Decisions about insulation are among the most important you will make relative to the environmental impact of buildings. Because insulation reduces the energy consumption, it provides ongoing environmental benefits throughout a building’s life. However, not all insulation materials are equal environmentally.
In assessing the environmental characteristics of insulation materials, we need to consider a broad range of issues relating to the resources going into their production, manufacturing processes, pollutants given off during their lifecycle, durability, recyclability, and impact on indoor air quality. This article addresses the primary lifecycle concerns of various insulation materials and provides comparisons between both existing and new materials.
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