Reflective technology that is used to reduce energy use in buildings is represented by three commercially available product types. In all three cases the performance of the reflective product depends on reduction in radiative transport across air spaces due to low thermal emittance surfaces.

Products identified in North America as 'radiant barriers' typically have a low-emittance surface adjacent to a relatively large air space that may be ventilated or unventilated. The performance of radiant barriers is related to reduction in thermal radiation from the low-emittance surface, which is directly proportional to the emittance at a specified surface temperature.

Surfaces with low-emittance coatings perform much like radiant barriers. The coating for the surface, known as interior radiation control coating (IRCC), reduces radiative transport in the same manner as radiant barriers. Radiant barriers and IRCCs are not typically assigned thermal resistance values (R-values).

STM Technologies' clients are very concerned about environmental issues, wanting the ability to meet the most stringent anti-pollution laws anywhere in the world. In order to satisfy these requests, STM Technologies (STM) made contact with many wet electrofilter producers. After thorough analysis, STM expressed its full confidence in TurboSonic's proposal and together developed what the companies believe to be the most efficient and reliable wet electrofilter to be used in glass-wool manufacturing.

The first application was in a Chilean glass-wool plant, completely designed and supplied by STM Technologies. After the upgrade to increase the capacity of this plant, the air pollution control equipment was also improved by installing a specially designed TurboSonic SonicKleen™ Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP). The goal was to decrease atmospheric emissions as much as possible, while recycling all of the process water used to flush electrodes so that it could be used for binder preparation. These goals were realised and exceeded. The emissions were lower than expected, as presented in this article.

The insulation industry is changing. Savvy consumers and regulatory agencies are adopting more stringent standards in response to health concerns and are forcing the industry to take a hard look at how it manufactures its products. One key ingredient coming under fire is formaldehyde. This begs the question, 'Is formaldehyde in your insulation future?' The short answer is 'no.' But that would make for a rather incomplete and boring article. Let's take a deeper look at the reasons why.

First, let's consider the past. Formaldehyde has played an important role for many years as a binder (or glue) for glassfibre insulation. Unlike paper and some organic fibres, glass-fibres are chemically inert and will not stick together in a familiar rigid batt without bonding the many fibres together.

Years ago, the industry was focused solely on binder performance at the lowest cost. This typically meant choosing phenol-formaldehyde (PF) binder as the glue. PF has an effective and well-understood chemistry and low cost. With most fibreglass insulation, urea was used to extend the PF binder to bring in additional cost savings and help promote more effective curing, the process in which glass-fibres are heated in an oven so that they adhere to each other.

An example of these older products is the traditional bonded fibreglass insulation. In the past and to some extent still today, this type of insulation was colour-coded based on its formaldehyde content. The formerly common yellow batts denote formaldehyde because the PF binder turns yellow in the curing oven. Pink PF insulation is just yellow insulation with pink dye added.

The new EU energy efficiency policy (Recast EPBD Directive 2010/31/EU) and the 20/20/20 rule both call for improved building insulation measures in order to meet the energy-saving challenges of today's world. The building sector is the largest energy consumer, greater than either transport or heavy industry.

The technique of insulating buildings and dwellings using standard white expandable polystyrene (EPS) is well established. In the past decade a new generation of EPS has emerged in the market place. This type of polymer, 'grey EPS,' contains special additives that reduce the overall thermal conductivity of the foam produced from it, giving it better insulating properties in comparison to standard white EPS foam.

EPS Silver Polymer, a superior thermal insulation material from INEOS NOVA, is one such new product for building and construction applications. This article will provide an insight into the processing, properties and commercial applications of this new polymer.