Specifiers of construction materials find themselves on the front<\/p>\n
line of today’s environmental struggles. They need to know all the<\/p>\n
implications of their product selections, both short and long-term. <\/p>\n
While insulation materials constitute a relatively small part of<\/p>\n
the overall cost of a building or plant, they determine a<\/p>\n
disproportionately large share of a facility’s long-term<\/p>\n
environmental impact.<\/p>\n
For purposes of this discussion, the environmental impact of<\/p>\n
thermal insulation falls into two categories: indirect and direct. <\/p>\n
Indirect environmental impacts are those which reduce the amount of<\/p>\n
energy consumed or lost through inferior or inadequate insulation. <\/p>\n
Reducing energy losses reduces the demand for energy, thereby<\/p>\n
conserving nonrenewable fuel supplies and reducing the amount of<\/p>\n
pollutants, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) , sulfur dioxide (SO2) and<\/p>\n
nitrogen oxides (NOx), released into the atmosphere through the<\/p>\n
burning of fossil fuels. <\/p>\n
Direct environmental impacts result from the insulation<\/p>\n
manufacturing process itself, like the release of<\/p>\n
chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and<\/p>\n
other potential ozone-depleting foaming agents, as well as from the<\/p>\n
landfill disposal of spent insulation.<\/p>\n
\nMost of the world’s environmental problems, including pollution, <\/p>\n
ozone depletion, acid rain, global warming and waste disposal, can<\/p>\n
be tied in one form or another to energy consumption.<\/p>\n
Pollution<\/em><\/strong> Thermal insulation plays a significant role in both the<\/p>\n consumption and conservation of energy. The reduction of energy<\/p>\n demand through the use of energy-efficient construction practices<\/p>\n and insulation ultimately will reduce pollution from the burning of<\/p>\n fossil fuels for direct heating and generation of electricity.<\/p>\n Ozone Depletion<\/em><\/strong> According to the U.S. Environmental Protection<\/p>\n Agency (EPA), a major use of HCFCs and other chemical foaming<\/p>\n agents in the United States is for the manufacture of plastic<\/p>\n insulating foams, including polystyrenes, phenolics, polyurethanes<\/p>\n and polyisocyanurates. <\/p>\n Acid Rain<\/em><\/strong> There are two ways to minimize acid rain formation: (1)<\/p>\n burn less fossil fuels; and, (2) remove the SO2 and NOx from the<\/p>\n combustion gases. Reducing energy demand and the burning of fossil<\/p>\n fuels by using energy-efficient building practices and insulation<\/p>\n to decrease will also have a positive carry-over affect on the acid<\/p>\n rain problem.<\/p>\n Global Warming<\/em><\/strong> The only realistic means of reducing production of<\/p>\n greenhouse gases is through the control of ozone-depleting agents. <\/p>\n Waste Disposal<\/em><\/strong> When designing and constructing buildings and<\/p>\n plants, careful attention must be paid to both the environmental<\/p>\n and economic life cycles of the insulation system. Both the<\/p>\n manufacture of building materials and the construction of buildings<\/p>\n and plants consume considerable amounts of energy. Specifiers of<\/p>\n building materials and construction practices need to ensure that<\/p>\n they are selecting efficiently manufactured materials, which will<\/p>\n provide maximum service life before needing to be replaced and<\/p>\n disposed.<\/p>\n By specifying and using insulation with a long life expectancy,<\/p>\n companies save not only money on replacements and retrofits, but<\/p>\n also ensure they are doing their part to reduce the waste stream. <\/p>\n When selecting an environmentally responsible insulation, it is no<\/p>\n longer sufficient merely to select the required R-value. The<\/p>\n insulation must also (1) provide constant energy savings, (2) be<\/p>\n environmentally benign during manufacturing, (3) have a service<\/p>\n life that will ensure long-term performance and minimize<\/p>\n replacement and disposal in landfills, and (4) pose no health risks<\/p>\n to those handling or installing it.<\/p>\n Realistically, these concerns need to be balanced with concerns<\/p>\n of cost-effectiveness. The energy cost-effectiveness of an<\/p>\n insulation can be expressed in terms of cost savings. If the cost<\/p>\n of the energy saved by using a particular insulation is less than<\/p>\n the total energy used in its manufacturing, installation, planned<\/p>\n use, plus the energy used to recycle it, then it is not cost-<\/p>\n effective. Also, the amount or cost of pollution avoided by using<\/p>\n a certain type of insulation throughout its service life should be<\/p>\n greater than the cost of pollution resulting from its manufacture<\/p>\n and use. By carefully weighing all the factors and costs involved<\/p>\n in these two relationships, the overall environmental profile of an<\/p>\n insulation, or its “Environmental Balance” can be determined. <\/p>\n The following critical concepts should be kept in mind when<\/p>\n selecting an environmentally responsible thermal insulation. An<\/p>\n insulation’s energy cost effectiveness might be expressed in terms<\/p>\n of energy cost savings. If the cost of the energy saved by using a<\/p>\n particular insulation is less than the total energy used in its<\/p>\n manufacturing, plus that used to recycle it, then it is not cost<\/p>\n effective. This relationship can be expressed as follows:<\/p>\n Energy Cost-Effectiveness =<\/strong><\/p>\n .