Page 40 - Plastics News January 2017
P. 40
FEATURES 10
INDIA 2017
International Plastics Exhibition & Conference
Where the future of plastic is...
JAN 2017
19 20 21 22 23 MUMBAI. INDIA
Plastics that help keep termites out of Home CATHERINE KAVANAUGH
While not among the obvious amenities, plastic building materials play important roles in creating
an exterior envelope that is so tight, energy use is minimized and pest control is maximized.
Walk inside the New American Home (TNAH) 2017 insect barrier wrap by Polyguard Products Inc. called
and a couple steps beyond the entry area you Term.
find yourself outside again. There’s a courtyard with a Polyguard CEO John Muncaster said the wrap, which was
putting green and palm trees inside this 8,753-square- developed with entomologists at Texas A&M University, has
foot, single-story dwelling built on the same street as the a thick polyethylene backing to keep bugs, particularly
homes of pro golfers Henrik Stensons, Sergio Garcias and
Ian Poulters in the gated community of the Lake Nona
Golf & Country Club. Three of the five bedrooms line
one side of the artificial turf. Directly across, a great
room opens into the back yard with a pool, summer
kitchen, game room and a spa and steam room. The
master bedroom is by the spa and there’s a guest suite
with its own family room.
The New American Home, which showcases new building termites, at bay. The top layer is made of a polypropylene
products, includes a polyethylene and polypropylene fabric so concrete can bond with the fibers if it’s used as a
material beneath the flooring that keeps pesky insects barrier for the underslab, which is a common entry point
such as termites at bay. for subterranean termites. A proprietary sealant is used
to hold the plastic fiber and film together. “This has been
Built by the Phil Kean Design Group, TNAH takes full tested long term in the lab and in the field and it resists
advantage of its location by the lake with large windows termites,” Muncaster said. “We don’t why. We don’t know
and sliding glass doors. Breezeways and hallways connect everything about what makes them tick.”
the different parts of the house, where unused rooms can
be closed off, for a layout style called “pod living.” The The combination of the sealant and two plastics simply
design team also takes advantage of the Florida sun with can’t be penetrated by voracious-eating termites. The
solar panels on the roof meeting all electrical needs while three materials seem to have sound-deadening qualities
a system of nine propane-fueled tankless water heaters for the insects, and that could be factor, Muncaster said,
satisfy all hot water needs. or it could be related to the barrier’s odor and moisture
control.
The 34th annual showcase of the National Association of
Home Builders’ opened to the public for tours on January “We’re putting the house in a sealant bag, really,” he said.
10, coinciding with the start of the International Builders’ “Not only the bottom, where so many insects come in,
Show. TNAH is a yearly project to use the latest design but up the walls at the seams there can be openings. Our
trends and construction techniques to inspire builders. goal is to seal all gaps wherever possible. You can almost
While not among the obvious amenities, plastic building keep all insects out.”
materials play important roles in creating an exterior
envelope that is so tight, energy use is minimized and In new construction, if incorporated into the design
pest control is maximized. The builders used a new open-
cell spray foam by Icynene Inc. that is low in volatile
organic compounds, which improves indoor air quality
while boosting energy efficiency, as well as a tough new
• January 2017 • Plastics News 40
