Get documents about "INSULATION
Document Sample
http://rocketry.wordpress.com/2008/06/
Anthony Hoac
Residential Insulation
A Comparative Assessment
Sandy Do
http://coolexcooling.com/wp-
content/uploads/2008/04/photos-ceiling-insulation.jpg
Linda Dix-Cooper
David Leung
Introduction
• Insulation is used to control temperature and sound in buildings
• Three main types of insulation:
cellulose fiberglass spray foam
• All insulation products installed in U.S. buildings save consumers:
• 12 quadrillion Btu annually
• 42 % of energy that would have been consumed with no
insulation in place.
Insulation Types
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/home-green-home-insulation-
materials/?scp=1&sq=insulation&st=cse
Quick Facts
• Grown since the Victorian age
• Developed to insulate floors, walls, and roofs
• Made mandatory during war
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/insulation_sealing.html
• Properly insulated can save homeowner
R-Value
• Ratio of the temperature difference
and the heat flux in m2*K/W
T
R
QA
• In theory, doubling the thickness of
the insulation doubles the R value,
but not always the case
Aerogel with very
high R-30 • Determine insulation’s heat loss
retardation under test conditions
R Value Calculator (Berkeley)
Wood-Framed Building
Insulation Location R-Value* Notes
Attic 38.0 -
Cathedral ceiling 30.0 -
Wall cavity 13.0 -
This recommendation assumes that a 2x6 wall can be built
OVE wall cavity 21.0 for the same cost as a 2x4 wall
Concrete or masonry Preferred position of insulation on a massive wall is on the
11.7 exterior side.
wall
Floor 13.0 Over unheated, uninsulated space.
Slab edge 4.0 Extend the insulation 2 feet below ground level.
Crawl space walls are only insulated if the crawl space is
Crawl space wall 13.0 unvented and the floor above the crawl space is uninsulated.
Exterior insulation on a below-grade wall is used only if you
Basement wall exterior 5.0 choose not to insulate the interior side of your basement
wall.
http://www.ornl.gov/~roofs/Zip/tmp/results3849.html
Our Comparison Criteria
• Cost - per square foot in Berkeley
• R Value - thermal efficiency
• Noise - barrier efficiency
• Health – short and long term effects
• Environmental impacts
• Flammability
• Ease of installation
• Resilience – longevity of life w/ water damage
Fiberglass: Batt/Roll
• Two types:
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http://www.rd.com/images/tfhimport/2003/20031001_Using_Tools_page002img001
• Batts or Rolls
• Easy Installation
– Do it yourself
• Small strands of glass
• Most common insulation
type
Fiberglass
R-Value 2.9-3.8
m2-K/W per inch
Sound Transmission 40 (Bare Wall is 36)
Coefficient (STC)
Cost (2009) $0.27 per ft2 (3.5
inch thickness, R13)
Cellulose
• 15% of Insulation Market
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http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Insulation-Blow-in/h_d1/N-
• Heavily Recycled (85%),
made of old newspapers,
telephone directories,
borates, and ammonium
sulfate
• Lowest embodied energy
based on LCA studied of
any insulation (3.3
MJ/kg)
Cellulose
Installation
http://mdinsulation.net/installing-cellulose-blow-in-insulation.jpg
• Dry blow-in or
moist installation
• Can be rented for
use at home or
subcontracted
Flamability
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/home-green-home-insulation-
materials/?scp=1&sq=insulation&st=cse
Cellulose
R-Value 3.6-4 m2-K/W per
inch
Sound Transmission 44 (Bare Wall is 36)
Coefficient (STC)
Cost (2009) $0.84 per ft2 (3.5
inch thickness, R13)
Polyurethane Spray Foam
• Types:
– Open cell: 0.4-0.75lb/cu ft
– Closed cell: 1.7-2 lb/cu ft
– Roofing: 2.8-3.0 lb/cu ft
• Forms to walls, floors,
and roofs as a tight seal
• Strong http://www.advanced-insulation.net/faq
• Requires skilled installer
Polyurethane Spray Foam
R-Value 6.0-7.0
m2-K/W per inch
Sound 37
Transmission
Coefficient (STC)
http://www.spraytechfoaminsulation.com/sprayfoa
Cost (2009) $1.25-$2.25 per m.html
ft2 (2.2 inch
thickness, R13)
Environmental Health Effects of Insulation:
• Insulation residential energy use
• $$$ saved can be used for healthcare
• Warm homes improve health by :
moisture
mold growth (asthma)
immune system defense
• Proper insulation improves ambient air quality by:
• PM2.5 emissions from energy production plants
leading to:
• 60 fewer fatalities
• 2000 fewer asthma attacks
• 30,000 fewer restricted activity days/10 yrs
(Reference: Niskioka, 2002)
Why?
