Bonded Logic’s UltraTouch insulation is made of post-industrial natural denim and cotton fibers that are 100 percent recyclable.

Who could forget the Pink Panther rolling out a batt of pink insulation? Well, that is no longer the only option in insulation. When specifying insulation necessary for energy-efficient building construction, consider the environment, health and safety.

Instead of thinking pink, how about blue? The blue-jean-colored UltraTouch by Bonded Logic (Chandler, Ariz.) consists almost entirely of natural denim and cotton fibers (see photo, right) that are 100 percent recyclable, reducing landfill waste. The denim and cotton are also 100 percent post-industrial. Bonded Logic reports that UltraTouch requires a minimal amount of energy to manufacture aiding the environment with energy conservation and reductions in pollution. Plus, it still provides maximum R-value performance. The product’s construction contains tiny air pockets that work to maintain thermal consistency even in extreme temperature changes.

This form of insulation contains no chemical irritants and no harmful airborne particulates eliminating common health concerns regarding particulates in HVAC systems and the surrounding environment.

The “Cotton House,” which is part of the Swall-Meadow Integrative-Design Project (SIP), will incorporate Bonded Logic’s cotton insulation. Located on the eastern front range of the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, SIP is a demonstration project in sustainable design and construction currently in the planning and construction process.

“In order to create an energy-efficient home, the first key ingredient is a tight, well-insulated envelope. We considered many other ‘green’ approaches that accomplish this goal,” said Eric L. Berlow, Ph.D., research scientist at the University of California, White Mt. Research Station. “In the end, we chose cotton because we were trying to find a solution to other facets of sustainability in addition to just energy performance.”

But Berlow said that choosing insulation was not an easy task. As his German collaborator, Tobias Luthe (member of the Zero Emissions Research Initiative), said, “Our design approach for SIP is to address multiple facets of sustainability and find an integrated solution that best fits our specific needs and location. In this case, cotton was the best solution in terms of its life cycle, embodied energy, logistical, technical and health features. Used cotton is a waste product with little embodied energy, as a plant it serves as a sink for carbon dioxide, it is harmless and easy to work with. The main remaining problem is the intensive use of pesticides in the farming process – we intend to use organic cotton instead.”

But, if denim isn’t your cup of tea, how about newspaper or wool? Nu-Wool Co. (Jenison, Mich.), a cellulose insulation manufacturer, has recycled 515 million pounds of paper to produce its cellulose insulation in the past 10 years. More than 50 years ago, Nu-Wool began using recycled newspaper to manufacture an environmentally safe and effective insulation product. Nu-Wool now processes at least 150 tons of recycled paper each business day - the equivalent of 2,550 trees. Nu-Wool Cellulose Insulation is also an Energy Star product.

Thermafiber (Wabash, Ind.) Mineral Wool Insulation products conserve materials and resources since they are manufactured from blast furnace slag, a by-product of the steel industry. The EPA Preference Program for building insulation has recommended the level of recycled materials content for rock wool insulation be 75 percent, Thermafiber reports; this product consists of 85 percent recycled material.

Thermafiber Insulation products have also been evaluated for emissions of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), individual volatile organic compounds (IVOC), formaldehyde and other aldehydes per ASTM standards. Results of the evaluation showed Thermafiber products to meet the California purchase specifications for TVOC and general chemical emissions. Formaldehyde concentration of Thermafiber Insulation at 12 ppb meets and exceeds the California standard of 20 ppb max. Plus, Thermafiber insulation reduces the transfer of heat (and cold) through building structures or envelopes by providing a thermal resistance range of 3.7 to 4.3 per inch depending on product type. Finally, Thermafiber products are also used in horticultural applications as a growing medium for plants.

Another natural insulation selection is offered from Bio-Based Systems (Rogers, Ark.). The company has developed a technologically advanced insulation product, BioBased 501, which utilizes soybean oil as opposed to petrochemical oils in the production of its Polyurethane foam insulation.

“There is more to owning a home than its purchase price,” explains Tom Kurth, CEO of Bio-Based Systems. “A home owner must consider utility bills operating cost and the negative affects on the world do to our actions.”

The company says BioBased 501 can reduce utility bills by 50 percent or more. BioBased 501 is a soybean oil-based polyurethane foam product that emits no VOC’s, CFC’s or HCFC’s during production or application. It behaves like petroleum based plastic foam without any of the environmental side effects, and utilizes the annual renewable resources of soybeans.

Its R-Value is R-13 in a 3.5-inch stud wall and completely eliminates air infiltration. BioBased 501 releases no fibers or clumps of loose matter, reducing household dust, and harmful mold and mildew are not given the opportunity to grow.

Additional Energy-Saving Options

BioBased 501 is a soybean oil-based polyurethane foam product that emits no VOCs during production or application.

The National Insulation Association (Alexandria, Va., www.insulation.org) reports that “the most substantial return on an investment in insulation is in energy savings over a period of time. Properly designed and installed insulation systems immediately reduce the need for energy — a costly ingredient of every product made. Lowering the energy input of each pound of product will result in enormous cost savings.”

