Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

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Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/rser

Comparative analysis of building insulation material properties

and performance
Dileep Kumar a, Morshed Alam a, *, Patrick X.W. Zou b, Jay G. Sanjayan a,
Rizwan Ahmed Memon c
a
Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
b
School of Economics and Management, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin, China
c
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Building envelope insulation is crucial for an energy-efficient and comfortable indoor environment because the
Insulation envelope accounts for 50–60% of total heat gain/loss in a building. Previous studies mostly used lifecycle cost as
Optimization the criteria to select the optimum insulation materials with little or no consideration of embodied energy,
Energy efficiency
emission, and summer overheating potential. This study presents a comparative analysis of building insulation
Emission
materials properties (thermal, hygroscopic, acoustic, reaction to fire, environmental, and cost) and their per­
Life cycle cost
Embodied energy formance in different climate zones and proposed an optimization framework. Insulation materials can be pri­
Thermal comfort marily categorized as conventional, state-of-the-art and sustainable. State-of-the-art insulation materials have the
lowest thermal conductivity value amongst the three insulation types. However, their life cycle cost is higher
compared to the other types. Sustainable insulation materials could be useful to delay and minimize indoor peak
temperature and reduce overheating risk during the hot summer period. The analysis also showed that building
walls with comparatively lower thermal resistance are more cost-effective for the cooling dominated region, but
walls with higher thermal resistance are more cost-effective in heating-dominated regions. However, highly
insulated and airtight houses may also lead to increased overheating risk and peak cooling demand during a hot
summer period. In addition, hygroscopic, acoustic, and fire retardancy properties of insulation materials are
critical to control indoor relative humidity in a humid region, to maintain a minimum noise level in a zone, and
to reduce fire destruction. Hence, the optimization should include four criteria 1) Energy, 2) Environment, 3)
Economic, and 4) Comfort.

buildings to dwindle heat transfer and heating/cooling demand and

improve indoor thermal comfort. Insulation materials could also atten­
1. Introduction
uate unwanted noise and minimize fire hazards if selected appropriately
[7]. Moreover, the embodied energy of insulation materials is also a
The building sector consumes approximately one-third of total final
critical factor. In insulated buildings, if the reduction in operating en­
energy [1], and is responsible for one-third of energy-related greenhouse
ergy is higher than the energy used to manufacture the insulation ma­
gas (GHG) emission around the world. The consumption is expected to
terials, it results in positive net energy balance and decreases the GHG
reach 53% in next decade because of growth in population and change in
emission [8].
human lifestyle with the advancement in technology and urbanization
Several review studies investigated the properties of insulation ma­
[2], which could further increase the GHG emissions from this sector
terials, including thermal conductivity [9], thermal energy storage [10],
and may lead to adverse environmental, social and economic impacts
acoustic [11–14], thermal mass [15,16], hygroscopic, reaction to fire
[3]. Therefore, the reduction of building energy consumption and cor­
[7], and environmental [7,17]. Some other studies evaluated the per­
responding CO2 emission is paramount for sustainability.
formance considering the dynamic behavior [18], and lifecycle cost [19]
In buildings, the envelope is deemed as a critical element for
and operational CO2 emission [20]. For instance, Basim et al. [9]
ameliorating buildings’ thermal performance because it accounts for
compared thermal conductivity of building insulation materials by
50–60% of total heat transfer [4–6]. Insulation materials are applied in

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected] (M. Alam).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110038
Received 13 March 2020; Received in revised form 17 June 2020; Accepted 24 June 2020
Available online 13 July 2020
1364-0321/© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Nomenclature MW Mineral wool

