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ACS 2014
8-10 April 2014 ACS 2014 8-10 April 2014
Atlanta Booth n° 221 Atlanta Booth n° 221
Between Aesthetics and Protection
ARCHITECTURAL COATINGS PLAY A DOUBLE ROLE
H Architectural coatings serve a
double function: they provide aesthetic appeal and also protect building
materials against external damage
from humidity, sunlight or mechanical
and chemical corrosion. Brad Moncla
of Celanese discusses weather conditions, sustainability, and challenges in
the field of architectural coatings.
Brad Moncla,
Celanese
What role do weather conditions play
in the development and application of
architectural coatings?
Brad Moncla: Weather conditions
play a large role in architectural coatings from a timing, application, and
durability perspective. The majority
of paint volume is driven by existing
home sales, and the onset of “good
weather” in the spring can dictate an
early or late paint season. In the United States, 2013 has been characterized by a cold and wet spring, which
significantly delayed the start and a
prolonged length of the season.
From an application and durability perspective, weather also plays a significant
role. From the cool, humid Northwest, to
the hot and dry Southwest, paint formulators and applicators must factor weather into paint formulation and the painting
process. Regional paint companies often
tailor their products to meet the specific
local needs of the area.
How do you define ‘sustainability’ in
architectural coatings and how do you
realize it?
Brad Moncla: Sustainability in architectural coatings can be thought of as
how to beautify and protect without
harming the ability of future generations to do so. This concept applies to
the entire chain of raw material production, paint formulation and production, application, and disposal.
Low- to-no VOC coatings are now widely
available from most paint manufacturers
and are a sustainable option that provides
many advantages, including: benefit to
the environment with reduced emission,
benefits to the painters who breathe in
the paint daily and better indoor air quality versus conventional paints.
Raw materials are key. The main tech-
nology that has enabled low VOC decora-
tive paints for years are vinyl-acetate eth-
ylene (VAE) emulsions. More recently,
some acrylic and vinyl acrylic emulsions
have enabled these consumer friendly
paints. Additionally, phthalate-free
low VOC coalescents are also critical in
achieving reduced VOC levels and odor.
It is also up to the raw material manufacturers to reduce their carbon footprint. We have a track record of efficiency
improvements from 2005 to the present.
During that time, significant reductions
per kilogram of product produced were
realized with the amount of energy consumed dropped by over 20 percent, the
amount of greenhouse gas emissions
lowered by over 40 percent, and the
waste generated fell by over 70 percent.
These are sustainable gains which are
being continued into the future with even
loftier goals for 2015.
The final step toward sustainable
coatings is tied to their proper disposal. In this area, the coatings industry
has taken the lead with ACA’s Paint-Care® program. This education, reuse,
and recycling program is now operating
in several states and will be expanded
to additional states over time.
