Health &
Habitat
Insulation
Today we can find on the market different kind of insulation materials:
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Mineral (Rockwool, Glass wool)
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Vegetal (Cork, Hemp, Coco fibre)
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Animal (Sheep wool)
Mineral
The manufacturing process for rock wool and glass wool is particularly energy hungry and this has to be taken into account for the life cycle of a house. The mineral fibres used to be shaped into batts with formaldehyde based binding agent, nowadays we can find on the market batts made with bio-soluble fibres held together with an acrylic based binding agent. It is necessary to use a steam barrier in conjunction with mineral batts.
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Vegetal
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Cork is the bark of the cork oak, growing mainly in Portugal, the bark is stripped from the trunk in nine years cycles. Expanded cork insulation boards are often used externally, they are permeable to humidity. It is not a product that can be mass produced to compete with industrial insulation materials, but it is an environmentally friendly and very healthy product that can be well worth the investment.
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Hemp is another vegetal insulation product which has become more prevalent in the last few years, Hemplime or Hempcrete is composed of hemp wood, the woody core of the stem, and lime as a binding agent which acts as a biocide and makes the walls naturally mould and pest free. Hemplime has been used for a long time in Europe and is now available in Australia. It provides both excellent insulation and heat inertia. Its greatest advantage is that it allows the transfer of moisture, thus eliminate the need for a steam barrier, and allows house to breathe.
Animal
Sheep wool has excellent insulating properties, its production and processing have a relatively low impact on the environment. The batts or rolls are shaped with a binding agent, usually polyester, to ensure that the batts keep their shape and thickness.
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© (The Holistic House- a sanctuary for health and wellbeing) Jean-Marie Gobet
Published by Health & Habitat Pty. Ltd