Green Insulation

Picture Comment - An Arizona company, Bonded Logic, makes batt form building insulation from old blue jeans. The insulation, called UltraTouch, does not itch, contains no formaldehyde or harmful irritants, and requires no protective clothing to install. It is treated with environmentally sound chemicals to make it fire and mold resistant. http://www.bondedlogic.com/

Today is our birthday, our very first post on this blog. Wish us luck, and please be our regular readers and participants in the many future discussions we are to have on this very important and interesting subject, the subject of Green Living.

Let us be your guiding green light.

Thank You,
Kiko


Some time ago there was a question posted from a reader on Mother Earth News, regarding green insulation. We thought that this may be an interesting read for all of you that missed it, and are interested in the subject.

What's the best type of "green" insulation?

— Lillian Kirby
New York, New York

There are several good alternatives to fiberglass insulation if you want a “green” product to insulate the addition.

Insulation made from recycled denim is treated with a fire retardant. It’s not made of used fabric but scraps from the manufacturing process. In general, growing cotton is tough on the environment because of the heavy use of pesticides, so this may not be the best option, although it’s a good use of otherwise wasted material.

Wool insulation provides an option that is natural and renewable. Although wool is flame resistant naturally, it is subject to insect damage. So the insulation is usually treated with boron to deter insects. But boron is a naturally occurring element and not known to be carcinogenic.

Cellulose insulation is probably your best bet. It’s made from 80% recycled newspaper, and the chemicals that hold it together do not use formaldehyde. Fire-retardant chemicals are also necessary to make the product safe. R-values of fiberglass, wool cellulose are similar, but can vary significantly based on a number of factors. Cellulose insulation is more affordable than wool insulation, too.

Don’t overlook Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) as an option for building the new addition. SIPs are basically slabs of polystyrene sandwiched between two sheets of oriented strand board (OSB). Because the polystyrene allows very little air to pass through the walls, they produce a super-insulated structure.

— Troy Griepentrog, associate editor (Mother Earth News)