Plastic materials are used extensively in the construction industry because they are waterproof, stable, weather-resistant, light and easy to handle. Plastic’s insulating properties in homes and buildings reduce the need for energy to heat and cool the interior.

Examples of the advantages that plastics bring to construction:

• Petrochemical-based building insulation materials save as much as 40 British Thermal Units (BTUs) of energy for every BTU of energy consumed to make the material. Housewraps save 360 BTUs of energy for every BTU used to make the material, and foam insulation can make a home up to 70 percent more energy-efficient.

• Vinyl and ethylene-propylene rubber are used for roofing. These applications replace traditional asphalt roofs, offering higher life expectancy, lower costs and excellent ozone and weather resistance. Vinyl roofing delivers reduced energy consumption by reflecting up to 86 percent of the sun’s rays.

• A 2003 report by the American Water Works Association said more than 2 trillion gallons of potable water are lost each year in the U.S. due to leaks and breaks in aging infrastructure. Switching to plastic piping can save much of this wasted water. In Canada, a study by the National Research Council found that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) water-distribution piping suffered 0.7 annual breaks per 62 miles, compared to nearly 36 breaks for cast iron and 9.5 breaks for ductile iron.

• Distributing water through plastic pipe instead of metal pipes requires two to three times less energy. The result is a 63 percent decrease in energy pumping costs.

• The U.S. Department of Energy says air infiltration accounts for roughly half of all energy used to heat or cool a home. The advent of plastic housewrap technology has reduced infiltration of outside air into the average home by as much as 50 percent, drastically reducing the energy required for temperature control. Insulating plastic films have reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by as much as 600 million tons since 1980.