While the idea of a super-insulated, high-performance house began in North America in response to the 1973 energy crisis, interest in this concept declined in the United States and Canada in the following decades.[1] Subsequently, the concept picked up steam in the early 1900s and developed into Passivehaus in Germany. Passivehaus was designed to...

Insulation Marketing: Regulations That Guide Conduct

Over the past few months, Icynene has announced that it is offering new spray foam products with reduced re-occupancy and re-entry times for trades and homeowners. There is already uncertainty as to the “right” amount of time that is needed and these announcements about reductions only add to that uncertainty. It is important to understand how...

EPA Targets Reflective Insulation for Removal from “Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR” Program

The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) frequently receives questions from insulation professionals, consumers and others looking for general information on the performance of various fiber glass, rock and slag wool insulation products. One question that has been asked repeatedly over the years relates to the possible loss...

Properly trained insulation contractors play an important role in ensuring the energy efficiency and comfort of a home. One of the most popular insulation products available is loose fill fiber glass insulation, which can be used in all areas of a new or existing home, but is especially suited for areas that are difficult to access, such as truss...

Lucas Hamilton has more than 20 years’ experience in the building and construction industry – working with builders, designers and building product manufacturers. Over the years, he’s seen many advanced technologies employed to make a significant contribution to energy management in buildings. But, he says, insulation remains the most effective...

Early uses of the rock wool insulation trace back to the Hawaiian Islands hundreds of years ago – where huts were blanketed with fibrous wool collected from volcanic deposits where steam had broken the molten lava into fluffy fibers. And although rock wool and slag wool insulations are commonly perceived to be solely for commercial or industrial...

Homeowners, Industries and Governments All Play a Role

In recent years, there has been some debate over which insulation products are better at reducing air infiltration. The fact is reducing air infiltration in a home is largely dependent on the air sealing package, not the insulation installed in the wall cavity. A new report published this fall from Building Science Corporation (BSC) affirms that...