ABSTRACT OUTLINE
Posted by Jocelyn | Posted on 8:06 AM
Comparing Insulation Materials in a Kamloops Residential Home
Recently BC has publicized a Climate Action Plan that is designed to significantly reduce the amount of Green House Gas emissions by 2020. By Increasing the quality of insulation in residential design this decreases the amount of energy consumption, therefore reducing the amount of green house gas emissions. Recently engineers have been investigating Vacuum Insulated Panels in building envelope design. Compared to other insulation materials Vacuum Insulated Panels have a thin profile and a large R value of about 30R per inch. That is around 6 times more than the average insulation material. With this new technology moving forward it leads to the question how will Vacuum Insulated Panels compare to other conventional insulation materials in a residential house in Kamloops BC?
Vacuum Insulated Panels, also known as VIPs, are constructed with a tight core consisting of an insulated material such as Polystyrene or fumed silica that is encased with metallic or Mylar foils than applied with a vacuum to extract any remaining oxygen. They are commonly used in refrigerators and vending machines. Conforming to the applied research part of this report a simple house designed for Kamloops BC will be examined using various insulation types within the exterior walls and roof. There are three opposing types of standard insulations that will be taken into account. These include batt fibreglass, spray-on cellulose, and extruded polystyrene rigid board all which have an average thermal resistance value of 3.0 – 4.3R per inch. Batt insulations are usually designed with a layer of foil or paper that act as a moisture barrier. Spray-on cellulose is generated from recycled newspaper treated with chemicals to increase its fire rating potential. Extruded polystyrene rigid insulation is a foam board with a closed cell structure designed to increase the moisture resistance. Each insulation type will be examined and compared with Vacuum Insulated Panels. Data will be collected to determine the better suited material for the Kamloops climate.
The research will focus mainly on cost effectiveness. Calculations for each wall will include material cost, energy savings, and building footprint size. Durability, resistance to air movement, resistance to high/low temperatures, and fire-ratings are factors that will also be examined in the report.
With environmentally sustainable design on the rise designers are seeking insulation methods that are becoming more apparent to achieving low emissions. At the present time VIPs are new to building construction and are still being researched. They are a fairly expensive investment, but with progress the future of insulation could be Vacuum Insulated Panels.
This is a strong topic with an obvious application. I would like to see your abstract elaborate a bit more on the issues, like how long do the panels last and how can they be incorporated into a wall system without being punctured? The last sentence should be revised to include some recommendations. I would also recommend that you look at spray applied polyurethane insulation as well, as it is currently the high end option for insulation.