When an anthropocentric and an ecocentric vision are meeting, it is important to consider the needs of building owners and their impact on the environment. Thus, building companies are experimenting with new solutions and materials to make the sector more sustainable while offering maximum liveability.
Interior Thermal insulation is one of the most important features of a building and the answer to various comfort and sustainability needs, as it allows a comfortable indoor temperature to be maintained throughout the year while reducing heating and cooling costs. Good thermal insulation can also help reduce CO2 emissions into the environment, making buildings more sustainable.
What are the innovative materials to achieve effective and sustainable thermal insulation? Let’s find out in this new article by Diasen. This company has been working on people’s comfort pathways for decades with effective and highly economical solutions.
How to achieve thermal insulation in the house?
Although we mainly focus on the walls in house and building insulation practices, this is not the right approach to achieve excellent results.
The choice of which building element to insulate depends on the specific needs and conditions of the building. However, roof insulation is one of the most effective ways to reduce the energy consumption of a house. The roof is in fact the part of the building through which most heat is lost.
Insulating the roof can significantly reduce energy costs, as the intervention reduces the amount of heat that needs to be produced to keep the interior temperature at a comfortable level. In addition, roof insulation can prevent the formation of condensation and moisture inside the building, which can lead to the formation of mould and the degradation of structures.
However, floors can also be thermally insulated, which can help reduce heating costs in winter and cooling costs in summer.
In any case, it is important to carefully assess the specific needs of the building, such as the geographical location, climate, building structure, type of heating and cooling system used, and the personal preferences of the owner, in order to choose the most suitable type of insulation and achieve the best results in terms of energy efficiency and indoor comfort.
The best innovative and sustainable materials to insulate your home
In recent years, the focus on energy efficiency and sustainability has led to the development of innovative new materials for thermal insulation. These materials are designed to offer high thermal performance, durability, safety and environmental sustainability.
The first one we want to discuss is pumice, a highly porous rock with almost 90 per cent air content, characterising it as the only stone capable of floating. Its mix of strength and lightness enhances the performance of Diasen biomalts, which brings resistance to external stresses and moisture absorption.
Among the materials available in nature is perlite, a porous rock that retains water and stands out as a widely used thermal insulator due to its low thermal conductivity, light weight, fire and corrosion resistance properties. It is composed of expanded volcanic silicates obtained by heating the natural material at high temperatures. Reduced to granules and subjected to heating, it generates glassy spheres in which lightness, breathability, chemical inertia and fire resistance are concentrated.
Expanded amorphous silicon is a natural material with a chaotic structure in its amorphous form. When expanded, it encapsulates air and generates ultra-light spheres that provide insulation properties and stability over time.
Diatomaceous earth is a fossil-derived material with a high porosity that absorbs liquids up to one and a half times its weight. It exalts the formulation of biomalta due to its lightness, high absorbency and high porosity.
Cellulose fibres are obtained from recycled paper and tend to disperse in the internal matrix where they contribute to the formation of a homogenous aggregate that resists shrinkage and
micro-cracks. This ensures stability and elasticity.
Cork, the best thermal insulator
At Diasen, we use large quantities of cork to offer our customers effective thermal insulation solutions.
Cork is composed of a honeycomb structure, making it a very light and highly insulating material. The air inside the cork cells acts as a natural thermal insulator, reducing heat conduction. This is why we use it in our biomalts and insulating paints.
Next, cork has low thermal conductivity, so it conducts heat very slowly. This makes it very effective in thermal insulation, as it can significantly reduce the heat transferred through walls, ceilings and floors.
Cork is resistant to moisture, which means that it does not easily deteriorate when exposed to water or humidity. This property makes it an excellent choice for wall insulation, as it can resist moisture penetration and prevent the formation of mould and fungus.
Cork: sustainability and effectiveness
Nature offers us high-performance solutions for better living inside our homes. This was well known by the ancient Romans, our ancestors, who mixed cork oak bark with clay-based amalgams to insulate their homes thermally.
Cork is considered a highly sustainable and effective insulation material for thermal insulation in the home, especially because it is readily available and has an environmentally friendly life cycle.
Cork is made from the bark of cork trees, which can be harvested every ten years without damaging them. In addition, cork harvesting helps maintain oak forests and associated ecosystems, protecting biodiversity and mitigating climate change.
Once harvested, the barks are sorted and processed to produce cork used in various products, such as bottle caps and building thermal insulation. It is used in many sectors because of its long life cycle and because it is an extremely strong and durable material.
Due to its honeycomb structure, cork acts as a natural thermal insulator, reducing heat conduction. In addition, cork has low thermal conductivity, which means that it conducts heat very slowly. This makes it very effective in thermal insulation, as it can significantly reduce the heat transferred through walls, ceilings and floors.
Cork is also resistant to moisture and does not easily deteriorate when exposed to water. This property makes it an excellent choice for wall insulation, as it can resist moisture penetration and prevent the formation of mould and fungus.
Would you like to discover the effectiveness and performance of cork as thermal insulation for your home? Do not hesitate to contact Diasen for a tailor-made home solution.
