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For Immediate Release

Industry drivers for sustainable coatings topic of Bayer MaterialScience LLC presentation

March 2, 2010

Pittsburgh, March 2, 2010 — What alternatives exist for sustainable building coatings? Steven Reinstadtler, market development manager — Construction and Green Building Initiative, Bayer MaterialScience LLC, discussed industry influences and the resulting sustainable options for building and construction coatings in his presentation, "Sustainability in Coatings for Construction," at PACE 2010 in Phoenix.

According to Reinstadtler, the building and construction industry has several key "industry drivers" leading the market's push for sustainability. These drivers include the need for volatile organic compound (VOC) compliance, environmentally preferred content, renewable materials, recycled content, energy efficiency contributions, a reduced environmental fooprint (LCA), environmental performance standards, locally manufactured goods and end-of-life/ downstreaming.

Influence from these drivers appears in the industry in a multitude of ways, such as through current trends in regulations governing the use of VOCs and additive-containing products, like CARB limits. Governmental legislation, like the EPA ENERGY STAR Program, is in place to regulate the materials and processes used in the building and construction industry and affects the available products. Also the influence comes from industry members, like owners, architects and engineers, who demand sustainability by striving to achieve certifications, such as the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification.

The industry has responded to these green demands by developing products that are environmentally friendly. Reinstadtler explained that "sustainable" chemistries have existed in the coatings market for some time, but that these systems have evolved over time to truly be what is considered sustainable. For example, early "waterborne" coatings had as much as 300g/l of co-solvent, while new commerical systems are now in fact waterbone with solvent levels of 0-15g/l. Also, current formulations of natural oil-based coatings have proven 100 percent solids technology with a high renewable content. Despite these achievements, scientists are continuing to address new challenges in the evolving coatings market as they create the next generation of high-performance resins.

Sustainable coatings offerings can be used in a variety of applications, but certain formulations lend themselves better to specific uses. For example, Reinstadtler pointed out that natural oil-based coatings are a good fit for use in self-leveling floor coatings and secondary containment, whereas waterborne technologies work well for graffiti-resistance on infrastructure and glass, architectural and floor coatings and white roof applications. Next generation high-performance resins offer a fast return-to-service time and are often selected to coat concrete infrastructure, high-use architectural applications and flooring. All three coatings systems are appropriate for corrosion protection applications.

Reinstadtler concluded his presentation with numerous examples of how Bayer MaterialScience LLC has developed smart solutions to coatings challenges using sustainable methods and materials. The Disney Wide World of Sports Stadium in Orlando, Fla., is one such example. Walt Disney Imagineering required a flexible concrete coating with low- to zero-VOCs. The applied coating was a specially formulated color coat based on polyaspartic resins and aliphatic isocyanates that met Disney's stringent project requirements. This smart solution offered VOC compliance as well as proven long-term durability.

In the end, combined influence from customers, government bodies and end-users will continue to drive the industry forward. As customers and industry demands evolve, so, too, will sustainable coatings.

Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of polymers and high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with nearly 15,100 employees at 30 sites around the world and 2008 sales of 9.7 billion euros. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, medical, and sports and leisure industries.

For more information about Bayer MaterialScience LLC's coatings, adhesives or specialties, call 412-777-3983, e-mail naftainfo@bayerbms.com or visit www.bayermaterialsciencenafta.com.

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Media Contact(s)
Name:	Thomas Erdner
Phone:	412-777-5200
Company:	Bayer materialScience
Email:	thomas.erdner@bayerbms.com