The PIMA Quality Mark cm Program establishes a third-party certification procedure for Long Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) R-values of permeable faced polyiso roof insulation.

One of the most important features of a product is independent third-party certification. Now, for the roofing industry, the PIMA Quality Mark cm Program establishes a third-party certification procedure for Long Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) R-values of permeable faced polyiso roof insulation. The program, launched in 2004 by the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association, is independently administered by the most recognized organization in the roofing industry - FM Global. All polyiso roof insulation manufacturers may participate in this voluntary certification program.

About Quality Mark

Through the Quality Mark program, participating polyiso insulation manufacturers can obtain independent third-party certification of the LTTR-values for ASTM C1289-02 Type II, Class 1 and Class 2 permeable-faced polyiso foam insulation produced with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-compliant blowing agents.

FM Global, one of the world's largest independent commercial and industrial property insurance and risk management organizations, is the administrator of the program. FM Global, or an approved independent third-party selector, takes random polyiso roof insulation samples from each plant of a participating manufacturer, in accordance with the program's guidelines. An accredited testing laboratory then applies the ASTM International-approved techniques to establish and certify the 15-year LTTR-value. To assure continued compliance with the stated LTTR-values, each polyiso insulation plant must have a third-party quality assurance program in place and is subject to unannounced LTTR-value verification. Only those manufacturers that choose to participate in the program will be permitted to use the PIMA Quality Mark logo on their certified products.

About LTTR

LTTR provides a 15-year time-weighted average R-Value for permeable-faced polyiso, commonly used as roof insulation. Consensus standards in both the United States and Canada represent the most advanced scientifically supported method to describe the LTTR of polyisocyanurate foam insulation products.

LTTR provides roofing contractors, specifiers and designers with many advantages:

A technically supported, more descriptive measure of the long-term thermal resistance of polyiso insulation - a 15-year time-weighted average.

An advanced test method, based on consensus standards in both the United States and Canada.

A method that applies to all foam insulation with blowing agents other than air, such as polyiso, extruded polystyrene and polyurethane.

A better understanding of thermal performance of foam.

Why Use Quality Mark Polyiso Roof Insulation

The PIMA Quality Mark program is the result of years of work on the part of polyiso manufacturers to assure contractors, specifiers and building owners of the long-term energy performance of roof insulation. Polyiso roof insulation that has been certified under the Quality Mark program offers something other insulation products do not: the only industry-wide certification program for LTTR-values in the roof industry.

Polyiso foam insulation continues to be the product of choice for the commercial roofing industry with an impressive 55 percent market share, according to the 2002 NRCA market survey. Its preference can be attributed to the fact that it is one of the most energy-efficient and cost-effective insulation materials used in roofing applications today. Polyiso is preferred for a number of reasons, including:

Polyiso has the highest R-value per inch with long-term thermal performance validation.

Polyiso is compatible with all types of roofing systems.

Polyiso meets both FM 4450 and UL 1256 for direct application over steel decks without a coverboard.

The roofing industry is performance-driven with an increasing emphasis on energy efficiency as a major goal of green construction practices. The Quality Mark program was created to meet the roofing industry's need for dependable and quality products.