Insulation & Soundproofing

Radiant barriers can help reflect heat and reduce heating and cooling costs, but by how much, and are they worth the investment. Do radiant barriers work? If you have noticed that the rough interior of some unfinished buildings or attics is covered in a layer of foil and you’re afraid that you might be missing out…

In North America rarely a day goes by without a home renovation show or well known home renovation celebrity extolling the virtues of spray foam insulation. Homeowners in the UK are starting to realize what an expensive mistake spray foam can be. Spray foam insulation has gained popularity in North America as a…

The challenges of removing spray foam insulation means that recycling or even sustainably disposing of homes in the future will be problematic for those choosing this popular insulation material - a favorite of many TV renovation shows. Spray foam insulation is often promoted as an environmentally friendly option…

Spray foam insulation has been used primarily for home renovations as a way of sealing and insulating in one step, but spray foam is now even finding a home in new build - but, is it safe? Is spray foam insulation the best idea. There is a plethora of home improvement shows demonstrating how easy it is to buy…

There will come a point where the cost of insulation in any attic, wall or basement - and the energy required to manufacture and transport it - will outweigh any savings. Want to find out where that point is. Home Insulation - how much is too much? A House can definitely be under-insulated (millions of homes…

Which type of insulation is best for reducing emissions and safely mitigating climate change? There may be a case to be made for EPS rigid insulation. Are foam insulation panels a green choice? The short story is, maybe. And the long story is, well.... When we launched Ecohome about a decade ago, our mission was to…

Natural insulation materials such as hemp insulation, cellulose (including grass based), wood fiber, straw and cotton act as carbon storage and reduce embodied energy and carbon footprint of homes & buildings. Natural building insulation materials In order to combat the climate change impact of the built…

A new manufacturer of hemp insulation products sets up shop in Quebec - Hemp being a great Green Building alternative to traditional insulation materials. Hemp insulation manufactured in Canada! Nature Fibres is a young company based in the town of Asbestos, Quebec, which began manufacturing hemp insulation in the…

Foam blowing agents long ago stopped harming ozone, that switch had a huge impact on climate. That problem has now been solved. New blowing agents for spray foam coming by the end of 2017 Foam insulation is a petroleum-based product and nothing will change that. But that was never the biggest problem the 'eco'…

No, it doesn't work. Don't buy the hype about insulating paint, this is snake oil in its truest form. No matter that engineers and architects long ago debunked it, insulating paint still occasionally finds its way into buildings. Powdered ceramic chips that can be added to any paint are said to reflect heat in or…

How to reduce sound transmission through interior partition walls. The key to building smaller homes which don't sacrifice quality of life is ensuring that they are designed to make the best use of their space no matter how limited. However, you must also ensure that there is sufficient privacy by eliminating…

A new type of two layered paint in a range of colors has been developed by researchers at Columbia University in New York that can save energy & reduce cooling bills. Sounding too good to be true, we took a closer look. Reflective paint keeps buildings cool & lowers AC bills Studies show that a…

A new environmentally-friendly rigid foam insulation board made from cellulose nanocrystals is a viable alternative to Styrofoam - according to researchers at WSU. Current rigid foam insulation panel choices It would probably not come as a surprise to many people to hear that fiberglass insulation and rigid foam…