Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

UK: Indinature has secured approval for the use of its IndiBreathe hemp insulation in two UK Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) home insulation schemes. IndiBreathe will be the first natural fibre insulation used in such a scheme in the UK when it debuts in the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) and Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) initiatives. Construction Index News has reported that utilities provider Scottish Power sponsored Indinature’s application for the approval.

Sales Director Brian Monaghan said "Contractors can now specify a natural, sustainable and healthy high-performance insulation product when installing loft insulation under the government schemes."

UK/Ireland: UK-based Energystore has launched Spacebead, an expanded polystyrene (EPS) bead injected insulation containing aerogel and adhesive, on the UK and Irish markets. The Spacebead offers thermal conductivity of 0.029W/mK and is especially suited to use in limited cavity space. The producers say that this will help customers in the English market to easily conform to the upcoming Future Homes Standard for energy efficiency of new buildings there.

Türkiye: The Turkish government has introduced new rules for thermal insulation of residential buildings. Fakti News has reported that the newly enacted standard TS 825 will require new homes to be designed to meet both ‘heating and cooling’ needs. This is intended to keep housing operating efficiently under increasingly extreme seasonal climactic conditions.

Property industry body IS & Partners reportedly said that the rules “Will lead to an increase in the cost of projects, and hence to an increase in the prices of purchasing or renting a home” by as much as 25%. It may additionally increase consumer interest in the ‘secondary’ market in existing homes, IS & Partners added.

US: Hemp Inc.’s Hempcrete insulation panels have received approval for residential construction use in an appendix to the US Residential Building Code. Hempcrete insulation consists of hemp stalk hurd and lime. It is fire-resistant, moisture regulating and sequesters CO₂ naturally due to its hemp content.

Hemp Inc. operates a multi-purpose hemp processing plant in Spring Hope, North Carolina.