Insulation to future proof properties?

Suria Ramnarain, Sales Development Manager at Knauf Insulation [www.knaufinsulation.co.za ], argues the case for the use of mineral wool insulation.

Knauf

Installing mineral wool insulation prevents energy loss and improves sustainability.

Insulation has long been a key part of the sustainability strategy for buildings in Europe; but has not been widely adopted in warmer climates such as South Africa. This changed with the introduction of regulatory requirements such as SANS 10400 XA and SANS 1544:2014.

The update to SANS 10400 XA sets out the R-value for construction elements of new buildings and extensions designed for human occupancy depending on a building’s use and location. An R-value is a measure of thermal performance based on how a material or buildup resists heat transfer. The R-value set for five of South Africa’s seven zones will require properties to be built with a minimum 50mm cavity (an air gap) for concrete and external masonry walls.

The greatest proportion of energy loss from heating or cooling a property without insulation takes place through its roof and external walls. While use of insulation in a property’s roof is fairly well established in South Africa, adding it to its walls is less common.

According to research by the Clay Brick Association and the University of Pretoria, simply adding a cavity to a property reduces energy consumption by 30%. Installing insulation into that cavity reduces it by 70%. But insulation isn’t only reserved for use in masonry cavity walls, it can also be used for other build-ups such as metal or timber frame walls, to improve the energy efficiency of a property.

Energy Performance Certificates will soon be used for domestic properties Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), (in line with SANS 1544:2014) are designed to provide owners and tenants with information about how energy-efficient a building is. This gives an indication of how costly a building will be to cool, heat and light before occupation. It is displayed in a similar format to ratings for domestic appliances, with A being the most energy-efficient and G the least. It is expected that once EPCs are adopted for commercial premises, they will be rolled out to domestic properties.

Research by the University of Cambridge found that UK dwellings with the highest EPC bands A and B sold for 14% more than those with a G rating. This demonstrates that designing and constructing buildings to secure good EPC ratings pays dividends.

Insulation plays an important role in securing a good EPC rating by preventing heat flow from warm areas to

100 cold areas, reducing the energy needed to cool or heat a property.

Different products are designed to perform in different ways. For example, a 100mm thick mineral wool slab for masonry cavity walls has an R-value of 1.93 m 2 K/W, while a 100mm mineral wool roll for light steel frame walls has an R-value of 2.38 m 2 K/W. The cavity wall insulation has a lower R-value because the masonry construction will contribute to the thermal performance.

Mineral wool a great at reducing noise However, the reduced mass of metal or timber frame walls means that insulation will also need a higher level of acoustic performance. Mineral wool insulation is particularly good at reducing noise because it has an open structure, which traps sound between the individual strands and turns it into heat energy. As a result, when acoustic mineral wool is used in walls, ceilings or floors, sound transmission is reduced resulting in quieter rooms for occupants.

But not all insulation is the same and will reduce noise. For example, rigid foam boards have closed cell structures offering virtually no sound absorption.

Mineral wool insulation helps prevent heat loss in cold weather and heat gain in hot weather.

Cutaway showing mineral wool insulation in a masonry cavity wall build-up.

They are more prone to air gaps, which reduces both acoustic and thermal performance. Also, certain types of mineral wool such as loft roll provide excellent thermal performance, but do not have the high levels of sound insulation required.

Excellent fire retardant Another area that’s becoming increasingly important is fire resistance. When adding insulation, it’s important not to compromise. Unfaced mineral wool offers the best in class Euroclass A1 Reaction to Fire Classification, which means that it will not contribute to the spread or development of fire should it occur.

Ultimately, designing and building properties that meet the requirements of SANS 10400 XA and are EPCready makes good business sense. Adding mineral wool into external cavity walls will provide occupants with safer, more comfortable living and working conditions, as well as lower energy bills – and will make the property more marketable too.

