Insulating the Future: Reducing Embodied & Operational Carbon with Next-Generation All-Wood Insulation

Insulation products are unique among construction materials, because their essential function is to reduce the operational space heating and cooling energy demands of buildings. However, 90 percent of the insulation currently available on the market consists of plastic foam, fiberglass or mineral wool, which are non-recyclable and made from the very fossil fuel resources they are intended to conserve. Innovative, renewable and cost-effective insulation products are now entering the market. This session will explore the next generation of insulation made from wood fiber, including how it is made, its performance characteristics, life cycle benefits and construction applications.

Session Speaker(s): 

Matthew O'Malia

Session Chair(s): 

Tristan Grant
Nick Shaw

Event Time: 

Thursday, September 24, 2020 - 9:00am to 10:00am

Experience Level: 

1 (no prior experience/knowledge needed)

CEU Information: 

AIA 1.0 LU/HSW
BPI 1.0 hour
GBCI BD+C, ID+C, WELL 1.0 hour

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand existing insulation products available on the market and understand how they are manufactured and how they perform from a thermal and moisture management standpoint
  • Understand current building codes relative to the required energy performance in various climate zones, moisture management in wall assemblies and the allowable insulation options based on fire code
  • Understand how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to determine the CO2eq footprint of the various insulation products on the market and determine the relative climate impact of each of the options
  • Understand the carbon footprint of various insulation products in a full building LCA model to understand the impact the insulation choice has on a building’s carbon footprint for code compliant and passive house construction

Session ID: 

NYC20-119

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