Dow Announces Commercial Wall Code Assessment Engine in Canada

Press Release | April 18, 2017
 
 
 
Press Release
Dow Announces Commercial Wall Code Assessment Engine in Canada

Dow’s new self-guided wall assessment engine helps compare above grade wall strategies for building materials and design methods to meet the applicable Canadian building codes

MIDLAND, Mich. - April 18, 2017 - - Dow Building Solutions (DBS), a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW), announces a self-guided Commercial Code Assessment Engine in Canada. The tool, developed from logic of comprehensive analysis by Jensen Hughes, a global leader in building code expertise and fire protection engineering, will help architects evaluate if the building code permits foam plastic to be used in their current wall configuration. This gives architects more design flexibility to choose the right insulation for their project, while also meeting the code requirements for energy, air sealing and fire in Canada.

Several years ago, Dow and DIALOG, a fully integrated multi-disciplinary design firm, identified various building code complexities that made requirements difficult to fully understand. As a result, Dow partnered with Jensen Hughes to aid design professionals with code interpretation, working with DIALOG to test for real-world use. “Applying CAN/ULC S134 Fire Test for Exterior Wall Assemblies to all assemblies lead to arbitrary elimination of combustible materials, regardless of wall composition or percentage of wall openings,” says Keith Robinson, head specifications writer for DIALOG (National CND Architect). “Our project managers found the Commercial Wall Code Assessment Engine easy to use and it provided accurate recommendations for code compliance. More so, it gave our people confidence to include plastic insulation and other combustible components in their wall assemblies referenced directly back to the building code.”

Dow has a broad range of wall system technologies available in Canada. These feature high insulating values and utilize industry-leading weatherization solutions as a systematic approach to achieving high energy efficiency while protecting against moisture and air intrusion. Architects in Canada have trusted STYROFOAM™ Brand Insulation for decades in roofing and below grade applications, now manufactured with BLUEDGE™ Polymeric Flame Retardant Technology.

In addition to STYROFOAM™, the THERMAX™ Wall System is now available for the first time to Canadian designers. This proven system has been successfully used for over 10 years in the United States. It features THERMAX™ Brand Insulation for exterior continuous insulation, reducing thermal bridging to limit energy loss through steel conductivity and LIQUDIARMOR™ Flashing and Sealant, an award-winning flashing and sealant. With 16 patents reflecting its unique performance and innovation, THERMAX™ surpasses industry competition for fire resistance, dimensional stability, flashing options, facer variety, R-Value and system warranty. LIQUIDARMOR™ comes in two different grades for increased abrasion resistance and has a proven 63% greater reduction of air leakage than what is specified by the 2015 IECC.

The National Research Council has started working on updating model code documents as Canada’s national building codes are anticipated to change to adapt to the effects of climate change. The country is now seeing more heavy rain, floods, high winds, snow, ice, temperature swings and all-around extreme weather. The Commercial Wall Code Assessment Engine will help architects, builders and contractors choose from more energy efficient and durable materials to meet the increasingly complex code requirements.

For more information, visit https://canadabuildingcode.dow.com/

About Dow Building Solutions  
Dow Building Solutions serves the residential and commercial building and construction markets with an industry-leading portfolio of products and integrated systems designed to insulate and seal the whole house. Beginning more than 70 years ago with our flagship STYROFOAM™ Brand Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Foam Insulation, Dow has continued to offer innovative insulation, weatherization and air sealing solutions that work behind the scenes – above grade, below grade – to help builders and contractors deliver more comfortable, durable and affordable homes. Follow Dow Building Solutions on FacebookTwitter, and LinkedIn or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.
www.dowbuildingsolutions.com

About Dow 
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from material, polymer, chemical and biological science to help address many of the world's most challenging problems, such as the need for fresh food, safer and more sustainable transportation, clean water, energy efficiency, more durable infrastructure, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's integrated, market-driven portfolio delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in 175 countries and in high-growth sectors such as packaging, infrastructure, transportation, consumer care, electronics, and agriculture. In 2016, Dow had annual sales of $48 billion and employed approximately 56,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 7,000 product families are manufactured at 189 sites in 34 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

Contact

Jessica Robinson

The Dow Chemical Company

+ 1 989 638-8066

jlrobinson@dow.com