Insulation?

jackplane · 30 Dec 2008

Hiya all,

Can anyone suggest an eco-friendly type of insulation to use underneath the ground floor slab when installing raft foundations?

I'm not intending to do this by the way its for a college assignment!

Many Thanks

Jack

hotrod · 30 Dec 2008

Hi Jackplane. How do you define "eco-friendly"? I'm no environmental scientist but I would have thought it would have to be degradable to be classed as "eco-friendly" yes/no? A degradable insulation material that has to be used under a ground floor slab may cause problems.....

jackplane · 30 Dec 2008

Hi hotrod,

Thanks for the reply...I have considered the degradable issues you mentioned and have found this web site:

http://www.greenspec.co.uk/html/materials/insulation.html

Would any of these products be suitable? They seem to be more suitable for walls, roofs and cavitys, but what about the cellulose bats?

I was particulary looking for any type of insullation which is naturally produced rather than manufactured and therefore causes the least environmental impact in its manufacturing stage and is also sustainable.

Thanks again Jack

hotrod · 30 Dec 2008

jackplane said:
http://www.greenspec.co.uk/html/materials/insulation.html

Would any of these products be suitable? They seem to be more suitable for walls, roofs and cavitys, but what about the cellulose bats?

Yes, they aren't suitable for under slab applications. The cellulose bats don't appear to be suitable either

Durability: Performance can be compromised if brought into contact with moisture.

The 3 main players in slab insulation are kingspan, celotex, and jablite. I've not found much in the way of environmentally friendly products but have a look at these links:-

Jablite EPS
Celotex

jackplane · 30 Dec 2008

Thanks Hotrod,

Brilliant!...The Celotex site is really well set out, they mention all the buzz words that sould hopefully help me to get a good mark!

Thanks once again for your help.

Jack

^woody^ · 30 Dec 2008

The eco-friendly way would be to have a suspended timber floor, from sustainable forests, and then use any of the eco-friendly insulation materials (wool or paper etc) between the joists.

In your assignment, mention that "eco-friendly" for 99% of people is merely a token gesture. In this case, you will source an eco friendly product for insulation, but most likely no consider the impact by use of concrete or other building materials, or the actual excavation and disposal off-site.

If you are really considering the environment, then you have to consider all factors and design and construct as a whole not just by choosing certain products

Celotex and similar PIR and PUR foams do have a significant eco-impact by virtue of their manufacture. But is this eco-cost mitigated by their excellent insulation values over the lifetime of the building? Something to consider

jackplane · 30 Dec 2008

Thanks Woody,

Unfortunatly a suspended timber floor is not possible as dictated by the examining board!

For the assignment basically I am considering all of the materials used within the construction of the foundations...cement, aggregates, hardcore, insulation etc and discussing each items performance in use and environmental impact.

I have taken this a bit further by considering the embodied energy of each item from manufacture to site, as it were. Which I think is what you are saying.

I came a bit un stuck with the insullation as although I am familiar with the products (kingspan etc) I wasn't really sure what they were made of

Thanks for your help!!!

Jack

^woody^ · 30 Dec 2008

I am sure that you are aware that production/processing costs and travel to site can cause the impact to the environment. So local quarries and manufacture, and simple production methods and reuse of demolished buildings are the best.

Remember to add that although we may have some extensive quarrying, when the quarry is reverted back to nature - this can have a positive eco effect - possibly better than what it was before.

I'm not sure if this raft design is absolute, but if load bearing insulation is not a requirement then most eco-insualtion can be incorporated one way or another, and the raft design adjusted to suit - eg insulation above the raft.

IIRC, there is a UK and Irish green building forum, which tends to pop up in google searhes,

hotrod · 30 Dec 2008

^woody^ said:
I'm not sure if this raft design is absolute, but if load bearing insulation is not a requirement then most eco-insualtion can be incorporated one way or another, and the raft design adjusted to suit - eg insulation above the raft.

I was thinking along the same lines Woody, over slab "eco" insulation then float some timber/P5 T+G on top, but then took the "under slab" requirement as an absolute. You could always offer the "over slab" insulation solution as an alternative Jackplane, which would then allow you to incorporate a "full fat" eco insulation

jackplane · 30 Dec 2008

I like that idea...the full fat one! By using the insulation over the slab it would give me greater flexability with regards to the insulation type.

Back to the drawing board!

Cheers for all the help guys...

New years resolution number 1: Dont leave all assignments till the last minute so I have to spent all holiday catching up!

I'll let you know how I get on............

jeds · 31 Dec 2008

jackplane said:
...I am considering all of the materials used within the construction of the foundations...cement, aggregates, hardcore, insulation etc and discussing each items performance in use and environmental impact.

Don't forget to include an analysis of demolition, disposal and possible recycling/reuse.

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Insulation?

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