NRC Noise reduction coefficient
List of Abbreviations PIC Polyisocyanurate
GHG Greenhouse gas emission PF Phenolic foam
TIM Transparent Insulation Materials EV Expanded vermiculite
MSA Monolithic silica aerogel BF Basalt fibreboard
GSA Granular silica aerogel CF Coir fibres
VIP Vacuum insulation panels DW Doper wool
RMFIM Reflective multi-foiled insulation materials OWTR Optimum wall thermal resistance
NIM Nano insulation materials
DIM Dynamic insulation materials List of notations
BCSF binderless cotton stalk fiber ρ Density (kg/m3)
LCCA lifecycle cost analysis k Thermal conductivity (mW/m K)
LCC Lifecycle cost cp Specific heat capacity (J/goC)
LCE Lifecycle Energy μ Water vapor diffusion resistance factor ( )
LEA Lifecycle Environmental assessment α Sound absorption coefficient ( )
AGR Aerogel Φ Reaction to fire ( )
EPS Expanded polystyrene Ci Cost (US$/m3)
XPS Extruded polystyrene EE Equivalent embodied energy (MJ/kg)
PPD Percentage people dissatisfied EC Equivalent embodied carbon (kg CO2-eq/kg)

classifying them as traditional, state-of-the-art, renewable and other important properties such as embodied energy, embodied carbon,
construction materials. They investigated that the state-of-the-art in­ acoustic, hygroscopic and fire retardancy. Moreover, none of the
sulators exhibit the lowest thermal conductivity (under 25 mW/m K), previous review studies compared all these properties of insulation
whilst building construction and cementitious composite have the materials and their performances in different climate zones. This
highest thermal conductivity of 200 mW/mK. Moreover, Villasmil et al. knowledge is crucial to select optimum insulation materials in
[10] compared selected traditional insulators (extruded polystyrene, different climate zones and understand the relevant optimization
expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass wool, rock wool and foam criteria.
glass) with the superinsulation materials aerogel and vacuum insulation
panel (VIP). They concluded that the installation of VIP is profitable This study aims to provide a knowledge base and understanding of
over glass wool for thermal energy storage tank buried underneath the different building insulation material properties and their performance
building when real state value exceeds 1960 €/m2. Ma �rcio et al. [21] in different climate zones. Following are the research objectives to fulfill
reported that the VIP are cost competitive against traditional insulators this aim:
in terms of cost per unit thermal resistance. However,.it was also re­
ported that the high initial cost, service life, durability and economic � Review and classify building insulation materials based on their and
feasibility are the major challenges associated with the integration of processing method.
VIP in building envelope. Kayankli [19] and Aditya et al. [20] conducted � A comparative analysis of the thermophysical, embodied energy,
review study related to economical optimum insulation thickness of embodied carbon, acoustic, hygroscopic, and fire retardancy prop­
conventional insulation materials in different region. They concluded erties of building insulation materials.
that the fuel type and insulation material properties are key parameters � A comparative analysis of the performance of insulation materials in
to be considered for selecting building insulation materials from Life different climate zones.
Cycle Cost (LCC) perspective. � Propose an optimization framework to select appropriate building
Review of existing literature revealed the following important insulation materials in different climate zones
research gaps:
This paper has been organized as follows. Section 2 classifies build­
� Previous review studies mostly used LCC cost as the criteria to select ing insulation materials as conventional, state-of-the-art and sustainable
the optimum insulation materials, which were limited to the (natural and recycled) based on their origin and processing method.
consideration of economic benefits. Only a handful of recent studies Section 3 compares building insulation materials properties and their
considered cost, energy, emission and comfort as the performance performance considering operational energy savings, operational emis­
criteria, which are also essential sustainability criteria. The private sion reduction, thermal discomfort, lifecycle cost savings, lifecycle en­
stakeholders seek cost-incentives and thermal comfort during built ergy use, and lifecycle carbon emission in different climate zones. Then,
environment design, whilst public stakeholders are more concerned it discusses properties and performance criteria for the development of a
about lifecycle energy savings and emission reductions. No studies novel framework for the selection of building insulation materials in
reviewed the performance of insulation materials considering cost, section 4. The identified potential future research directions are given in
environment, energy and comfort criteria. Hence, there is a need to section 5. Finally, section 6 concludes the present study outcomes.
develop a new optimization framework for selecting building insu­
lation materials considering all of those criteria. 2. Types of insulation materials
� The review of existing literature also pointed out that the energy,
economic, and environmental performance of building insulation Building insulation materials can be primarily categorized into three
materials depend on their thermophysical properties, fuel types, and types based on their origin, chemical substance and availability: con­
the local economic and climatic conditions. However, previous re­ ventional, state-of-the-art and sustainable as shown in Fig. 1.
view studies on building insulation materials were mostly limited to
thermophysical properties, whilst less attention is paid to other

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 1. Classification of building insulation materials.

