Metal Building Insulation: It’s Sustainable!

by hanna_kowal | September 1, 2024 3:27 pm

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Sustainable development requires an integrated approach that takes into consideration environmental concerns along with economic development.

In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Today, there are almost 140 developing countries in the world seeking ways of meeting their development needs, but with the increasing threat of climate change, concrete efforts must be made to ensure development today does not negatively affect future generations.

The design and construction industries thrive through growth and development. In tandem with growth, industry professionals must consider the environmental and natural resource impacts. Focusing on using materials and systems that will help save energy and resources is a strong way to support sustainable design.

Recycled materials

Manufacturing fiberglass is environmentally friendly because it is created from recycled glass—sometimes more than 50 percent of its raw materials are recycled. According to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), using recycled glass reduces the demand on virgin resources, saves landfill space, and diverts glass containers and slag from the solid waste stream. Since the industry’s recycling program began in 1992, NAIMA members’ facilities have diverted more than 103.5 billion pounds of recycled materials from the waste stream. The dual benefit is that a tremendous amount of discarded material is melted down and spun into fiberglass that will further improve the environment by reducing energy demands and carbon/greenhouse gas emissions while economically insulating the buildings and equipment used daily.

Return on investment

The cost of energy is a big concern for building owners; however, the cost to the environment must also be measured. The energy consumption used in making and distributing fiberglass offers excellent returns. Another study reported by NAIMA states that “a typical pound of fiberglass and rock and slag wool insulation saves twelve times as much energy in its first year in place as the energy used to produce it.” That is merely the impact on the carbon footprint. The resulting substantial energy bill savings are also an important benefit.

Fiberglass improvements

The manufacturers of fiberglass are committed to the future and to investing in finding better ways and greener products. Manufacturer improvements on fiberglass insulation include:

• Engineering improvements, such as the elimination of formaldehyde from its products.
• Refining fiberglass to make it less “itchy” and easier to handle.
• Testing and improving the consistency of R-values and performance in limited cavity spacings.
• Increasing the amount of recycled glass used in its creation.
• Eliminating waste by reengineering manufacturing processes to incorporate fiberglass production scrap back into the primary production process, or to reprocess it into other products.
• Using compressed packaging to cut energy requirements for transportation by allowing more insulation to be shipped in each truck.

Now and into the future, industry professionals need to economize on the use and consumption of natural resources and energy. Fiberglass is a tried-and-true performer to preserve both.

 

This article was written by a task force from the National Insulation Association’s (NIA’s) Metal Building Laminator Committee. The member companies that make up this committee include Bay Insulation Systems, Inc. (www.bayinsulation.com[2]); DAW Construction Group, LLC (www.dawcg.com[3]); The E.J. Davis Company (www.ejdavis.com[4]); International Insulation Products, LLC (www.iiproducts.com[5]); L&L Insulations (www.llinsulation.com[6]); Silvercote, A Service Partners Company (www.silvercote.com[7]); and Therm-All, Inc. (www.therm-all.com[8]).

This article was reprinted with permission and was originally published in the September 2024 issue of Insulation Outlook magazine, copyright © 2024 National Insulation Association (NIA), all rights reserved. Since 1953, NIA has been the voice of the insulation industry and is dedicated to keeping the commercial and industrial insulation industry up to date on the latest industry trends and technologies. For more information, visit www.insulation.org or email niainfo@insulation.org. Learn more about metal building insulation at www.insulatemetalbuildings.org[9].

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/features/building-insulation/

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