RoughDesigns

What is the Carbon Content of Insulation?

How much energy is embedded in the insulation?

or

Which is the GREENEST insulation? 

 
It Depends:  
Tired of hearing that yet?

I'll provide the backup info for these rankings when I've got the time.

Carbon Content
Low to High, Good to Bad: 
Cellulose
Fiberglass
Rock Wool *
Everything you'll likely never use, cork, jeans, cotton, soybean paste.....
Foam:  Note:  The Carbon recovery or pay back time for foam in over 20 years for optimal amounts, if super insulating, it can run over 40 years.

Energy Embedded
Low to High, Good to Bad
Cellulose
Fiberglass
Rockwool *
All the others........
Foam

Cost
Low to High, Good to Bad
Cellulose
Fiberglass
Rockwool
Foam
All the other's you'll probably never use.

Indoor Pollutants
Low to High, Good to Bad
Several of the ones you're likely to never use are made to be nearly pollutant free, one is pollution free, vacum panels, but all these costly albeit usefull when this is the over riding concern.
Rockwool
Fiberglass
Cellulose (with admixes for insect and fire resistance)
Foam

***** Rockwool and Fiberglass are close together for embedded energy and carbon, a bit further apart on price, but Rockwool is far more durable and very resistant to damage from moisture.
***** Rockwool also comes in high density "board" that is comparable to foam's R value, but is heavier, however that weight allows it to significantly reduce sound transmission.
Super Insulation 
   DOES NOT EQUAL
Foam - Insulation
 
Nothing is that easy.

Click Here

For a ton of information on wrapping your building in foam.

FPSF -

Experiences w/

Old House Rehab

 

It is saving me the $40,000 or so it would cost to underpin the house, install a foundation and insulate it.  Nor would this have addressed the rim joist, a major source of heat loss.

 

For those concerned with vermin and bugs, termites, etc. in the skirt.  I've had one element in 3 yrs, in a vermin and bug heavy area, with only a few spiders taking up residence.  I suspect in addtion to being pretty well sealed, it's dry and foodless.

 

We have noticed that we no longer have ants invading the kitchen every spring, and flies infesting the area outside the kitchen in the summer.  There might even be fewer mice.

 

In addition, the boxout is a great ledge for planters at a real easy height to maintain, with the plants and flowers visible from inside.

 

I'm going to try some parsely and carrots that we can't grow in the garden, the moles keep eating them.

 

(Click Here For More)