2.1. Conventional insulation materials including expansion agent (i.e. propane), is heated with water vapor to
form expanded polystyrene insulation. However, the extruded poly­
This type of insulation material is commercially available and is styrene is formed by extruding the melted mixture of polystyrene and
currently used in the buildings. It can be divided into organic and foaming agent through pressure release nozzle [23].
inorganic insulation materials, which are discussed below.
2.1.2.2. Formaldehyde. Formaldehyde thermal insulators are based on
2.1.1. Inorganic insulation material phenol and urea. Phenol formaldehyde is available in the form of panels.
Panels include closed-cell rigid foam as a core material. They are pre­
2.1.1.1. Fibrous insulation materials. Mineral wool is an inorganic pared by mixing resins (Phenol), agents (firefighting, hardening and
fibrous insulation material that includes rock, glass and slag wool. These foaming) and other additives [24].
are derived from cullet, quartz sand, diabase, and basalt. These materials
are commercially available in the form of batt and board. The denser and 2.1.2.3. Polyurethane and polyisocyanurate. The reaction between iso­
harder mineral wool boards are used in floor, wall, and roof, while cyanate and polyols yields polyurethane and polyisocyanurate. The
lighter and softer mineral wool batts are employed in a frame house and expansion gases are poured into the closed pore during the expansion
other applications. Mineral wool insulators consume more energy in the process. Therefore, it is applied in openings (window fill and door air
production stage due to the requirement of 1400 � C temperature to form gaps) and used in an envelope [25].
glass fibers from borosilicate glass and melting rock at 1500 � C in a
wheel to create the rock wool. The phenolic resins and dust abatement 2.1.2.4. Cellulose. Cellulose is formulated using recycled paper, wood
oil bind the rock and glass fibers to improve thermal and other char­ fiber and borax acid for improving thermal properties. They are
acteristics [10]. commercially available as fillers for cavity and board and batt for an
envelope [26].
2.1.1.2. Inorganic cellular insulation materials. The inorganic cellular
insulation materials are calcium silicate, foam glass, perlite, and 2.1.2.5. Cork. The cork insulators are derived from the cork oak. It is
vermiculite. Their base materials are chalk, sand, cellulose fibers, cullet, commercially available as a filler material and insulation board. Being a
dolomite, oxide (aluminum and silicon) and magnesium-aluminum sil­ high thermal resistive and compressive strength material, it can sustain
icate. Foamed insulators have low thermal conductivity due to high structural load without sacrificing thermal properties [27].
porosity which lowers their mechanical strength and improves their
hygroscopic characteristics [9]. Gao, Liu et al. [22] prepared new foamy 2.2. State-of-the-art insulation materials
insulation materials using perlite trailing, which included perlite/so­
dium silicate, H2O2, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, and rock wool. This type of insulation material is mainly in the research and
The new foamy insulator was lighter than other inorganic material development stage with limited commercial production.
having a low thermal conductivity and comparatively high mechanical
strength. 2.2.1. Closed-cell foam
The closed-cell foam is spray insulation in which the cell is
2.1.2. Organic insulation material completely closed by pressing them together to avoid the air and
moisture trap inside the foam. Recent manufacturing technology prog­
2.1.2.1. Polystyrene. Polystyrene insulators are commercially available ress tends to produce thin insulation materials by minimizing the bubble
as expanded and extruded polystyrene. They are derived from organic size and foaming gas injection. As a result, these insulation materials are
cellular plastic. The small polystyrene (a by-product of crude oil), rigid and stable that occupies 40% lesser filling space than fiberglass for

