Contents 7 Introduction 8 Properties of insulating materials Types of insulating material 17Classification 21Inorganic insulating materials 34 Organic insulating materials 55New developments Statutory instruments and insulating material standards 59Construction Products Directive (CPD) and Construction Products Act 60Construction legislation instruments 63European standards and approvals for thermal insulating materials 66National codes of practice and technical approvals 71Attestation of conformity 73Identification and labelling 74Consumer protection, quality control and voluntary product certification Applications for insulating materials 77Fields of application 79Insulation in floors and roofs 82Insulation in walls 84 External basement insulation 85 Avoiding thermal bridges 88 Air as an insulator 89 Insulating materials and thermal performance in summer 91 Insulating materials in other climate zones Insulating materials from the ecological viewpoint 93 Sustainability - definition and assessment 93 Ecological dimension 100Social dimension 103Economic dimension 105Sustainable use of insulating materials Appendix 107 Trade associations 107 Directory of manufacturers and suppliers 108 Bibliography 109 Index 111 Picture credits