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EPiC DB 2019_Glasswool insulation.pdf (559.28 kB)

EPiC database - Glasswool insulation

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Version 2 2020-12-10, 20:47
Version 1 2019-11-20, 05:26
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posted on 2019-11-20, 05:26 authored by Robert CrawfordRobert Crawford, André StephanAndré Stephan, Fabian PrideauxFabian Prideaux
This material is part of the free Environmental Performance in Construction (EPiC) Database. The EPiC Database contains embodied environmental flow coefficients for 250+ construction materials using a comprehensive hybrid life cycle inventory approach.

Glasswool or fibreglass insulation contains micro fibres of glass that trap pockets of air within. This results in a low density and low thermal conductivity (0.04 W/(m·K)), which is ideal for insulation materials.

Glasswool is made by mixing sand and recycled glass and melting them at 1 450°C to obtain glass. This glass is turned into fibres using a process similar to making cotton candy, by forcing it through a mesh and cooling it by contact with air. A binder is added beforehand to ensure cohesion and mechanical strength. The resulting fibre is heated at 200°C to polymerise the resin. The resulting insulation is calendered, before being cut and packed in rolls or panels.

Glasswool insulation is widely used in the construction industry as an insulation material.

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