Environmentally-friendly fiberglass options are available. Johns Manville (Denver) offers a full line of formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation. Because the company uses a more environmentally-sensitive acrylic binder, it is the only maker of fiber glass building insulation products that does not fall under EPA manufacturing restrictions on Hazardous Air Pollutants established for plants making ordinary fiber glass. All Johns Manville formaldehyde-free insulation contains a minimum 25 percent recycled content, reducing landfill impact by 90,000 tons per year, the company reports. Manufacturing formaldehyde-free results in the removal of 100-plus tons of hazardous air pollutants per year, and Johns Manville insulation alone conserves enough energy to fuel America’s electric consumption for one month per year.

Johns Manville has partnered with industry leader Rohm and Haas to develop this new formaldehyde-free acrylic binder. The new material is a specially formulated version of Rohm and Haas’ Acrylic Thermoset technology that binds fiber glass together, providing the strength, durability and resiliency required by the insulation industry, yet does not emit formaldehyde during manufacturing, or after installation.

Low-Emitting, Certified Insulation

Knauf Fiber Glass’ (Shelbyville, Ind.) building insulation products (batts, blankets and Summit Blowing Insulation) have been certified for superior indoor air quality (IAQ) performance. Knauf was the first fiber glass insulation company to achieve GREENGUARD Certification, which designates low emitting products.

Knauf’s GREENGUARD Certification confirms compliance with GREENGUARD Emission Standards, which are based on criteria used by the State of Washington, the EPA, OSHA and the World Health Organization for total particle and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions, including formaldehyde.

Knauf president Bob Britton praised GREENGUARD for taking a comprehensive approach to indoor air quality: “The great thing about GREENGUARD is that it certifies products that have a minimal impact on indoor environments, with regard to all VOC pollutants, including formaldehyde.”

CertainTeed Corporation’s (Valley Forge, Pa.) fiber glass building insulation products (batts, blankets, InsulSafe 4 Blown-In Fiber Glass Insulation, and OPTIMA Fiber Glass Insulation for the Blow-In Blanket System) also became certified by GREENGUARD earlier this year.

Foam Air Barriers

When the Chicago Center for Green Technology (a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum Building) developed by the city of Chicago as part of a brownfield redevelopment effort, architects at Farr Associates of Chicago had ambitious goals for the roofing system. Not just because it would support an array of solar panels and a rooftop garden, but the specifications called for minimum R-40 requirement for the insulation to maximize energy conservation. The design team chose ACFoam-II with ACUltra from Atlas Roofing Corporation (Atlanta). Unlike other types of insulation produced using hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) blowing agents that deplete the earth’s ozone layer, ACFoam-II is part of Atlas’ ACUltra family of polyiso roofing products manufactured using hydrocarbons (HCs).

“In order to provide the maximum R-value to the roof while allowing for proper drainage slope and stay within the flashing requirements and the existing parapet height, polyiso insulation was used due to its high R-value per thickness,” said Ronald Dean of Farr Associates. Next, he said, “the project was designed using LEED 1.0, which required us to use no ozone depleting materials in the building.” Atlas was the only manufacturer at the time to produce polyiso insulation with no ozone depleting potential blowing agents, according to Dean.

The Icynene (Mississauga, Ontario) Insulation System is a spray-in-place soft foam for homes and commercial buildings. Icynene is made of polyicynene foam, a water-based organic product. The Icynene Insulation System is a complete insulation, air and moisture barrier system that windproofs and seals wall, floor and ceiling cavities against air movement, including spaces around electrical outlets and light fixtures, at baseboards and where walls meet windows and doors. This means that outside air (either hot or cold) cannot seep through walls, causing drafts or cold spots. It also means that humid interior air cannot enter the walls and condense.

Icynene is water-based, and does not produce formaldehyde, CFCs or HCFCs. The company says it has been extensively tested in both Canada and the United States and found to have no harmful emissions.

The Icynene Insulation System has been selected for use in the American Lung Association Health House projects and it is also an Envirodesic Certification product. The Envirodesic certification mark is licensed to qualified builders, manufacturers and service-providers whose buildings, products and services meet stringent standards for healthy indoor environments.

BASF Corporation (Wyandotte, Mich.) Urethanes Division has launched the BASF Engineered Building Envelope System. This important new approach is based on the use of engineered — or site-specific — urethane construction materials. These materials are used to create individual components of the system that are assembled to provide insulation and air barrier system continuity throughout the building envelope — in the walls, on the roof and at all construction joints.

The BASF engineered building envelope system meets all applicable building and energy code requirements. One of its key components is the BASF Walltite insulating air barrier system, which uses spray polyurethane foam (SPF), combined with primers and transition membranes, to form the vertical wall component of the building envelope system. Its closed-cell rigid formulation creates an effective air barrier and provides the highest level of thermal insulation, the company says. BASF’s ZONE3 is a zero ozone-depleting SPF and blowing agent technology.

Evaluating Environmental Attributes

When evaluating the most relevant attributes of an environmentally preferable insulation product, the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) suggest that specifiers should consider using a “cradle to grave” approach. This means considering a fuller range of life-cycle characteristics, including:

• Energy Efficiency

• Environmental Impact of Raw Material Acquisition

• Packaging and Transportation

• Product Performance

• Use and Reuse

• Recycled Content

NAIMA is the association for North American manufacturers of fiber glass, rock wool and slag wool insulation, promoting energy efficiency and environmental preservation through the use of these products, and to encourage safe production and use. To learn more, visit www.naima.org.