Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Germany: Dennert Poraver has developed an insulating render formulation by using Poraver expanded glass aerogel granules from Cabot in 0.01 - 4mm sizes. The expanded glass granules producer says that aerogel thermal insulation renders are ultra-light, water-repellent, open to diffusion and achieve high thermal insulation even with small layer thicknesses.

The new product is targeted for the interior and exterior renovation of historic buildings. Due to the thin application layer, the producer says that the characteristics of the building remain largely unchanged. The building material can also be used for rendering masonry in new buildings. The insulating renders are also classified as ‘non-combustible, smoke-development free, non dripping.’ This means that they can also be used for facades, where previously only mineral wool-based insulating materials could be used due to increased fire protection requirements.

Poraver and Aerogel were combined for the development of a mineral thermal insulation render in order to combine the advantages of both lightweight aggregates. Cabot Aerogel supplied aerogel in the form of 0.01 - 4mm granules for the insulation render. Poraver was added to the render as a mineral aggregate with a grain size of 1 - 2mm. Various proportions of aerogel and Poraver were tested. After the tests, it could be determined that the compressive strength and processing properties had improved ‘significantly’ with the addition of Poraver. The most economical and practicable formulation has a thermal conductivity of 0.037W/mK with a dry bulk density of 199 kg/m³.

Germany: HASIT Trockenmörtel GmbH's Fixit 222 Aerogel product, a Cabot Aeorgel-containing insulating plaster material, was recently recognised as one of the most innovative products exhibited at the BAU 2015, a trade fair for architecture, construction materials and systems.

"We are seeing a rise in interest in insulative aerogel coatings and plasters due to increased focus on environmental, energy-efficiency and safety requirements," said Milto Vlachos, general manager of Cabot Aerogel. "We believe that our Aerogel can help customers to reduce energy costs and lower carbon footprints in buildings around the world. Through our technical collaboration with HASIT, we have developed a product that helps customers apply insulation on all types of buildings, including historic façades. It also delivers superior performance compared to similar products on the market today."

The HASIT Fixit 222 Aerogel was recognised for the role that the material can play in reducing the energy consumption of buildings. The material, which is a combination of Cabot's highly-insulating Aerogel and hydraulic lime plaster, has a low thermal conductivity that provides insulation three to four times more effective than conventional insulating plaster. The material meets fire safety and flammability requirements without using environmentally-hazardous flame retardants. It can be prepared and applied manually or with conventional application machines for both indoor and outdoor areas.

Fixit 222 Aerogel can be used for façades worth preserving or with historic building status. The material allows planners, architects and builders the aesthetic and performance advantages of mineral plaster, while setting new standards for both internal and external insulation. It has been used in the Swiss market since 2013 and HASIT began selling Fixit 222 to the German markets in 2014.

US: Three US-based companies, Birdair of Amherst (New York), Cabot Corp of Billerica (Massachusetts) and Geiger Engineers of Suffern (New York), have jointly developed an architectural fabric that they claim boasts the most effective insulation available anywhere in the world.

Their development, Tensotherm, is Birdair's architectural fabric and can now be supplied with additional layers of aerogel-filled nonwoven blankets, the aerogel used being Cabot's Lumira.

The companies say that the insulation reduces energy consumption and the costs associated with heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. Moreover, the insulation does not lose its effectiveness or deteriorate over time or under compression, as is the case with traditional materials.

The use of the Lumira aerogel also improves acoustic properties and greatly reduces a building's lifecycle costs, according to Cabot. Its performance means that architects and designers can now exploit large areas of daylight within walls and roofs, which can be as energy-efficient as an insulated solid wall. In addition, the natural light-diffusing performance and elimination of glare creates a soft interior light.

Cabot's Aerogel Global Business Manager, James Satterwhite said, "Energy efficiency and sustainability are paramount in every architect's design and thought process. Coupled with that is the realisation that high-level lifecycle performance and cost savings, particularly with the unpredictability of energy prices, are vital. Over the next decade, we expect that high-performance insulation systems will become increasingly common as specifiers seek to meet or exceed increasingly strict building regulations."

Photo courtesy: Birdair,Inc