<\/font><\/p>\n .<\/font><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n (Energy Saved)<\/p>\n ____________________________<\/p>\n (Manufacturing Energy + Recycled Energy)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n (If > 1.0, it is cost effective; if < 1.0, it's not.)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n The amount or cost of pollution avoided by using a certain type of<\/p>\n insulation throughout its service life should be greater that the<\/p>\n cost of pollution resulting from its use. The pollution reduction<\/p>\n effectiveness of an insulation can therefore be expressed as<\/p>\n follows:<\/p>\n Pollution Reduction Effectivenes =<\/strong><\/p>\n .<\/font><\/p>\n .<\/font><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n Pollution Cost Savings<\/p>\n ______________________<\/p>\n Actual Pollution Costs<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n (If > 1.0, it is an effective anti pollutant; if < 1.0, it's not.)\n\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n By carefully weighing all the factors and costs involved in the<\/p>\n above two relationships, a particular insulation’s overall<\/p>\n environmental profile or Environmental Balance can be determined. <\/p>\n It can be expressed as follows:<\/p>\n Environmental Balance =<\/strong><\/p>\n .<\/font><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n Energy Cost-Effectiveness<\/p>\n + Pollution Reduction Effectiveness<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n (If > 2.0 excellent; between 1.0 & 2.0 good; if < 1.0 poor.)\n\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n The above relationships hold true only if the insulation is (1) <\/p>\n used in the proper way, (2) used in the correct thickness, (3) is<\/p>\n properly installed, and (4) it maintains its expected performance<\/p>\n and physical properties throughout its entire service life.<\/p>\n \nIn discussing how insulation achieves environmental balance, three<\/p>\n critical attributes of the product must be evaluated: (1) its<\/p>\n environmental profile, (2) its service life and efficiency, and (3)<\/p>\n its environmental cost-effectiveness. <\/p>\n The environmental profile of an insulation depends on the following<\/p>\n four characteristics: (1) its raw materials; (2) its manufacturing<\/p>\n process, including gray energy, or, the energy expended during the<\/p>\n extraction, processing and transportation of raw materials; (3)<\/p>\n installation and related methods and materials; and, (4) its<\/p>\n disposal.<\/p>\n \nThe Manufacturing Process insulation consists exclusively of minute<\/p>\n sealed glass cells, formed through chemically reacting finely-<\/p>\n ground oxidized glass with carbon at a high temperature. All the<\/p>\n raw materials used to make glass are naturally occurring<\/p>\n substances, commonly found in nature. None constitute a danger to<\/p>\n man or the environment.<\/p>\n The manufacturing of cellular glass insulation involves the<\/p>\n production of glass and a foaming (cellulating) process. This<\/p>\n process produces CO2, which becomes entrapped in the tiny glass<\/p>\n cells of the material. No additional foaming agents, HCFCs,<\/p>\n organic binders or potentially harmful substances are used that<\/p>\n might contribute to atmospheric pollution. In the finishing stage,<\/p>\n rough blocks of cellular glass are cut and trimmed to their desired<\/p>\n dimensions. During finishing, a certain amount of crushed glass or<\/p>\n glass dust is produced as well as a small quantity of hydrogen<\/p>\n sulfide (H2S). The glass dust is relatively heavy, so it is<\/p>\n classified as a nuisance dust. It is neither carcinogenic nor<\/p>\n likely to cause silicosis. Almost all of the dust and glass scraps<\/p>\n are collected and recycled in a melting furnace to make new glass. <\/p>\n Energy Use & Air Pollution<\/strong> Manufacturing of cellular glass<\/p>\n insulation is essentially a thermal process and uses considerable<\/p>\n energy, from both electrical and natural gas heating, to melt and<\/p>\n foam the glass. While heating with natural gas and generating<\/p>\n electricity with fossil fuels mean releasing air pollutants, the<\/p>\n pollution resulting from manufacturing is considerably less than<\/p>\n would result from increased energy use if cellular glass insulation<\/p>\n were not used. <\/p>\n Plant Energy Efficiency<\/strong> The plant recovers energy from both of its<\/p>\n most energy intensive operations: glass melting and cellulating. <\/p>\n In both operations, hot exhaust gases from the combustion of<\/p>\n natural gas are used to preheat the air used in the combustion<\/p>\n process. <\/p>\n Installation and Use<\/strong> The cutting and fitting required during the<\/p>\n