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

given thermal resistance [28]. Being a harder surface material, they are 2.2.6. Nano Insulation materials
feasible to apply on an external wall but not into a cavity wall. The major Nano Insulation materials (NIMs) are made by reducing the pore size
drawback is a dramatic change in thermal conductivity with moisture. of materials below 200 nm. The gas molecules only collide with the pore
Therefore, their application is limited to the arid area [29]. wall instead of each other. As a result, the intermolecular collision is
eliminated, and the least conductive thermal insulating material is
2.2.2. Aerogel prepared. The NIM closed-pore structure includes gases like air, Ar, Kr,
Aerogel is synthesized using the sol-gel process to remove liquid from and Xe [39]. Mostly, hollow silica nanosphere or silica granules are
the gel. It results in a highly porous nanostructure which minimizes the added into the cementitious composite and paints to make lightweight
conduction and convection heat transfer through the materials. Hence, it and low thermal conductivity mortar and thermal insulating paints [40,
is lightweight and highly thermal insulating materials. The sol-gel pro­ 41].
cess is used to synthesize the aerogel insulation which includes gel
preparation (alumina, chromium, carbon, tin oxide and silica), aging (to 2.2.7. Dynamic Insulation Materials
decrease shrinkage during the dying process) and gel drying (to decrease Dynamic Insulation Materials (DIMs) are capable of changing their
structural collapse). The silica aerogel is easy to prepare via a super­ thermal conductivity by varying the gas concentration in the pore,
critical dying process which takes place at the pressure and temperature molecules mean free-path, molecules and inner pore collision, pore
range of 5–10 MPa and 250–270 � C, respectively. To alleviate the high surface emissivity and lattice thermal conductivity. Imbabi [42] intro­
pressure and temperature difficulties, some researchers have prepared duced novel Void Space Dynamic Insulation technology along with
aerogel at ambient conditions [30,31]. The resultant product has lower conventional insulation and natural ventilation for decreasing heat en­
thermal conductivity, density, optical transparency, and sound trans­ ergy loss through the envelope. Moreover, It had also eliminated the risk
mission properties. The properties of aerogel enable new applications in of intestinal condensation and overheating in the hot summer.
different fields such as solar collector covers, buildings, window panes,
walls, attics ground, applications and thickening agents in paints [32]. 2.3. Sustainable insulation materials

