Spray Foam Used to Upgrade Century-Old Schoolhouse

EDMOND, OKLAHOMA - March 18, 2011 - When engineers were deciding how to update the oldest school building in Edmond, Oklahoma last year, they came up with a long list of ideas. After much deliberation, the city decided the most cost efficient way to upgrade the school's structure and make it more energy efficient was to use spray foam instead of alternative products.

The Edmond Sun reports that Oklahoma's First Territorial School House was restored to its original state 10 years ago following an extensive renovation. Nonetheless, the city has stripped the building down to its original wooden framework and is using expanding spray foam insulation to both insulate and strengthen the facility's structure.

According to the engineers and designers working on the project, using spray foam in the remodeling will help save costs in the long-term by boosting energy efficiency. Moreover, using spray foam will help the city to avoid updating the school's structure for the foreseeable future as it lasts longer and is more effective than other tools.

The building is located in a busy neighborhood and the city felt it could use the renovation, said former Trust member George Winter. "Since the school is located on a busy corner, we took the opportunity to use spray foam for insulation and to help keep the classrooms quieter," Winter affirmed.

The building is included in the National Schoolhouse Register.