Insulation and Sustainability

The use of existing energy-efficiency technologies, such as insulation, are fundamental to successful sustainable development, as regards both the production and consumption of energy. Manufacturers of fiber glass and rock and slag wool insulation are actively engaged in efforts to reduce emissions, demand for natural resources and energy use at its manufacturing plants.

These reductions are realized through improvements in energy efficiency (maximized insulation usage), reductions in actual emissions through control technologies, and greater reliance on recycled materials and rapidly renewable raw materials. However, lack of knowledge and bias prevent some decision makers from appreciating that not all energy savings available from the application of insulation technologies have yet been realized and that much greater cost-effective energy efficiency can still be achieved.

Click here to read more on sustainability and insulation.

Energy Efficiency Codes Coalition The Energy Efficient Codes Coalition is a broad-based alliance working to increase energy efficiency in the International Energy Conservation Code by 30 percent. The EECC's package of proposals - "The 30% Solution" - is being considered in the ICC development process and is available for state adoption already. Click here to visit the EECC website.

Highlighted Publications

Fiber Glass and Rock & Slag Wool Insulation and LEED

This fact sheet provides information on how fiber glass and rock & slag wool insulation can contribute to points for LEED New Construction, Existing  Buildings and the Homes Pilot.

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Play it Smart, Play it Safe - DVD (English/Spanish)

This worker training tool is a 15-minute DVD designed to provide important information in a fun and entertaining way to contractors and workers who handle fiber glass, rock and slag wool (synthetic vitreous fiber) insulation products.

Rock and Slag Wool Insulation: Sustainable Choices for Conserving Energy and Preserving the Environment

This brochure provides detailed information on how rock and slag wool insulation products are made, their performance attributes and how these products help conserve energy and minimize environmental impact from the built environment. 

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NAIMA I.Q. Award NAIMA Honors Idaho’s Hansen-Rice with Quality Award. Click here to learn more.

International Agency for Research on Cancer finds "no evidence of lung cancer or of mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the body cavities) from occupational exposures during manufacture of [man-made vitreous fibres], and inadequate evidence overall of any cancer risk."

For more information about the IARC decision, click here.

NAIMA offers these references on the health and safety aspects of fiber glass and rock and slag wool:

Facts #62: Health and Safety Facts for Fiber Glass Download now! HTML |PDF (86 KB) Order printed copies from Literature Library (N040)		Facts #63: Health and Safety Facts for Rock and Slag Wool Download now! HTML |PDF (86 KB) Order printed copies from Literature Library (N041)