NCFI Spray Foam Defines What It Means to 'Go Green'

MOUNT AIRY, NC—There is a quiet revolution going on—and it’s happening inside the walls of a newly built home down the street from the last remaining brook trout stream in Maryland’s coastal plain. “Inside these walls is the key to green building,” says Michael Baldwin, president of Baldwin Homes, Arnold, MD. Through the use of NCFI’s high performance spray foam insulation, Baldwin can build a home that uses less energy, costs less to maintain, and is healthier and more comfortable in which to live. It is the new definition of green.

Baldwin Homes will build 73 homes at The Preserve at Severn Run in Gambrills, MD, using sustainable building techniques and products. "We want to make these homes green and sustainable from the inside out and you can't do that with just any insulation,” says Baldwin.

"It is important for homeowners to understand and see—really see—the new techniques and products going into the homes of the very near future," stated Kevin Watson, NCFI representative who supports Baldwin Homes. “Customers are demanding ‘green’ homes, though most don’t know much about what that means. Forward-thinking builders like Baldwin Homes are rising to the occasion by helping educate them,” Watson adds.

The Preserve at Severn Run is built to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Standard and achieved LEED, Leadership in Energy Efficiency Design, certification—a green building rating system developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

The list of products used in the homes reads like a master guide for green building: composite siding, energy efficient windows, skylights and sun tunnels, tank-less hot water heaters, LED lighting, environmentally-friendly paint, flooring and appliances. Plus, the homes have a centralized monitoring system so homeowners can track and monitor their energy and water usage. Baldwin’s homes are so energy efficient the development is ENERGY STAR qualified by the U.S. EPA and Dept. of Energy. This ENERGY STAR rating comes in large part from its insulation savings, and qualifies homeowners for potential tax credits.

However, a home filled with green products doesn’t necessarily make a green home. “We know being 'green' means considering the comfort of the home too, and that's where NCFI's spray foam insulation plays such a crucial role," says Baldwin.

NCFI Polyurethanes, headquartered in Mount Airy, NC, is a polyurethane manufacturer that produces specialized spray foam insulation. This impermeable barrier keeps homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter, saving big on energy costs. Plus it keeps out airborne dangers like dust, pollen and mold, creating a healthier environment inside the home.

Baldwin Homes spoke to many spray foam manufacturers before choosing NCFI for their industry-recognized reputation. Baldwin learned NCFI would back up their products with years of tested technical expertise and support and that was imperative for him.

"NCFI really serviced our needs. Their products are one of the reasons you cannot compare our homes to any other community,” says Baldwin. “We use the open cell and closed cell foam in all of our 'green' homes because of its exceptional air barrier, sound barrier and dust and pollutants blocker qualities. Foam is one of the most cost effective ways to make a home more efficient. Once installed it never needs maintaining, saving our customers money now and in the future, while providing them a more comfortable, healthy, and efficient home."

Spray foam insulation is quickly becoming a "best practice" in building techniques and NCFI is a preeminent supplier. However, what really matters is the opinion of the person living in the home. Baldwin Homes enlisted the input of their past clients, all who had their homes insulated with spray foam. What they heard, confirmed their choice for NCFI’s spray foam.

“We are thrilled with the results,” said Michael and Andrea Shove. “The efficiency compared to our previous home, which was traditional insulation and half the size, is amazing. Our energy bills have been cut in half and our home is more comfortable and efficient.”

Baldwin loves showing potential clients around a partially finished house. He wants to show his clients what goes into a ‘green’ built home, particularly the things they’ll never see but may save them the most. So the company created an ECO-MODEL at The Preserve that is much more than just a model home: it is a teaching/learning environment. People can see and touch sustainable building and they can see spray foam insulation inside the walls. Baldwin Homes is in the process of creating a learning environment so that other builders, future homeowners, students, and everyone interested in green homes will be able to tour and experience green building.

Thanks in part to NCFI’s high performance insulation Baldwin Homes continues to redefine what it means to build and live green with each new home. In the end, Michael Baldwin knows customers will see what he sees in this green revolution: homes that are comfortable, affordable and good for the environment. Even green home skeptics can’t deny the savings and payback in the form of reduced energy bills. That’s not just something homeowners live with, it’s green they can’t live without.

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For more information about this subject, or to arrange an interview please contact:
Dale McGlothlin (202) 341-8615
dm@seachangeglobal.com

About NCFI
NCFI was organized in 1964 by research chemist, Dr. H. W. Bradley and Barnhardt Manufacturing Company. NCFI is headquartered in Mt. Airy, NC and manufactures polyurethane foam chemical systems for spray foam-in-place insulation commonly referred to as SPF, roofing, marine floatation, packaging, specialty molding, and many other uses. The company also offers a complete line of flexible foams for furniture seating, transportation seating, bedding, carpet underlay, and packaging. NCFI has manufacturing plants in High Point and Hickory, North Carolina, Dalton, Ga., and Salt Lake City, Utah. To learn more about NCFI please visit www.NCFI.com.