Cost benefit analysis: closed-cell polyurethane foam use in DoD forward-deployed structures, and as an alternative building material, to reduce operational fuel demand and associated costs

The purpose of this project is to identify the costs and benefits associated with the application of closed-cell spray foam insulation to forward-deployed, semipermanent/nonpermanent structures, and to provide recommendations regarding future integration, use, and employment. According to the Department of Defense (DOD), forward-deployed generators, used to provide power to base support activities, are the largest single consumer of fuel throughout the battlefield. Eighty percent of the energy provided by generators is assessed to power environmental control units that run incessantly due to the poor insulating properties of the structures, according to a 2010 study conducted by the Department of the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency. Recent DOD policy has focused more on energy use and consumption but fails to address, and provide solutions for, major consumers of fuel throughout the battlefield. The incorporation of closed-cell, spray foam insulation into legacy DOD forward-deployed construction practices yields a significant return on investment, short-payback/break-even period, and reduces mission and personnel risk to deployed military forces.
http://archive.org/details/costbenefitnalys1094545895
Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy
Lieutenant, United States Navy
Captain, United States Army
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