How to create a sustainable home: THE INSULATION GAME
In this series so far we have looked at site selection, design, materials and construction methods. But if sustainability is about anything at all, it is about energy efficiency, which in turn means insulation and airtightness.
At one time it was thought that insulation was king. Money invested in insulation goes on repaying the building’s owner for its whole life, not only in financial terms but also in terms of reduced CO2 emissions.
And it’s not necessary for insulation to have a big up-front impact; there are sustainable options available that represent a minimal draw on natural resources.
These arguments still hold true, but recently airtightness has been recognised as playing a far more significant part in the energy efficiency equation than it was previously given credit for, and the Passivhaus standard has shown us that the two considerations go hand-in-hand.
