Sustainability

IFS powder coatings – the environmentally responsible choice.

IFS powder coatings really are a more environmentally responsible choice than liquid coatings. There are many sustainability advantages over competing products such as liquid PVDF paints or anodizing. Choosing a more sustainable option which will give you the same level of performance, is available in the same colors and effects footprints made from grassand can also be customized to what you need, is easy.

What's more, IFS Coatings'  architectural range have achieved Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that contribute towards sustainability initiatives such as LEED and many more.

Here are just some of the reasons powder coatings will bring a sustainable advantage to your product:

  • Negligible VOCs
    There are no-low solvents and therefore extremely low VOCs in powder coatings.

  • Single coat
    Powder coatings achieve the same or better levels of chemical, mechanical and weathering performance than liquid coatings, but in a single coat. This means you save on product, time and energy.Environmental Product Declaration Verified SCS logo

  • Reclaim and reuse
    Any powder over spray can be reclaimed and reused or recycled. This gives up to a 97% utilization rate from a box of powder. Can you reclaim liquid paints? No.

  • Less energy usage
    Powders often cure at lower temperatures than liquid architectural coatings, which means a reduced energy bill. What’s more, the need to recycle air in the spray booth is significantly reduced (due to the lack of solvents), which also results in decreased energy usage.

  • Improved Carbon Footprint - lower carbon dioxide emissions
    In a life cycle analysis (DSM study), powder coatings were shown to have both lower VOC and lower carbon dioxide emissions than liquid coatings.

  • No Hazardous Waste
    There is no toxic waste generated during the powder application  process. This means we are not creating toxic landfill with powder coatings.
  • Easy, non-hazardous disposal = reduced cost
    There is no need to remove hazardous solvents and there is no sludge or waste to remove – reducing cost and improving production time.

  • LEED
    Using powder coatings helps gain LEED points. With the same level of exterior durability, chemical and mechanical performance, as well as a vast range of colors and choices, it’s easy to make the environmentally responsible choice. See below for more info.

  • Choice of pretreatment
    For architectural or exterior applications that require long term weatherability, you have a choice of pretreatment options with powder. Yes, you can use a chrome based pretreatment for aluminum just like traditional liquid PVDF paints. But you can also choose a non chrome pretreatment, and still benefit from AAMA 2605 performance levels - and a warranty.

  • No chrome based primer required
    For architectural applications, powder offers yet another environmentally responsible advantage. Where as many traditional 70% PVDF liquid factory applied paints require a chrome based primer on aluminum, IFS powder coatings do not. So no chrome (and yes, chrome isn't great – think Erin Brocovitch) primer, in fact, about 95% of the time, no primer is need at all over properly pretreated aluminum.

Check out the results of this recent Life Cycle Analysis covering all sustainability categories required by LEED. Global Warming Potential is what many of us are using to look at embodied carbon. There’s no competition.

ig lca results