Does Your Insulation Have Low Embodied Carbon?

…Fill and Batt Insulations Loose fill and batt insulation contain no petrochemicals and promise to have lower GWP. Common fiberglass has the lowest GWP of traditional insulation materials, but still…

           

Three Simple, Low-Cost, High-Performance Wall Assemblies

…and upper levels. Rigid insulation tends to be more expensive than the additional framing and fibrous insulation required in the other systems. Some rigid insulation material, such as extruded polystyrene…

           

Ice Dams Reveal Heat Loss Issues

…Standard duct insulation is far lower than building insulation. Ducts have R-8, even in certified energy-efficient homes. Compare that with attic insulation that should be at least R-50. To make…

           

Wall Upgrades for Deep Energy Retrofits

…no insulation at all; millions more have only 4 inches of insulation in 2×4 walls. Air leakage is also a huge problem with 71% of homes with leakage rates above…

           

Now, a More Climate-Friendly Spray Foam

Decades ago, closed-cell spray foam (ccSPF) insulation applied onsite was a very promising solution for improved building energy efficiency. Then scientists pointed out that the superb energy-saving properties were undermined…

           

Retrofit for Energy Efficiency

…measure would be to install wall insulation where there is none. Without wall insulation, about 35% of a home’s heat loss occurs through wall cavities. Adding attic insulation is probably…

           

Defining the Thermal Boundary

…This red line should be the location of the air barrier and insulation layer. If you have to lift the pencil, you’ve found a gap that demands attention. Insulation should…

           

Energy-Efficient Low-Income Apartments 

…improve air quality and health of residents without losing much heat.   Insulation Made Simple Improving the insulation of older buildings is one of the biggest challenges when it comes…

           

Double Stud Wall Simplified – Low Cost, High Performance

…thickness to meet your design R-value Space between walls for continuous insulation Utilization of dense-pack insulation (Gutex wood THERMOFIBER, cellulose, fiberglass, mineral wool, or Havelock Wool). No special materials or…

           

Tackling Embodied Carbon in Retrofits

…But this assumption was flawed. Embodied Carbon Emissions So, we turned our attention to embodied emissions, focusing first on insulation. As remodeling contractors, we know that insulation is high leverage,…

           

Innovations in a 107-Year-Old Net Positive Victorian Retrofit

…Forty percent of the insulation is inside the 3M barrier, so moisture will evaporate back into the living space where humidity averages a comfortable 40-50%. Sixty percent of the insulation

           

Builder Blends Zero Energy with Montana Style

…The Path to Efficiency “The most important detail is air tightness,” says Barta. “You can put in lots of insulation, but it doesn’t matter if the home is leaky. I…