There's no doubt that there's a strong push for green construction in residential and commercial construction these days, a demand that grows by the day. Though we've discussed a number of green products in the past, we felt it was time to feature a specific product, ComfortBoard from Roxul. A mineral wool product, it's created in board form instead of the batt-like formats that many of our clients are more familiar with. Here's a bit more on this remarkable product:

When it comes to insulation products, there are a lot of different options available on the market. One of the more popular options that is gaining ground is rock wool or mineral wool insulation, especially as insulative sheeting. Compared to foam plastic extruded foam board, mineral wool board doesn't outgas, doesn't use blowing agents that can contribute to greenhouse gasses and can be used readily on the exterior, reducing retrofit costs and heat transference through studs, providing a better insulative envelope for the home. At the same time, because mineral wool has been available on the market for a longer period of time, it's easy to find the exact material you need while still enjoying a reduced cost.

ComfortBoard is created from slag and basalt material, making it virtually fireproof for most residential applications. It won't melt until it reaches at least 2150║F, much higher than most house fires can reach, rendering it noncombustible. This means ComfortBoard, like most mineral wool insulation products, is much safer than most other green insulation options available on the market.

It's also water repellent, helping prevent further water damage from burst pipes or roof leaks. It does, however, allow water vapor to pass through it, which allows moisture from leaks to exit the structure. This property allows ComfortBoard to dry out if there are issues with moisture in the home, reducing or eliminating the need to replace the insulation in many cases. At the same time, it's also resistant to mold and mildew growth, which tends to be a problem in many insulation products not treated with chemical mold inhibitors that can then outgas into the home, creating a less than ideal atmosphere and indoor air quality issues.

ComfortBoard also provides superior sound insulation, witháa noise reduction coefficient of 0.9 across a range of frequencies. Combined with the ease of installation, this makes it a prime candidate for home theaters, noise reduction from loud neighborhood noises such as an airport or train track and to separate shop or garage noise from the rest of the home.

Because Roxul is based in Canada with several plants in the United States, it's products qualify for several LEED project points for locally-sourced material. It also recycles slag, which is often otherwise considered a waste product, so it can provide points for recycled content in a LEED certified structure, with third party certification of 75-93% recycled content available for documentation. It's available in 1.25", 1.5", 2" and 3" for ready to install products, with capabilities of producing stock up to 6" in thickness for specialty construction and superinsulated structures.

It has an R-value of 4.0 per inch of thickness. Though this is a little lower than many foam board insulation materials, ComfortBoard retains its R-value over time, as compared to the degradation of foam insulation products that start out with higher R-values but decline over time. This happens because the less conductive bowing agents can outgas over time, and are then replaced by air.

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When it comes to the insulation industry's workhorses, fiberglass is a strong contender. Sometimes referred to as fiberglass wool, it's produced from many short fibers of glass drawn through tiny openings. It has superior sound and thermal insulating properties, making it ideal as an insulation product for homes and loud environments. Here's a quick look at some of the facets of fiberglass insulation.

Types of Fiberglass Insulation

Fiberglass insulation is available in blown-in form, batts and blankets. In the latter two forms, it's fairly fast to install between studs or posts, depending on the construction. It comes in a wide range of formulations, from unfaced batts that can be secured in place with a plastic sheathing to paper-faced batts with side tabs for stapling the batt securely in place with no further materials needed to keep it there. The blown-in form is much lighter in weight than cellulose and can be used in areas where blown-in cellulose would be too heavy, for example over a 1/2" drywall ceiling on 24" centers.

Though it does use high heat to form the glass fibers, it is also manufactured from up to 60% recycled glass. Because it is often manufactured regionally, it can quite often meet the requirements for regionally-sourced materials for LEED certification. It can be a bit itchy to handle due to the small size of the fibers, so make sure you wear long sleeves and gloves when handling it. Small amounts of the fiber can also become airborne, requiring a basic face mask to help prevent it from being inhaled.

How Fiberglass Insulation is Used

Fiberglass provides good to superior thermal insulation and superior acoustical insulation. Because of its light weight, it can be much easier for a homeowner to handle and install. In blown-in form, it reaches an R-value of 2.2 to 2.7 per inch. Batts and blankets achieve a much higher R-value between 3.0 and 4.0, depending on the specifics of the manufacturing process.

