Insulation materials chart

Thermal properties and

environmental ratings
CE71
78446 EST CE71 EcoBuild 4pp-V3:EST 20/08/2010 09:32 Page 1
Domestic insulation materials
03 Insulation materials chart
The performance of insulation materials is
key to any low energy homes strategy,
whether designing, specifying and building
a new house, or refurbishing an existing
dwelling. Fabric insulation measures
should always be considered before
services and renewable energy generation.
The domestic insulation market has
recently seen the development of
innovative high performance aerogel and
vacuum panel insulants, as well as
multifoil products
1
. Alongside these
developments more traditional products
have continued to evolve, with grey EPS
and soy-based Polyurethane offering
higher thermal performance and greater
environmental sustainability respectively.
Monolithic insulants such as hemp-lime
or straw bale construction offer alternative
options to those wishing to meet the
heightened thermal requirements of
national building regulations.
Insulation materials chart
This chart details the thermal
conductivities, environmental ratings and
typical applications of insulation materials
available in the UK. It is designed as an
aid to specification. Note that the coloured
cells indicate only the most common uses
the fact a cell is blank does not
necessarily mean that the type of
insulation is not used for the application.
The properties of any selected product
should be checked prior to final
specification. When selecting an
insulation material consideration should
be given to the materials fire, acoustic,
moisture and environmental credentials
along with the thermal performance of the
product within the construction context.
Insulation materials chart 02
Key: coloured cells indicate common uses.
1. Multifoil products work by reflecting radiated heat back into
the internal space, and unlike other insulants are not
assessed via a hot box test. For this reason their thermal
conductivity is less crucial as a performance characteristic.
Total wall thickness to achieve U=0.25 W/m
2
K is 380mm and
includes 85mm supplementary PU (pentane) insulation.
2. The environmental ratings of different types of insulation
(with A+ being the best) have been taken from the latest
assessments in BREs Green Guide to Specification. Using Life
Cycle Assessment, the impacts associated with extraction,
manufacture, transport and disposal sometimes referred to
as embodied impacts have been evaluated. The comparison
between materials is on the basis of similar thermal
resistance, rather than mass or volume.
3. U-values calculated based on 9 solid brick wall, internally
applied insulation (with battens and/or air gap where
appropriate) and 12.5mm plasterboard. Fixings and air
movement accounted for in calculated figures. All thicknesses
rounded to nearest 5mm.
4. The thermal conductivity ranges are the minimum and
maximum obtained from the thermal conductivity values
declared by UK manufacturers (or suppliers) and those given
in the European Thermal Values publication. (Final report to the
Thermal Values Group (March 1999) submitted to DG XII of the
European Commission).
5. The effect of low emissivity surfaces has been included in
U-value calculations.
6. Monolithic insulant thicknesses quoted exclude external
render and internal plastered finish.
7. Flexible thermal linings are thin layers designed to be
applied directly to a solid wall, prior to finishes. A solid wall
with 10mm flexible thermal lining will achieve a U-value of
approximately 1.5W/m
2
K.
