarily created on every floor.  Each crew member had to wear full-body harnesses for fall protection in those areas.
    Working in winter presented its own list of concerns.  Even though Energy Shield used winter-grade foams, “we had to be cognizant of the fact that the heaters might not completely heat every wall section,” said Fritzinger.  “We had to assess the wall condition, and in some cases, warm the surface to make sure the foam would adhere properly.  Working with a host of other subcontractors presented another set of constraints. We brought in barrels of chemicals, plus pumping equipment and hoses. We couldn't tolerate having someone run over the hose with a dolly or any other similar situation.”  As a solution, Energy Shield worked afternoon and evening shift from 3 to 11 p.m.  
    Today, the owners and occupants of the Argonaut Building can enjoy the benefits of skillfully applied spray foam insulation, a seamless, fully adhered material with the ability to block drafts and moisture. “Spray foam serves as a vapor barrier,” said Fritzinger.  “In our climate, we get vapor drive from the inside out in the winter months, but moisture cannot condense in spray foam insulation."
    Beyond commercial projects, Energy Shield is also witnessing an increased interest in spray foam perimeter applications in the residential market, beginning in about 2002 and only ending with the current halt in housing market expansion.  Energy Shield is a union contractor that concentrates almost exclusively on commercial projects.  Energy Shield's other spray foam applications include sewerage and water treatment plants. Although only 10 percent of its business, Energy Shield insulates digester tanks, large processing vessels, large pipelines and similar components.  Last year, Energy Shield insulated two large digesters for a facility in Warsaw, Indiana and performed work at water treatment facilities in Toledo and Midland.  Historically, Energy Shield has performed a high volume of work for the automotive industry, particularly Ford Motor Co.  Of course, the economic downturn has reduced demand in the automotive arena, but Fritzinger sees glimmers of hope in this rattled market sector.  “There is renewed interest at Ford,” he said.  “We’ve also gotten calls from Delphi recently and at GM regarding roofs done in years past.”  Whatever the market sector, Energy Shield definitely has the right mix of knowledge and experience to continue its pioneering efforts in the successful application of this energy-efficient system.