Sustainability of a product

Insulation Sustainable Design Research Amy Miltonberger

How much heat can escape? 

COMMENT IN THE CHAT

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Which has the highest? 

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How much?

Which has the lowest? 

How much?

Were you right?

Use and application 

Home heating and cooling are responsible for nearly half of all home energy use.

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Insulation stops the flow of heat, helps regulate temperature

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THE ATTIC is a top priority for reducing home energy use 

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Most direct sun and weather exposure

Moisture problems and improper installation can cause mold and reduce effectiveness

R-Value 

The thermal resistance of a material is measured by its R-value.

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higher R-value is more effective in stopping the transfer of heat than a low R-value

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Need varies by geographic location and climate

To consider… 

What is it made of?

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How is it made?

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How effective is it at insulating?

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Are there health concerns?

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How long is it going to last?

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***this is usually an investment!

Cellulose 

highest environmental ratings among market

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Material: post-consumer recycled paper

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Installation: blown in dry, AVOID moisture, can also settle over time

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Manufacturing: 30X less energy intensive than making fiberglass or wool

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No off-gas which helps maintain healthy indoor air quality

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Flame Retardant: Nontoxic boron

Cotton 

Material: high percentage of post-consumer recycled content, typically recycled denim

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Installation: Available in batts and as loose-fill

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Flame Retardant: nontoxic boron

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similar R-value to cellulose

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It does typically cost more than other types of insulation

Fiberglass 

The most familiar form of home insulation

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Installation: easy to install batts, cautious of tiny particles causing health issues

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Materials: most contain 20+% recycled content, sometimes uses formaldehyde as a binder

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Manufacturing: very energy intensive process that uses fossil fuels and causes air pollution.

Wool 

Can use mineral waste residue (byproduct of steel industry)

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Available in batts and loose fill

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More expensive than cellulose and fiberglass

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Natural flame retardant properties and functions even when wet

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Commonly contains phenol-formaldehyde and can pollute indoor air

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very energy intensive to manufacture (below)

Foam 

Installation: spray, effective reaching gaps and cracks

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Can contain methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) causing asthma

and lung damage 

Can contain toxic flame retardant TCPP

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Long-term indoor air quality issues, too effective at stopping airflow?

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Difficult to remove if becomes problematic

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CHEAP for producer and consumer

Manufacturers 

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Greenfiber (cellulose) 

free of asbestos, formaldehyde, and glass fibers

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manufacturing throughout US, contain 85 percent recycled materials from local sources

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reduce fossil fuel consumption, local transportation

Ultra Touch (cotton) 

contains 80 percent recycled content (mainly denim)

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does not contain formaldehyde

Manufacturers 

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Thermafiber (mineral wool) 

formaldehyde-free

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minimum of 70% recycled content

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non-combustible, inorganic and mold-resistant

Knauf Insulation 

New technologies

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Ecobatt- sand and recycled bottle glass, bound

by ECOSE technology (sustainable materials)

LEED Certification 

Energy and atmosphere- helps increase occupant comfort and building efficiency

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Acoustic performance- reducing HVAC background noise and reduce sound transmission

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Indoor Environmental Quality- proper installation, deterioration can release VOCs

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Materials used and how they’re sourced

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Often uses 3rd party certifications to validate

Which would you choose?

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Not to mention, new technologies are constantly immerging

Thank You

Bibliography 

1, M. (2014, March 01). Leed v4: The old, the new, and The reinvented: What new regulations will mean for INSULATION users and manufacturers. Retrieved from https://insulation.org/io/articles/leed-v4-the-old-the-new-and-the-reinventedwhat-new-regulations-will-mean-for-insulation-users-and-manufacturers/

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Certified green products guide. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.scsglobalservices.com/certified-green-products-guide?q=insulation

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Insulation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/weatherize/insulation

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Lozanova, S. (2021, February 17). Greenest insulation products for the home.

Retrieved from https://earth911.com/how-and-buy/greenest-insulation-products/

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Roberts, T. (2018, July 11). Can we replace foam insulation? Retrieved from https://www.buildinggreen.com/feature/can-we-replace-foam-insulation

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Staff, G. (n.d.). Insulation: Don't leave your home without it. Retrieved from https://www.greenbuildermedia.com/blog/insulation-dont-leave-your-homewithout-it