THINK PINK THIS SUMMER

Summer is here and all of a sudden air conditioners are starting to drip outside and the sound of electric fans cloud our thinking. It helps, but the level of comfort is still not ideal, not to mention the shocker of an electricity bill that you expect to see at the end of the month. With the growing energy crisis, it is important for us to be mindful of how we manage indoor temperatures, and the impact that mechanical cooling has on our health. Air conditioners are some of the number one culprits when it comes to the spread of airborne illnesses. A typical un-insulated home gains or loses up to 35% of its energy through the ceiling which results in a home that is uncomfortably hot in summer, and frosty in winter. If you are using mechanical intervention to cool and warm your home, you could be looking at saving up to 35%* of your electricity bill if you keep the heat, or the cold, inside! ISOVER’s Aerolite insulates your ceiling and dramatically slows down heat loss and gain, resulting in a comfortable home. Aerolite offers a payback in less than 2 years* thanks to the home’s reduced energy requirements with continued savings thereafter. Aerolite is a thermal and acoustic glass wool ceiling insulation that has been manufactured, known and trusted in the South-African market for more than 60 years. It maintains a comfortable living environment, keeping you cooler in summer, warmer in winter and safer, quieter, friendlier and happier all year round. consumed and CO 2 emitted from manufacturing, transporting and disposing – so you are on the right side of a sustainable future. Aerolite blankets are easy and safe to install, supplied in resilient, fl exible compression packed rolls for easy maneuvering and cutting inside your roof, ideal for the DIY enthusiast, but you can also get in touch with an installer if you’re a do-it-for-me kind of person. Since November 2011 the South-African building regulations prescribe that all new homes are required to have a certain level of insulation in their roofs to meet specifi c performance requirements. Think Pink Aerolite has been South-Africa’s number 1 choice in ceiling insulation since 1937, and will guarantee performance for the lifespan of your home, keep you and your family comfortable, without putting pressure on the electricity grid. * For more information visit our website on

www.aerolite.co.za | www.isover.co.za or contact the Isover Technical Department 0860 ISOVER (476837) THINK PINK THIS SUMMER TO KEEP YOUR HOME COOL! Benefi ts: ◗ Certifi ed non-combustible ◗ Locally manufactured ◗ Superior thermal performance ◗ Easy to handle and install ◗ Sound absorption qualities ◗ Made from recycled glass Summer is here and all of a sudden air conditioners are starting to drip outside and the sound of electric fans cloud our thinking. It helps, but the level of comfort is still not ideal, not to mention the shocker of an electricity bill that you expect to see at the end of the month. With the growing energy crisis, it is important for us to be mindful of how we manage indoor temperatures, and the impact that mechanical cooling has on our health. Air conditioners are some of the number one culprits when it comes to the spread of airborne illnesses. A typical un-insulated home gains or loses up to 35% of its energy through the ceiling which results in a home that is uncomfortably hot in summer, and frosty in winter. If you are using mechanical intervention to cool and warm your home, you could be looking at saving up to 35%* of your electricity bill if you keep the heat, or the cold, inside! ISOVER’s Aerolite insulates your ceiling and dramatically slows down heat loss and gain, resulting in a comfortable home. Aerolite offers a payback in less than 2 years* thanks to the home’s reduced energy requirements with continued savings thereafter. Aerolite is a thermal and acoustic glass wool ceiling insulation that has been manufactured, known and trusted in the South-African market for more than 60 years. It maintains a comfortable living environment, keeping you cooler in summer, warmer in winter and safer, quieter, consumed and CO 2 emitted from manufacturing, transporting and disposing – so you are on the right side of a sustainable future. Aerolite blankets are easy and safe to install, supplied in resilient, fl exible compression packed rolls for easy maneuvering and cutting inside your roof, ideal for the DIY enthusiast, but you can also get in touch with an installer if you’re a do-it-for-me kind of person. Since November 2011 the South-African building regulations prescribe that all new homes are required to have a certain level of insulation in their roofs to meet specifi c performance requirements. Think Pink Aerolite has been South-Africa’s number 1 choice in ceiling insulation since 1937, and will guarantee performance for the lifespan of your home, keep you and your family comfortable, without putting pressure on the electricity grid. * For more information visit our website on

www.aerolite.co.za | www.isover.co.za or contact the Isover Technical Department 0860 ISOVER (476837) TO KEEP YOUR HOME COOL! Benefi ts: ◗ Certifi ed non-combustible ◗ Locally manufactured ◗ Superior thermal performance ◗ Easy to handle and install ◗ Sound absorption qualities ◗ Made from recycled glass

Aerolite is the safer option; unlike many competitive products that are combustible, Aerolite is a certifi ed non-combustible product which means it won’t burn, smoke, or melt in a fi re. It is made of 80% recycled glass and our factory based in Springs, Gauteng is CFC and HCFC free and saves more than 100X the energy friendlier and happier all year round. Aerolite is the safer option; unlike many competitive products that are combustible, Aerolite is a certifi ed non-combustible product which means it won’t burn, smoke, or melt in a fi re. It is made of 80% recycled glass and our factory based in Springs, Gauteng is CFC and HCFC free and saves more than 100X the energy