Homeowners and building owners are increasingly seeking ways to reduce their environmental impact, including carbon footprint. While renewable energy systems and energy-efficient appliances are popular options, proper insulation can make a significant difference as well.

Spray foam insulation the need for fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil, which emit harmful greenhouse gases during production and burning. Proper insulation also helps to conserve energy, reducing the need for excessive heating and cooling systems, which can lower carbon emissions even further.

Like all building materials, insulation has a carbon footprint known as embodied carbon. This is the CO2 emitted during the material’s manufacturing, transport and construction. Choosing insulation with low embodied carbon minimizes the impact of this carbon footprint. In addition, some insulation types can even store carbon.

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Using recycled insulation, especially recycled plastic insulation (R-value), can significantly reduce the upfront embodied carbon of a new build or retrofit project. The ability of the insulation to store carbon depends on the material’s composition and manufacturing process. For example, recycled cellulose can absorb and store as much as 1 kilogram of carbon per square meter. Biohm, a company that produces mycelium insulation, reports their product removes and stores at least 16 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each month as it grows.

While insulation’s embodied carbon impacts are important, it is essential to look at the overall carbon payback of the project. This is the number of years it takes for the embodied carbon in the insulation to be offset by the carbon savings from the home or building’s operation. For example, in locations where the thermal energy source has lower embodied carbon emissions, it may take a shorter time for the operational carbon savings to exceed the insulation’s embodied carbon impact.

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