Insulation and the Environment

Green Building Case Studies

Thinking Locally, Acting Globally

Manufacturers of fiber glass and mineral wool insulation in the United States, Europe and Australia joined together in 1997 to urge all participants at the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change in Kyoto, Japan to increase the use of thermal insulation to help achieve a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions in the atmosphere. Click here to access the full text of "The Lisbon Declaration on CO₂ Reductions"

The focus of today’s architects, specifiers and builders is on sustainability — building for longevity while conserving the environment. This means choosing building products that minimize the impact on the environment, such as fiber glass and rock and slag wool insulations.

When evaluating the most relevant attributes of an environmentally preferable insulation product, specifiers should consider using a "cradle to grave" approach. This means considering a fuller range of life-cycle characteristics:

Energy Efficiency

A building that is thermally efficient reduces the amount of energy required to maintain a comfortable living/working environment. A reduction in energy consumption means less fossil fuel is burned to produce that energy and the result is a reduction in polluting gases emitted into the atmosphere. Click here to find out more about insulation and energy savings.

Environmental Impact of Raw Material Acquisition

Fiber glass and slag wool products are made from materials that rely on rapidly renewable resources. Click here for more information on materials used in fiber glass and slag wool manufacturing.

Packaging and Transportation

Fiber glass insulation is highly compact requiring fewer packages to be transported and used for each building insulated. Learn more about insulation packaging.

Product Performance

An essential attribute for any environmentally preferable product is the ability to perform its intended function. Click here for more information on judging the performance of insulation.

Use and Reuse

The reusable nature of insulation is important because most modern buildings are subject to expansion, remodeling, or some other type of renovation during their lifetime. Click here to find out more about how insulation can be reused.

Recycled Content

Fiber glass and slag wool insulations use a high percentage of recycled material which helps the environment by diverting materials from the solid waste stream. Slag wool is sometimes made from as high as 90% recycled material and fiber glass insulation manufacturers are the 2nd largest user of post-consumer recycled glass in the US. On average, slag wool insulation contains 75% recycled content.. Click here for more information.