Insulation Materials Chart
Range of Thermal Conductivities
4
(W/mK)
Lower numbers indicate better thermal performance
Typical Applications
Roofs Walls Floors
0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08
Highest performance
Vacuum Insulated Panels - 30 0.008
Aerogel - 50-55
Polyurethane (PU)
Polyurethane with pentane up to 32kg/m
3
A 105-115 0.027 0.03
Polyurethane soy-based - 100-145 0.026 0.038
Foil-faced Polyurethane with pentane up to 32kg/m
3
A 75
5
0.02
Polyurethane with CO2 - 130 0.035
In-situ applied Polyurethane (sprayed or injected) - 80-100
Polyisocyanurate (PIR)
Polyisocyanurate up to 32kg/m
3
A 95-105
Foil-faced polyisocyanurate up to 32kg/m
3
A 80-85
5
In-situ applied polyisocyanurate (sprayed) - 80-100
Phenolic foam (PF)
Phenolic foam - 80-95
Foil-faced phenolic foam - 75-85
5
Expanded Polystyrene
(EPS)
Expanded Polystyrene up to 30kg/m
3
A+ 115-165 0.03 0.045
Expanded Polystyrene with graphite (grey) - 115-120
Extruded Polystyrene
(XPS)
Extruded Polystyrene with CO2 - 95-140 0.025 0.037
Extruded Polystyrene with HFC 35kg/m
3
E 110-120 0.029 0.031
Wool and fibre
Glass wool [up to 48kg/m
3
] A+ 135-180 0.03 0.044
Glass wool [equal/greater than 48kg/m
3
] - 155 0.036
Stone wool [less than 160kg/m
3
] B to A+ 150-160
Stone wool [160kg/m
3
] C 160-170 0.037 0.040
Sheeps wool [25kg/m
3
] A 150-215 0.034 0.054
Cellulose fibre [dry blown 24kg/m
3
] A+ 150-190 0.035 0.046
Alternative
- 165 0.039
Polyester fibre - 150-180 0.035 0.044
Wood fibre (WF) - 145-225 0.039 0.061
Hemp lime (monolithic) - 260
6
0.067
Cotton - 165-170 0.039 0.04
Cork [120kg/m
3
] A 155-200 0.041 0.055
Vermiculite - 235 0.039 0.06
Perlite (expanded) board - 190 0.051
Celular glass (CG) C-D 140-185 0.038 0.05
Flexible thermal linings - n/a
7
0.04 0.063
Strawboard [420kg/m
3
] C 295 0.081
Straw bale (monolithic) A 175-235
6
0.047 0.063
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78446 EST CE71 EcoBuild 4pp-V3:EST 20/08/2010 09:32 Page 2
CE71
Technical terms explained
Also known as
Lambda [], or
as k-value
A standardised measure of how easily heat flows through any specific material, which is independent of material
thickness.
The lower the number, the better the thermal performance.
Provides a quick way to easily compare to thermal performance of different insulants.
Units are Watts per metre Kelvin W/mK.
Example The thermal conductivity of Aerogel insulation is 0.013 W/mK.
The thermal conductivity of brick is 0.077 W/mK.
Also known as
R-value
A measure of how much heat loss is reduced through a given thickness of any specific material.
The thermal resistance of a
material is calculated from:
To compare two insulants with different thicknesses and thermal conductivities, calculate the R-value for each.
The higher the number, the better the thermal performance.
For materials in series, these thermal resistances (unlike conductivities) can simply be added to give a thermal
resistance for the whole.
Units are metres squared Kelvin per Watt (m
2
K/W).
Example The thermal resistance of 9mm Aerogel insulation is 0.0009/0.013 = 0.69m
2
K/W.
The thermal resistance of a 220mm solid brick wall is 0.022/0.077 = 0.29m
2
K/W.
The total thermal resistance of the two materials together is 0.69 + 0.29 = 0.98m
2
K/W.
Also known as
thermal
transmittance
A measure of how much heat is lost through a given thickness of any specific material, which includes conduction,
convection and radiation.
The U-value of a material (or several materials in series, e.g. brick and insulation in a wall) is calculated by taking
the reciprocal of the R-value (i.e. 1/R-value), and adding convection and radiation heat losses.
Repeating thermal bridging (e.g. wall ties) is also included.
In practice this is a complex calculation, and so using U-value calculation software (most SAP software packages,
e.g. Build Desk, have a U-value calculator included within them) is recommended.
The lower the number, the better the thermal performance.
Units are Watts per metre squared Kelvin (W/m
2
K).
Example The thermal transmittance of 9mm of Aerogel insulation on a 220mm solid brick wall is 1/0.98 + convection and radiation
losses + repeating thermal bridging losses from fixings.
Using U-value calculation software, the thermal transmittance was calculated as 0.94 W/m
2
K.
R =
l
where
l is the thickness in metres and
is the thermal conductivity in W/mK
Thermal
Conductivity
Thermal
Resistance
U-value
Energy Saving Trust, 21 Dartmouth Street, London SW1H 9BP Tel 0845 120 7799 Fax 0845 120 7789
bestpractice@est.org.uk energysavingtrust.org.uk/housing
CE71 Energy Saving Trust April 2004. Revised August 2010. E&OE
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This publication (including any drawings forming part of it) is intended for general guidance only and not as a substitute for the application of professional expertise. Any figures used are indicative
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