Good blog writtern about current state of affairs of insulation market-
Francesca Crolley
VP Business Development, Industrial Nanotech, Inc.
Innovation VS Regulation
Sep 16 2014
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For anyone that has created a paradigm changing or "disruptive" technology, at one time or another they've come up against regulations that are a barrier to adoption of their new innovation. In order for new technology to succeed, it's vital that the creators don't let close-mindedness or out dated regulations deter their spirit to innovate and make the world a better place.
As an example, our company has created a next generation insulation technology which unfortunately doesn't yet fit into the building standards which are based upon a 1938 technology - fiberglass insulation. That industry lobbied the US congress mid-20th century to get the R-value used as a standard for building codes. The R-value simplifies or "dumbs down" heat transfer and thermal insulation values into a simple number which is significantly based upon nothing more than the thickness of a material.
While these standards pose a barrier to innovative thin film, nanotechnology based products like ours, because our "round peg" doesn't fit in their "square hole", it has not deterred us from helping individuals, corporations, and governments reduce energy costs around the world for the last 10-years. And, Yes, it's been about 10-years since we've been speaking with the U.S. Energy Star Department, White House, Congress, and US Department of Energy to try to get the regulations and measurement standards updated.
But some change is happening in areas such as LEED, where the goal of energy savings is the key target, and one that allows ALL types of technology to meet the goal without archaic measurement standards holding innovation back. So while it can take time to see regulatory change, innovation necessitates that change and is something that is ultimately inevitable.
Here are some tips that we've learned to keep us going in the face of stagnate regulations and outdated thinking:
1. Never stop talking about your technology. Heads of departments and agencies and Congress members change over time, never stop promoting a better technology. You'll eventually find the person that can help.
2. Don't let the Trolls get you down. There are many "experts" out there who will be happy to slam your technology without even laying eyes on it. Stay classy, try to educate, but don't give them power over what you know to be truth.
3. Let your technology speak for itself. People can nay say something they don't understand, but it's much more difficult to negate a 30% energy savings that a well-known corporation has experienced with a new technology.
4. Invite your customers to Tell their Story. Let their experience speak for you by inviting feedback. Real world case studies are often even more powerful than your lab testing.
5. Research leaders in your industry and make them aware of your technology. There are just as many innovative thinkers out there as there are close-minded ones. Seek them out by keeping abreast of news and awards in your industry and make them aware of your innovation.
6. Understate your benefits. This may seem counterintuitive, but we've found that understating the energy saving benefits of our technology is a bonus, since people experience even more than they expected, and an already "hard to believe" technology becomes more believable.
7. Never doubt yourself. Just remember that in the early days of computers, Steve Jobs was turned away by those who couldn't see the future. Know that your technology is an innovation, and never stop believing.
As they say, the only constant is change. In order for change to happen, innovation must occur. Remember that in the face of regulatory barriers, that those barriers will eventually have to adapt for that inevitable innovation.