Though the blown-in form is lower in R-value when compared to cellulose, its lighter weight allows you to insulate areas that may otherwise prove difficult to impossible. It works very well for a wide range of applications, which is why it's such a popular option for homeowners and contractors alike.

Other Facts About Fiberglass Insulation

In addition to its use in structures, fiberglass insulation shows up in submarine and ship bulkheads, as well as a wide range of commercial and industrial applications including lining auto body panels to reduce noise. To form such fine fibers, the glass must be maintained at 2,500░ F during the process of drawing the fiber. Unlike cellulose, fiberglass doesn't settle and lose some of its thermal properties. Phenol formaldehyde is a binder that has been used in fiberglass batts and blankets in the past that is being phased out of production due to potential cancer risks.

There are a number of new buildings being constructed using cold form steel framing. These products are well known for offering all the structural stability that many teams need to complete projects on time. There are a few aspects that will set cold form steel framing apart from many other materials. Versatility and lightweight are a few reasons why cold form steel framing has been gaining ground for projects.

These materials are increasingly seeing a wide range of uses, which should draw in support from a few different sources. They are popular materials for use in large buildings and bridge designs. But they have also been used to construct storage racks and car bodies.

Benefits

• Versatile, can be formed in many ways
• Used in Large or Small Structures
• Lightweight
• Can be stored in many forms until they are needed

Transmission towers and poles have been used using this material as well. Consumers are increasingly looking to use this material to adapt to the some of the different types of options that they have. But they should plan to use it alongside other materials to improve the structural stability that may be in place.

Since modern techniques have diversified, there are a few different types of systems available to people. Most owners will appreciate the opportunity to use the highest grade cold form steel framing. It can be generated into bars, which are increasingly common for some structures.

Other structures can be pressed in to plates and set alongside other materials. Modern techniques have made it much easier for people to adjust to the way that these products are made over time. Builders should coordinate with their team to use these kinds of materials effectively as well.

Finally, the price point of these different types of materials are starting to decline as well. This has made it surprisingly simple to stock up on these products over time. Builders may want to find a way to store these materials in a few different types of settings. This is part of the appeal behind these projects, since the cold form steel can actually be put into storage until it is ready to be put in to place.

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1. Photo credit: kaz k / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

2. Photo credit: D H Wright / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

When you're looking at building materials, there's no doubt that insulation of any type ends up being a green material because it lowers the amount of work your HVAC system needs to do to keep your home or business at a comfortable temperature. But with the push for green construction, what insulation products are actually created using sustainable practices and materials? We've taken the opportunity to look at different earth-friendly insulation options for your review here:

Green Insulation Types

Insulation tends to come in a few different forms. Here's a quick review of those types and the pros and cons of each:

Faced or Unfaced Batting: Though fiberglass batting is the industry standard, there are also batts made with mineral wool and animal wool that can be a little more sustainable, though many fiberglass products also contain higher post-consumer recycled waste content. If the right size is selected, batting can be installed quickly and easily without any gaps between the stud, but requires an offset double-stud wall to prevent heat transference through the studs.

Blown-In Insulation: Blown insulation includes material made from cellulose, fiberglass, recycled clothing and many other products. It's a great product when you're doing a retrofit job, because it can be blown into walls by creating an entrance in one or two places at each wall cavity and does very well in attics where it can rest over the ceiling cavity for the room below, but can be easily moved out of position accidentally or by small animals, reducing its effectiveness.

Sheet Foam: Though it's not made from any type of recycled material, sheet foam does to a great job of providing insulation in particular situations. If you're in a windy area or have thin walls, sheet foam can be used to block the wind or up your structure's potential R-value, provided that you remember to tape the seams between each sheet.

Spray Foam: Spray foam is another material that doesn't use recycled products, but it does a great job of sealing your structure from air leaks. This is especially true if you're trying to work around hard-to-fit gaps or areas where other insulation products won't stay in place readily. It's pretty fast to apply and stays where you put it for a durable solution.

Green Insulation Products

Much of John Manville's product line has received the GreenGuard Gold certification. As a formaldehyde-free product, it releases fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than similar products on the market. Their certified products include their Attic Protector and ClimatePro blow-in insulation, kraft-faced and unfaced batts and rolls, ComfortThermand MicroLite batts and rolls and PEBS unfaced filler blanket lines. Though GreenGuard covers commercial building products, Manville's commitment to the environment extends to their residential supplies and feature a 20% post-consumer recycled waste content and a total of 25% recycled material content in their products.

