Increased energy usage is a natural consequence of economic growth and improving living standards in emerging countries. South Africa’s mounting energy crisis means that we all need to think of innovative ways to save electricity in our homes. Did you know that one of the most effective ways to save energy is to insulate your home?

Buildings typically account for 40% of all energy consumed in countries yet their potential to save energy is huge. By using thermal insulation and energy saving techniques it is possible to save up to 78% of a buildings energy consumption for heating and cooling.

Better insulation of buildings is amongst the most effective ways to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels used in the production of electricity thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

All bulk insulation materials have a (R-value) thermal resistance which is a measure of their effectiveness. The thermal resistance, R-value is the ability of the insulation to resist the transfer of heat and is the most important factor when selecting thermal insulation.

The R-value is determined by dividing the thickness of the material in meters by its thermal conductivity (k in W/m² ºC). The R-value is the best indicator of performance.

The Energy Efficiency Standard For Buildings (SANS 204) has been published by the SABS and will soon be legislated AND INCORPORATED INTO THE National Building Regulations (SANS 10400).

New buildings will have to comply with the minimum

performance parameters which means that insulation will have to be installed to achieve the deemed to satify R-value stipulated in SANS 204.

Over their useful life Isover`s glasswool insulation products save more than 100 times the energy consumed and CO2 emitted in their manufacture, transport and disposal.

Consumption

A typical South African home consumes electricity as follows:

Water heating 35%
Food Preparation 22%
Space Heating 18%
Lighting 10%
Space Cooling 10%

A typical un-insulated South African home looses energy as follows:

Ceilings – Up to 25%
Windows- Up to 10%
Walls- Up to 35% (depending on the type of construction)
Floors- Up to 15%
Air gaps- Up to 15%

It is important to remember that the internal environment in your home can be affected by the following factors.

Orientation- Does your home face in the correct direction?
Shading- Have you maximized the winter sun & minimized the summer sun?
Air Gaps- Are your doors, roof and windows air tight?

By adequately insulating your geyser, walls and ceiling you can positively influence 63% of your electricity consumption thus reducing your bills.

It is never to late to start saving so if you are building a new house or considering retrofitting your current home it is vital to include insulation.

How it works

Insulation is one of the few products whose primary purpose is to provide comfort and save energy.

Its properties are used to “slow down” or “resist” the flow of energy such as heat or sound.

Thermal insulation provides a high resistance to the flow of heat through the building envelope of your home and this limits the impact of the outside temperature variations helping to maintain a stable and comfortable living environment.

Glasswool insulation also helps reduce noise transmission from the external environment into your home creating a more peaceful and comfortable interior. Glasswool insulation can also be used to control noise within the house by absorbing sound and reducing reverberation time allowing you to enjoy the full benefits of surround sound systems.

Insulation will protect your home against cold, heat and noise providing a comfortable, healthy, safe and quiet space for you and your family.

Types

Isover has two types of insulation, Glasswool and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) that can be used in your home.

Glasswool

Isover's Glasswool is made from a combination of naturally occurring minerals such as silica sand which is a sustainable resource and up to 80% recycled glass.

Glasswool is the most popular and widely used environmentally friendly, stable and sustainable insulation available to install in your ceilings and walls.


Ceiling Insulation	Cavity Insulation	Lightweight Construction Insulation

Foams

Sagex's Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is a rigid foam insulation material produced from solid beads of polystyrene which contains no CFC's or HCFC's, is 100% recyclable and is considered ozone friendly by the Wildlife Society of South Africa.

EPS is lightweight, resistant to water and has a high compressive strength which makes it the ideal product to be used in foundations, under screed floors and in walls.


Cavity Wall Insulation	Perimeter Insulation	Under Floor Heating Insulation

Savings

Buildings typically use up to 40% of a countries electricity and by efficiently insulating your home you can help reduce the consumption of fossil fuels used to produce electricity and thus help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy loss from an un-insulated home vs insulated home


Un-insulated Home	Insulated Home

The majority of heat loss in an average house is through the walls and roof/ceiling spaces.

Insulation is often considered a luxury and overlooked when building a home. However to properly insulate the ceiling in a typical home costs less than 1% of the total per square meter building costs, but is one of the few building materials that will save you money for the lifespan of your home.

A regular home looses up to 25% of its energy through the ceiling in winter and gains a similar amount in summer.

Aerolite has a range of thicknesses from 100 mm to 135 mm to meet the SANS 204 requirements and it will save energy and reduce your electricity costs, offering a payback in less than 3 years with continued savings thereafter, Aerolite keeps your home warm in winter and cool in summer.

Go to the Aerolite climatic zone tab to check which thickness you require

Thermal image of a geyser

Un-insulated geyser

Insulated geyser

A recent study showed that it takes a 3kw, 150 litre geyser 2 hours to heat water. With a geyser blanket the heat will be retained for 6 hours, reducing the number of heating cycles, which is an easy and highly effective way of saving electricity. You don’t have to worry about turning your geyser on and off after fitting the Geyser Pack. You can leave it to do the money and electricity saving for you.

Walls

When building a new home it is important to determine if SANS 204 requires insulation in the walls for your climatic region as up to 35% of the energy used to heat and cool a home is lost through a buildings walls depending on the type of construction.

Zone	1	2	3	4	5	6
50 mm Cavity wall	R-value 1.0	R-value 0.5	Cavity wall	R-value 0.5	Cavity wall	R-value 1.0

Go to the Standards tab in Building Solutions to see which geographical region you reside in.

Over their lifetime Isover`s insulation products save more than 100 times the energy consumed and CO2 emitted in their manufacture, transport and disposal.