Huntsman Building Solutions welcomes the retraction of RPSA Guidance on spray foam insulation
25 Oct 2022
Huntsman Building Solutions, a global manufacturer of spray foam insulation, has announced its support of updated guidance from the Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA) on spray foam.
The new statement issued outlined its plans to retract all current guidance on spray foam insulation, pending a full industry wide review which will be published in Spring 2023.
The original RPSA guidance which was issued to surveyors in December 2021 recommended the blanket removal of spray foam insulation in all properties inspected by RPSA accredited surveyors, irrespective on how it had been specified or installed.
RPSA is a not-for-profit representative body for independent residential surveyors who sit as one of the specialists in reporting on the condition of residential properties on behalf of homebuyers in the UK. Since 2010, the group has worked on the ambition to modernise the surveyor profession and raise standards throughout the industry – now this includes guidance on spray foam insulation.
Simon Baker, Global President of Huntsman Building Solutions, said: “We welcome the RPSA’s decision to retract its existing spray foam guidance and appreciate its intent to work with a wider group of industry stakeholders to provide more rounded and practical advice to homeowners, surveyors, lenders, installers and other interested parties. After working closely with the RPSA and undertaking our own research with surveyors, it’s clear there is a real need to help surveyors, lenders and construction industry bodies understand more about the benefits of correctly specified and installed spray foam insulation.”
The RPSA’s decision to retract its earlier guidance comes after the industry body was approached by Huntsman Building Solutions to address serious factual inaccuracies in its guidance which was having a profound impact on consumers and responsible spray foam installers.
Supported by the Insulation Manufacturers Association, Huntsman Building Solutions is working with the RPSA, industry groups, installers, surveyors, valuers, lenders, heritage organisations and academics to develop new spray foam inspection and installation protocols.
Baker continues: “It’s critical that surveyors can distinguish between safe, efficient spray foam installations, and those that present an investment risk to lenders however a blanket rejection of spray foam is unconstructive, particularly at a time where UK homeowners are desperately seeking ways to make their homes more efficient. Installed correctly by trained contractors, spray foam insulation is a perfectly safe and highly effective way to insulate homes.”
Spray foam insulation provides an energy-efficient barrier that reduces thermal loss in homes. It is used around the world and is considered an effective solution for homes looking to reduce their energy bills. While the safety of spray foam insulation has previously been called into question, this new change in stance will now see a move towards educating the entire industry on the benefits of open-cell spray foam insulation for homeowners.
Huntsman Building Solutions will be launching a range of tools and training programmes to support surveyors in November. For further enquiries or to register your interest in training, contact surveyors@huntsmanbuilds.com today.