installation of cellular glass insulation and related accessory<\/p>\n materials releases small quantities of entrapped gases (CO2, CO and<\/p>\n H2S) that might otherwise be considered harmful to the environment. <\/p>\n However, the quantities are too small even to be considered<\/p>\n atmospheric pollutants. <\/p>\n Disposal<\/strong> Because of the unique physical characteristics of<\/p>\n cellular glass insulation, it has a long service life. Typically,<\/p>\n the system on which the insulation is installed is replaced before<\/p>\n the insulation reaches the end of its life, or the site where it is<\/p>\n installed is demolished. When the insulation reaches the disposal<\/p>\n stage, will it have a detrimental impact on the environment? <\/p>\n Although all of the physical insulating properties of cellular<\/p>\n glass insulation are usually intact at the time of removal or<\/p>\n building demolition, it is not feasible to reuse this material as<\/p>\n an insulation. The time required to salvage, sort, clean, etc.,<\/p>\n would be economically prohibitive. Crushed cellular glass,<\/p>\n however, can be used as a fill material for roadways and as a<\/p>\n supplement to asphalt paving.<\/p>\n In most instances, cellular glass insulation ends its product<\/p>\n life in either a municipal landfill or in a construction-and-<\/p>\n demolition landfill. Crushing the insulation prior to disposal<\/p>\n reduces its volume by 5-7 times. Since it is inert and<\/p>\n environmentally benign, there is no danger to the ground water<\/p>\n regime. <\/p>\n While it’s possible to construct facilities to last 50 years or<\/p>\n more, construction practices today are turning out structures with<\/p>\n as little as a 20-year service life. The unusual composition of<\/p>\n insulation makes it uniquely resistant to all types of normal<\/p>\n insulation damage, including moisture absorption, thermal expansion<\/p>\n and contraction, fire, corrosion and vermin. Because of its long-<\/p>\n lived insulating properties, cellular glass insulation may even<\/p>\n extend the service life of a facility.<\/p>\n The environmental “bottom line” of any insulation is how much<\/p>\n energy pollution it saves or avoids through its use. In<\/p>\n calculating two scenarios using a particular brand of cellular<\/p>\n glass, we find that (1) by installing 2-inch-thick insulation on a<\/p>\n 12-inch steam line operating at 400 F per 100 sq. ft. of pipe<\/p>\n surface, the energy pollution saved over a five-year period by<\/p>\n using the insulation equals 1,900 times the amount of energy as the<\/p>\n energy pollution created during the manufacture of the insulation;<\/p>\n and, (2) the energy saved by installing 4-inch-thick cellular glass<\/p>\n insulation per 1,000 sq. ft. of roof area over a 40-year life is<\/p>\n 134 times of the energy-pollution created during the manufacture of<\/p>\n the insulation.<\/p>\n The Pittsburgh Corning -proposed decision-making process for<\/p>\n selecting cellular glass insulation involves three separate<\/p>\n evaluations, each assigned its own weight or number of points: <\/p>\n technical, economic and environmental. Out sales representatives<\/p>\n and engineers routinely assist in deciding which insulation<\/p>\n materials and systems are best or a particular application.<\/p>\n In conclusion, the environmental crises we are confronting today<\/p>\n cause us to re-evaluate the building practices of the last several<\/p>\n decades. No longer can we afford to be energy-inefficient or<\/p>\n environmentally unwise. <\/p>\n In order to make educated decisions about the environmental<\/p>\n characteristics and performance of any insulation product, contact<\/p>\n the manufacturer directly. Building materials, including<\/p>\n insulation, need to be environmentally safe during their<\/p>\n manufacture, installation, service life and disposal. In<\/p>\n additional, constructing buildings and facilities using energy-<\/p>\n efficient materials and methods to provide a service life of at<\/p>\n least 30 to 50 years is the only way we can achieve a level of<\/p>\n economic and environmental cost-effectiveness acceptable to<\/p>\n businesses, consumers and the community at large.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Consider this proposed approach to evaluating the environmental and life-cycle costs of thermal insulation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":[],"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[29],"class_list":["post-7487","articles","type-articles","status-publish","hentry","category-environmental-control"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBALANCING ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY<\/h5>\n
A PROPOSED EVALUATION TECHNIQUE<\/h5>\n
\n
\n \n \n \n .<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n \n
\n \n \n \n .<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n \n
\n \n \n \n .<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n ACHIEVING ENVIRONMENTAL BALANCE WITH CELLULAR GLASS INSULATION<\/h5>\n
RAW MATERIALS AND THEIR PROCESSING<\/h5>\n
SERVICE LIFE & ENVIRONMENTAL EFFICIENCY<\/h5>\n
CONCLUSION<\/h5>\n