Insulation & the environment

Our natural insulation materials have an exceptionally low impact on the environment.

Recycled and renewable materials

Warmcel 100 puts to good use paper which would otherwise go to landfill. When, eventually, it is removed from a building, it can be recycled again or disposed of safely, without creating toxic waste or biodegradeability problems.

Thermafleece sheep's wool ranges uses blended sheeps wool from British hill sheep. This wool is often of low economic value, so the production of Thermafleece is renewable, recyclable and is promoting the economies of some of the poorest rural areas in the UK.

Thermafleece EcoRoll also contains 15% recycled polyester - made from recycled plastic bottles.

Thermafleece Hemp is made using hemp grown in the UK

Thermal efficiency

Our natural insulation range offers effective thermal insulation, which can perform as well as, or even better than equivalent conventional insulation materials. By reducing heating demand, they can play an important part in reducing household carbon dioxide emissions. It is important to provide sufficient thickness to produce the required thermal insulation value, and consequently reduce the emissions of CO₂ from a building. For loft insulation, Green Building Store recommends an insulation thickness of at least 300mm (above current Building Regulations, which recommend 270mm thickness).

Embodied energy

The 'embodied energy', that is the energy used in manufacture and transportation can also be taken into account in reducing the impact of a building on the environment. Our natural insulation range also saves energy during production. The amount of energy needed to make our natural insulations is a fraction of other insulation materials.

Energy consumption in manufacture	MJ/Kg
Thermafleece	14.6
Typical mineral wool batt	28

Toxic emissions

None of our insulation products have an effect on the ozone layer. Some other insulation materials currently still use blowing agents which have an Ozone Depletion Potential. Our insulation products have none.
None of our insulation products have any added formaldehyde (unlike insulation quilts), and they are completely free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other toxic substances.

Conventional insulation

Mineral fibre insulation

Information on mineral fibre insulation is available through the following links:

Sheet insulation

Sheet insulation materials include polystyrene, polyurethane and polyisocyanurate boards. Many of these were until recently, or still are, blown with gases which deplete the ozone layer. Some are now available which are Zero ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential), which means that the blowing gases won't damage the ozone layer. All of these boards will need to be Zero ODP by 2004.

These insulation materials have the best insulation value of any commonly available insulation material, but they do require large amounts of energy to produce, and consequently have high 'embodied energy'.

In general these insulation are best used, where no easy alternative is available for vertical applications, masonry cavities and lining attic roofslopes.

Loose fill insulations

Insulations such as vermiculite derive from naturally occurring minerals which are processed at high temperatures. The energy used in production is therefore relatively high. They are unsuitable for typical loft applications because of their tendency to move with air movement, potentially leaving areas uninsulated.

Insulation & the environment | Product guide | Insulation | Green Building Store

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