Cellulose Insulation Spray Foam Insulation Fiberglass Insulation
• Alveolar proteinosis • No human studies yet • Induces dermatitis (Farkas,
(McDonald, 2000) 1983; Lee, 1992; Verbeck, ‘91)
• (ReprodToxin) Kidney tumors
in rats & benign testicular
tumors in mice (Turnbull, 1994)
• Made of isocyanates, ether,
Mold & Pathogen growth
polyol, and flame retardants
(Godish, 2006)
• Immune response and
• Dust & Mold ‘s asthma
• Dermatitis (Baur, 2009)
attacks & allergic reactions
• Releases fluorocarbons • Knowledge Gaps:
(CFCs) in landfills (Kjeldsen, 2003) • What are the
• Ozone depletion production and
disposal practices?
• How energy
• 15% borate (reprodtoxin) intensive are these
or ammonium sulfate flame processes and how
retardants by mass (Morgan, do they compare?
2004)
Environmental Health Ranking?
• Severity of Acute health effects:
Fiberglass Cellulose Spray Foam
> >
• Severity of Long-term health effects:
Spray foam Cellulose Fiberglass
> =
Our Comparison Criteria
• Cost - per sq. ft in Berkeley
• Thermal – R value
• Noise - barrier efficiency
• Health – short and long term effects
• Environmental impacts
• Flammability
• Ease of installation
• Resilience – longevity of life w/ water damage
Our Star Rating
Conclusions & Future Directions
1. Insulations are fairly equal in performance when you
ignore pricing.
2. Focus on installing it properly and selecting the right
type for the job to ensure effective performance.
3. We need more Life Cycle Assessments on the
environmental impacts.
4. The benefits that warmth
bring outweigh any of the
underlying risks.
References:
• Farkas, J. (1983). "Fibreglass dermatitis in employees of a project-office in a new building."
Contact Dermatitis 9(1): 79.
• Godish, T. J. and D. R. Godish (2006). "Mold infestation of wet spray-applied cellulose
insulation." J Air Waste Manag Assoc 56(1): 90-5.
• Kjeldsen, P. and C. Scheutz (2003). "Short- and long-term releases of fluorocarbons from
disposal of polyurethane foam waste." Environ Sci Technol 37(21): 5071-9.
• Lee, T. Y. and T. H. Lam (1992). "Occupational fibreglass dermatitis in Hong Kong." Contact
Dermatitis 27(5): 341-3.
• McDonald, J. W., F. Alvarez, et al. (2000). "Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in association with
household exposure to fibrous insulation material." Chest 117(6): 1813-7.
• Morgan, D. L., Y. F. Su, et al. (2004). "Chemical and physical characteristics of cellulose
insulation particulates, and evaluation of potential acute pulmonary toxicity." Am J Ind Med
46(6): 554-69.
• Nishioka, Y., J. I. Levy, et al. (2002). "Integrating risk assessment and life cycle assessment: a
case study of insulation." Risk Anal 22(5): 1003-17.
• Turnbull, D., R. J. Machado, et al. (1994). "Safety assessment of HCFC-141b: use as a blowing
agent for insulation in building construction and refrigeration." Regul Toxicol Pharmacol
19(3): 282-96.
