CENTERVILLE, Ohio — Aeroseal announced that it has been approved by Home Innovations Labs as a National Green Building Standard (NGBS) product. Homebuilders looking to receive NGBS certification may now use Aeroseal to fulfill the standard’s mandatory requirements for HVAC duct sealing.

The National Green Building Standard, also known as ICC 700, is a green residential rating system developed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) along with the International Code Council (ICC). It is approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as an American National Standard. Homes that attain NGBS certification have proven to meet high standards for energy efficiency, sustainability, and indoor air quality.

“Duct leaks are often the most significant cause of energy waste in homes today,” said Bob Hill, director of laboratory and certification services, Home Innovation Research Labs, “so ensuring that the ductwork is properly sealed is critical to saving energy and reducing utility costs for the homeowner. We found the Aeroseal duct sealing technology to be a highly effective means of accomplishing this goal.”

Originally developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Aeroseal duct sealing has been shown to be 95 percent effective at sealing duct leaks, said the company. Aeroseal is applied as an aerosol mist of microscopic particles of sealant that is fan-blown into the inside of the ductwork. The sealant remains suspended in air until it comes in contact with a leak, where it then bonds to the edge of the hole and begins to stick to other sealant particles until a tight seal is formed around the entire leak. Since Aeroseal works from the inside of the ductwork, it can locate and seal leaks throughout the entire duct system, even those hidden behind walls or in other hard-to-access locations.

To receive NGBS certification, Aeroseal technology was evaluated and approved by the Home Innovation Research Lab, an independent subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders. All certified products used in the construction or renovation of a home earn a specific amount of points needed to be awarded NGBS certification. A certified home must meet high efficiency standards in six key areas, including site design, resource efficiency, water efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and building operations and maintenance. Aeroseal has received NGBS certification for meeting ICC 701.4.2.1, which states that proper duct sealing is mandatory.

“Ensuring energy efficiency and indoor comfort have become a high priority for many home builders today,” said Neal Walsh, Aeroseal LLC. “Our new NGBS certification helps confirm what contractors and builders are finding on their own — that Aeroseal duct sealing is quickly becoming a ‘given requirement’ for any home being built with energy efficiency or indoor comfort in mind.”

For more information about NGBS certification, visit www.homeinnovation.com. For more information about Aeroseal, visit www.aeroseal.com.

Publication date: 9/9/2013

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