Insulation Industry Spotlight: Australian Modern Building Alliance 29 August 2024
The power of polymers
The Australian Modern Building Alliance (AMBA) was formed in 2018 as an interest group of Chemistry Australia. Craig Lovel, current AMBA Chair, has been involved since its inception.
“We got started because we were really interested in the use of polymers in buildings. While everyone may think ‘poly’ is all the same – there’s actually a lot of differences in materials,” he explains.
“We wanted to make sure the right polymers get used in the right way to maximise the benefits in the built environment and minimise any risks.”
AMBA and its members quickly became increasingly interested in, and excited about, the possibilities for polymers in energy efficiency.
“A properly insulated building can deliver huge benefits in health and energy efficiency for the occupants. Over and above this, polymer insulation can also make a home more climate resilient, as it can be extremely resistant to both flood and fire.”
“This resilience is going to become more and more important as the climate changes, and more Australians are exposed to severe weather events,” says Craig.
However, the benefits of insulation, and in particular, polymer insulation, are better understood and embraced in North America and Europe than they are locally.
“There are big opportunities for polymer insulation in Australia’s built environment. If we embrace it, we can unlock real community benefit,” he explains.
“The opportunity for residential retrofit is a particularly exciting piece for Australia. I have been engaging more in local energy efficiency pages on social media and can see there are a lot of people out there interested in the topic of energy efficiency, wanting to do the right thing, but not necessarily knowing where to start.”
Craig is keen to get the message out there that spray polyurethane foam provides a great solution for renovations.
“Along with increased thermal comfort and health, there are also some lesser-known perks. For example, if you’ve got creaky floors, under-floor insulation with spray foam can stop them creaking. Where other insulation types often get displaced by trades in the walls and ceilings over time, spray foam stays firm.”
While insulation is traditionally associated with cold climates, it is important to understand that it also has major benefits in hotter climates.
“It may surprise people to know, but the biggest market in the US for spray foam is in Florida, where it certainly isn’t cold. This is because it deals well with condensation, humidity, and heat.”
To support increased uptake in Australia, the polymer industry is committed to ensuring there is good quality training available to insulation installers, and has recently started rolling out new training for the industry.
“Polymer insulation is a fantastic solution, but it must be done properly. Installers need to be trained to use the right product for the right application. Making sure great training options are available has been and will remain a key focus of AMBA,” says Craig.
AMBA has been a member of the Affiliated Insulation Industry Coalition (AIIC), which is a collective of insulation trade associations representing different product types and installation services, since it was established.
“Collaborating with the other organisations in the AIIC is important because the industry needs a shared, product-agnostic, informed voice. The AIIC is an opportunity to have all options ‘under the same roof,’ so to speak.”
Improving the thermal performance of Australia's built environment lies in embracing the full potential of all insulation types, including polymer insulation – because when it comes to creating resilient, energy-efficient homes and buildings, the right materials can make all the difference.
This is well understood by AMBA.
“While we all have our preferred products, at the end of the day, we just want homes and buildings to be well insulated.”
Pictured: Chair of the Australian Modern Building Alliance, Craig Lovel.