TVH Parts chooses low-carbon Recticel insulation for EE retrofit
Belgium-based TVH Parts is a global distributor of parts for forklifts, industrial vehicles, construction and agricultural machinery. When the time came for an energy efficiency retrofit of a flat-roofed facility, including new roof insulation and solar panels, they were looking for innovative building products to minimize the environmental impact.
The task was to identify a roof insulation board that would both reduce energy consumption and lower the embodied carbon footprint.
In Europe, creating new net zero buildings2 and renovating existing structures are both key in reaching climate neutrality3. Recticel is a producer of PU foam insulation that shares our vision of more sustainable building practices. The technical challenge was to provide them a low-carbon MDI circular feedstock with the same performance as fossil-based materials. To minimize the carbon footprint, we used an ISCC-certified mass balanced MDI to allocate bio-circular inputs to the insulation.
Our customer TVH Parts was looking for innovative building products to reduce energy consumption in the retrofitting of a flat-roofed facility. Our Recticel Impact low-carbon insulation boards deliver 43% lower CO₂ emissions and high thermal performance on these sorts of construction projects. Mutec was in charge of installing the roof insulation.
TVH Parts chose Recticel Impact insulation boards using Desmodur® CQ MS, our climate neutral MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate), for a 43% reduction1 in CO2 emissions compared with traditional PUR/PIR insulation, thanks to 25% bio-circular attributed content4. The mass balance feedstock integrates bio materials, and the insulation carries ISCC labelling. This TVH Parts retrofit shows how the construction industry can reduce its environmental impact with alternative raw materials in feedstocks for PUR-based insulation, for lower embodied carbon. This roof renovation was realised by Mutec.
Green buildings and energy efficiency in construction play a vital role for climate neutrality in the European building industry. Recticel Impact insulation based on our Desmodur® CQ MS climate-neutral MDI offers much lower embodied carbon for rigid PU/PIR building insulation.
2 A net-zero energy building (NZEB) is a structure that generates as much energy as it consumes over a year.
3Climate neutrality is the result of a Covestro internal assessment based on TÜV reviewed EcoPAss LCA method (ID No. 0000083440), of a partial product life cycle from raw material extraction (cradle) to the factory gate (of Covestro), also known as cradle-to-gate assessment. The calculation takes into account biogenic carbont sequestration based on preliminary dat from the supply chain. No compensation measures were applied.
4Allocation of bio-circular content via mass balance approach. Internal calculation from Recticel.
Key benefits
- Low CO₂ emissions: Climate neutral MDI significantly cuts CO₂ emissions in insulation materials.
- Effective: Low-carbon insulation offers the thermal performance of traditional PUR/PIR.
- Fast: Low-carbon MDI is available for integration into production flows immediately.
- Seamless: Circular feedstocks can be dropped into existing formulations and processes.
- Adaptable: More sustainable PU foam supports gradual product changes to meet climate goals.
