Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

UK: A report has revealed that the UK's insulation market experienced growth in 2010 after declining in 2009. Research and Markets' 'Building Insulation Market - UK 2011-2015' also reveals that insulation is expected to reach an estimated market size of Euro1.16m by 2015.

The report also says that the UK insulation market will continue to be underpinned by the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, the Green Deal and new building regulations. The largest market sector in 2010 was mineral wool insulation.

The report comes at the same time as figures were released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, which show that just 57% of Britain's roofs are fitted with proper loft insulation and only 58% of buildings have cavity insulation.

The UK energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne said, "At a time when money is tight and with energy prices predicted to rise, householders are missing out on over Euro110 of savings every single year by not getting their lofts lagged and cavity walls filled." The government hopes that an additional three million homes will be fitted with insulation by the end of 2012.

UK: Land Rover is test-driving a special type of wallboard in an attempt to improve its sustainability. "We are testing phase-change wallboard at our dealer training centre. It moves from solid to liquid and absorbs and releases heat," said Fran Leedham, head of sustainability at Jaguar Land Rover.

UK: The Hub, a building in Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham, has been granted the highest environmental standards rating due to its high levels of insulation and other elements of its design. The building, built on behalf of Teesdale Community Resources was awarded an 'excellent' rating with outstanding credits by the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).

As well as extensive cavity wall insulation, the Hub features a whole host of other sustainable features, including a biomass boiler and an on-site water treatment bio-digester/reed bed, which eliminates the need for external waste connections. It also has a grass roof and a curved glass section to maximise the amount of natural daylight that reaches its concourse.