Covestro LLC and Carlisle Construction Materials Lead the Way in Sustainable Construction Using Bio-Attributed Materials

MDI based on mass-balanced, biocircular raw materials is used by Carlisle in rigid foam building insulation boards. © Covestro

Covestro to supply MDI with bio-circular attributed raw materials
Carlisle Construction Materials will produce polyurethane building insulation using bio-circular MDI
Material based on ISCC PLUS certified sustainable raw materials has a CO2 reduction potential of 99%¹compared to fossil-based product

Buildings and the built environment account for nearly 40% of energy use in the U.S. Architects, builders and building owners know that energy efficiency is a critical component of a sustainable future. To that end, Covestro and Carlisle Construction Materials (Carlisle) are collaborating to bring bio-circular products to the construction industry.

Covestro will supply Carlisle with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)¹ that is based on ISCC PLUS certified mass balanced bio-circular raw materials and features up to a 99% lower product carbon footprint than fossil-based MDI.¹ It specifically has a CO2 reduction potential of 2.4 KG per KG of MDI produced². This will enable Carlisle to produce its high-performance polyiso insulation boards with lower embodied carbon.

The collaboration between Covestro and Carlisle extends a legacy of joint innovation in the construction industry that spans decades. As sustainability targets for the built environment stand to increase, the two companies are prepared to develop and introduce the next generation of insulation materials.

“Covestro’s vision to become fully circular requires R&D advancements that directly support the scope 3 goals of our customers, like Carlisle,” said Hermann-Josef Doerholt, global head of Performance Materials at Covestro. “Covestro has some of the most aggressive sustainability and climate targets in the chemical industry, and the further we progress in developing solutions to achieve them, the more the effects resonate along the supply chain.”

Covestro will supply its Mondur® CQ 489 MS isocyanate to Carlisle. The CQ, or “Circular Intelligence” designation represents a broad family of Covestro’s circular products with an attribution of at least 25 percent alternative raw materials derived from biomass or recycled plastics.

Carlisle Construction Materials, a global leader in building envelope solutions, aims to be net zero by 2050. Carlisle will produce its bio-based rigid foam insulation, which contains 5% bio-circular content, for the SynTec, Versico, Hunter Panels and WeatherBond brands. This state-of-the-art bio-based insulation is the latest addition to Carlisle Construction Materials’ portfolio of sustainable building products.

“Carlisle Construction Materials has always been at the forefront of developing high-performance construction products that lead the way in sustainability,” said Steve Schwar, President of Carlisle Construction Materials. “With our new bio-based rigid foam insulation, we are demonstrating our unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility while ensuring that our customers have access to the most advanced building materials available. Our partners play a pivotal role in the realization of our bio-based isolation,” added Steve. “Together, we’re not only pushing the boundaries of material science, but also supporting the construction industry’s transition to a more sustainable future.”

“At Covestro, we have long understood the unparalleled performance attributes of polyurethane insulation,” said Julia Rubino, head of sales for Performance Materials at Covestro North America. “The ability to provide an innovative, bio-circular raw material solution to a long-time partner and a leader in the construction industry, like Carlisle, shows that future-focused sustainable solutions are available today.”

Covestro has ISCC PLUS certified facilities in every major global market, including its manufacturing facility in Baytown, Texas. In support of its vision to be fully circular, Covestro aims to be operationally climate neutral (scope 1 and scope 2) by 2035 and climate neutral for scope 3 by 2050. The company currently has hundreds of circular CQ products and is continuously expanding its product portfolio.

_{¹Exact percentage depends on the amount of allocated raw material.}
_{² Bio-circular attributed MDI contains ~60% ISCC PLUS certified feedstock. The calculation is based on Covestro-specific production and supply chain data, replacing fossil raw material with ISCC PLUS certified renewable feedstock via the mass balance approach.}