Building Green with Architectural Fiberglass / FRP Products (Fiber Reinforced Polymer)

• Longer      lasting materials require fewer resources for replacement.
• Reduced      maintenance and repair costs.
• Lightweight      panels use 90% less material than precast
• Lightweight      panel reduces fuel and costs of transportation
• Unique      manufacturing process applies color in the factory and delivers a quality      finish, virtually eliminating VOCs during exterior painting.
• Architectural      Fiberglass is hurricane and earthquake resistant. It can be installed to      achieve MIAMI-DADE Large and Small Missile Impact Rating and be class A      fire rated.
• The      low thermal conductivity of fiberglass reduces energy consumption for      heating and cooling.

What others say about fiberglass as a green material

The City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development maintains a "G Rated" website intended to be "the gateway to green building innovation, offering initial consultation and current information specific to individual green projects."The G/Rated program is designed to speed the adoption of cost effective green building practices as the standard of development in Portland.

On the green building website, the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development says about fiberglass: "frames made of fiberglass look like wood but are maintenance free and durable. Fiberglass resists moisture, corrosion and weathering by sunlight, without the need for paint or coatings. It is unaffected by mild acids, salt sprays, will not give off toxic fumes in fires, and will not oxidize. In addition, it holds its shape permanently and will not warp, shrink, dent, sag, or bow."

"Fiberglass has better thermal integrity…it minimizes heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer."

"Fiberglass has excellent dimensional stability through all types of weather."

FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) can give a great return on investment because it is lightweight (4x lighter than steel). Using FRP will also contribute to LEED points in terms of energy performance (product is thermally non-conductive) and does not oxidize or corrode. Beyond LEED®, FRP does not leach toxins in wet applications.