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APPOINTMENTS & NEWS XXX
Wood fi bre insulation: Is it suitable for mainstream housebuilding?
Y
es, wood fi bre insulation is suitable for mainstream housebuilding. It can be used to insulate the walls, fl oors and roof, and is
available in air-injected or rigid board form. It is formed from at least 80% wood fi bre and
this naturally derived raw material comes from PEFC certifi ed forests. Insulants like wood fi bre are often seen as materials suitable for projects whose main focus is sustainability but that is changing fast.
HOW CAN WOOD FIBRE INSULATION HELP REDUCE EMBODIED CARBON FOR MAINSTREAM HOUSEBUILDING? With the government’s target for the UK to become net zero by 2050, there’s an increasing pressure on housebuilders to play their part in reducing the embodied carbon of new homes. Embodied carbon is currently unregulated,
even though it makes up 20% of the UK’s built environment emissions. However, there is growing talk of legislation being introduced to regulate embodied carbon – and the
construction industry has already drafted a potential Approved Document called ‘Part Z’.
HOW WOOD FIBRE INSULATION CAN HELP REDUCE EMBODIED CARBON When developers need to determine the carbon contribution of construction materials as a measure of their sustainability, they look at each product’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Due to its composition, wood fi bre insulation can contribute to climate protection making it a viable option when looking to reduce embodied carbon. On top of this, its insulation properties can help increase the energy effi ciency of a building and reduce its associated carbon emissions.
HOW WOOD FIBRE INSULATION CAN HELP MITIGATE OVERHEATING Wood fi bre insulation doesn’t just keep the heat in during the colder months. It can also help to keep heat out during hot summer days and evenings.
Wood fi bre insulation is characterised by a
high raw density. This means it can off er greater resistance to heat radiation due to its higher heat storage capacity.
HOW DOES WOOD FIBRE INSULATION HELP HOUSEBUILDERS WITH MOISTURE CONTROL? Control of moisture in buildings is a requirement of ‘Approved Document C: Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture’ of the building regulations. The document references the standard BS 5250:2021 Management of moisture in buildings. Wood fi bre insulation materials are diff usion open allowing water vapour to safely pass through the material. Vapour control layers (VCLs) are used to help control the level of internal moisture entering the building fabric.
HOW CAN WOOD FIBRE INSULATION CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED INDOOR AIR QUALITY? As we spend 90% of our time indoors, and the average Brit spends 53 years of their life inside it’s important that the indoor environment is one that promotes health and wellbeing. There is a pressure on housebuilders to ensure that new stock does not suff er the same fate as existing stock in the future. Due to its density and composition, wood
fi bre insulation helps to keep noise pollution out of the home. Dense batts are used to insulate between timber studs, joists or rafters. These batts reduce the risks of gaps in the building fabric which can lead to cold spots and condensation issues. This helps to maintain the thermal integrity of the insulation layer. To fi nd out more about wood fi bre insulations and how they can benefi t mainstream housing developments contact STEICO’s expert team for advice.
steico.com/uk/contact-service
steico.com/uk
WWW.BUILDINGCONSTRUCTIONDESIGN.CO.UK
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