Knauf's EcoBatt product line is a batt insulation product that is one of the most sustainable in the industry. It's made using organic compounds that are easily replenished in the environment instead of petroleum products and has an amazing 70% reduction in the use of high-VOC binding agents, providing a naturally-low VOC content. It's produced using sand, an absolute minimum of 61.9% post-consumer recycled waste while still handling, cutting and installing very easily with less dust. It also helps reduce noise pollution with a significant reduction in noise transference through your walls.

Owens Corning's ProPink L77 wall system and AttiCat expanding blown insulation lines have low VOCs and over 30% post-consumer recycled product in their products.

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Sources:áhttp://builtgreen.org/industryleaders/johnsmanville/index.html
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Steel framing is becoming much more prevalent in construction, but we often think more of the limitations of the material rather than the possibilities. But some contractors have begun to undertake truly amazing projects using steel framing. In this post, we'll take a good look at several beautiful structures that you won't believe used steel framing:

1. Catholic Charities

Image courtesy of Green Country Interiors.

This beautiful buildings for Catholic Charities blend in perfectly to the southwestern architecture common in their area, but they actually used extensive steel framing though out the structures. Who says that giving isn't physically beautiful? The range of structures constructed for this project helps this worldwide charity get the job done for poverty and disaster relief.

2. St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

Image courtesy of Huggett Betten Corp.

This beautiful church building has the appearance of laminated wood joining in a beautiful pattern at the peak of its dome, but it's all a beautiful example of the amazing possibilities of steel framing and faux finishes. From the exterior, it has the appearance of a traditional stone and masonry construction. The intertwined beams are actually built up and around each other to create the aesthetically pleasing knotwork star at the apex of the chapel ceiling.

3. Kendall Whittier

Image courtesy of Green Country Interiors.

Though these beautiful surroundings have the appearance of classical architecture and old-world framing and plaster, they're a great way that steel framing can be incorporated into even the most traditional projects, in this case a neighborhood revitalization program. In this case, it was the entrance to a health clinic, creating a relaxing atmosphere for healthcare workers and patients alike.

4. Fire Pit

Image courtesy of Kurt Krueger Architects.

Just to show that you can take steel framing outdoors and incorporate it into your outdoor living design, this beautiful fire pit uses thin sheets of onyx over steel framing, with LED lights on the inside to backlight the stone's natural beauty. This is a great example of how steel framing can actually be incorporated as part of the design element, creating gentle upright bars and strong verticals across the fire pit.

5. Jenks Aquarium

Image courtesy of Green Country Interiors.

The rounded forms used in this aquarium fit well with its aquatic theme, but is a technique seen much more commonly with wood framing, but with the advances that have been taking place in forming metal framing tracks, this beauty is all steel framed. With the aquarium's focus on aquatic education, these flowing forms make it easy for children and adults to swim gently through the exhibits.

6. Niles, Michigan YMCA

Image courtesy of Huggett Betten Corp.

You already know that these sweeping curves and circular windows had to be an interesting framing job, and the exterior brick on this active YMCA would almost have you convinced it's a cast-in-place job, but it's all beautifully-imagined steel frame construction. The windows almost give the structure a Hobbit-esque appearance, making you wonder where the round door is located.

7. Cliff House

Image courtesy of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Limited.

Though your eye is drawn immediately to the steel I-beams that are holding the structure over the face of the cliff, this beautiful home was entirely steel framed, which works very well with its modern appearance. It's easy to be inspired by the amazing views, but you can't help but hope it's not in a landslide-prone area or how they worked with the codes board on this modern home.

8. Renaissance Hotel

Image courtesy of Green Country Interiors

Though the amazing old world interiors and sweeping exterior architecture seems like something from centuries ago, this recent construction uses a wide range of steel framing techniques to bring off the appearance without breaking the bank. From the leather upholstery to the beautiful floors and sweeping columns, you'll think you've stepped into the old world, not Oklahoma.

These projects are a fabulous example of what can be done with steel framing. If you're considering using steel framing for your next project, whether grand or simple, please download our free Metal Framing Product Guide below.

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