2.2.3. Transparent insulation materials Sustainable insulation materials have the lowest environmental
Transparent Insulation Materials (TIMs) resists heat flow and trans­ impact during the production stage amongst the three insulation types.
mits the light, thereby improves thermal and visual comfort in buildings. These materials can be divided further into two categories: 1) The nat­
TIMs are assembled using transparent cover and double-pane glazing ural insulation materials derived from agro and forest residues, and
unit with an air cavity [33]. They are classified based on structure design sheep wools, and 2) Recycled insulation materials. It should be noted
such as glazing-perpendicular, glazing-parallel, mixed and homoge­ that the word ‘sustainable’ is specially used in reference to lower
neous structure. TIM-perpendicular configuration ensures high thermal embodied energy and embodied carbon of these materials. Their life­
resistance without affecting the solar transmission, whilst TIM-parallel cycle energy consumption may be higher than the other insulation types
configuration reduces both heat and solar transmission. Three types of depending on their operational energy saving performance. Please refer
perpendicular-TIM are studied extensively such as capillary, honey­ to section 3 for a comparative analysis of different insulation materials
comb, and parallel slat array. Moreover, the TIM-mixed configuration performances.
effective in terms of convection current suppression with a little decline
in daylight and solar transmission [16]. The homogenous TIM are 2.3.1. Natural insulation materials based on agro-residue and forest-residue
available with granular silica aerogel (GSA) and monolithic silica aer­ Khesari et al. [43] designed a low-cost insulation panel by using the
ogel (MSA). MSA-TIM are clearer than GSA-TIM but their initial cost and durian peel and coconut coir. They found that the low-cost insulation
fragility are the main limitations in commercialization [34]. The high particleboard panel had an optimal thermal conductivity ranging from
scattering effect lowers solar transmission of GSA-TIM, resulting in more 0.0728 to 0.1342W/(m K) corresponding to the panel thickness of 10
suitable materials for skylights [35]. Among different geometries, the mm and a mixture of 90:10 of durian peel and coconut coir. Another
quasi-homogeneous were found the most effective TIM-product with low-cost insulation particleboard panel was developed by using Mis­
0.25 W/m2K and 70 mm thick. canthus and Sunflower stalk in France [44]. Zhou et al. [45] developed a
binderless cotton stalk fiber (BCSF) using high-frequency hot pressing.
2.2.4. Vacuum insulation panels The density and thermal conductivity of BCSF was close to vermiculite
Vacuum insulation panels (VIP) are manufactured using membrane and expanded perlite [46]. D’Alessandro et al. [47] prepared the crossed
walls for preventing air penetration. This rigid panel consists of highly and vertical faced reed panels for investigating their acoustic charac­
porous material for supporting membrane wall against atmospheric teristics. The vertical configuration exhibits a better sound absorption
pressure and getters to absorb leaked air through the membrane. Vac­ coefficient than a crossed configuration. Nguyen et al. [48] prepared a
uum eliminates conduction heat transfer; thereby, they have the highest bio-insulation fibreboard using bamboo fibers, bone glue, and sodium
thermal resistance with slimmer structure [36]. As a result, they can be lignosulfonate for a passive controlled indoor environment. Previous
applied in confined space for retrofitting and refurbishing buildings. studies also fabricated insulation particleboards using Bagasse [49],
Their application is more feasible in high rental areas such as city center narrow-leaved Cattail [50], Corn Cobs [51], Cotton stalks [45], Durian
residential and commercial areas [37]. Peel [43], Coconut coir [43], Oil palm fibre [52], pineapple leaves [53],
Rice and wheat husk [54], Sansevieria fibre [55], Sunflower Stalks [56],
2.2.5. Reflective multi-foiled insulation materials Straw bale [57], Kenaf core [58], Natural fibres [59], wood waste [60],
Reflective multi-foiled insulation materials (RMFIM) are made up of silkworm cocoons [61], Sisal [62], hemp [63], banana [64] and cork
several thin metallic or metalized polymer layers having a low long- [60].
wave radiation emission coefficient. Therefore, it has the least radia­
tive heat losses. The closed-cell polymer, polystyrene wool, and bubble 2.3.2. Natural insulation materials based on sheep wool
foils are commonly used spacer materials to create a 2–8 mm gap be­ Many physical characteristics of sheep wools such as strength,
tween the reflective foils. Moreover, the conventional insulators are hygrothermal, acoustic, fire resistance and naturally regulating the in­
wrapped with a reflective coating and the roof attic area is added with door environment and low embodied energy and carbon make it an
reflective foil to enhance building thermal performance [38]. excellent sustainable building insulation material [65]. However, Ye
et al. [66] investigated that the hemp and sheep wool had an identical
value of thermal conductivity at a given density. In contrast, the sheep

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

amount of water vapor without escalating its thermal conductivity

because of having hygroscopicity up to 30%. As a result, it held sorption
humidity up to 20% with a little variation in thermal conductivity under
the relative humidity range of 30–60% at 23 � C. In addition, the sheep
wool had a low health impact, ease of handling and low environmental
impact.

2.3.3. Recycled insulation materials

The sustainable insulation materials are also synthesized by using
recycled or industrial by-products to decrease the embodied energy and
carbon and divert waste from landfills. The commonly used recycled
insulation materials include cellulose, rubber, cotton waste, polystyrene
fibers and glass fibers [70]. Patnaik et al. [71] used recycled polystyrene
fiber and waste wool of equivalent proportion to make an insulation
Fig. 2. Studies on the optimization of building insulation materials. material for buildings. The prepared materials had absorbed 70% of
incident noise in the range 50–5700 Hz and had adequate moisture
wool insulation batt is four times costlier than fiberglass insulation due resistance under moistening exposure without sacrificing thermal and
to high labor cost and 40% of wool is lost in manufacturing the insu­ acoustic performance [72]. Natural rubber composite was admixed with
lation batt. Although it is not fully commercialized due to the absence of different proportions of rubber waste which had improved its thermal
efficient local wool collection [67] yet it is supplied to a smaller extent in and mechanical properties. The thermal properties were in the range of
Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Ireland, UK and Europe [68]. other established insulators, but the cost was dropped by 80%. Ayadi
Zach et al. [69] examined the design and thermophysical parameters of et al. [73] added grinding waste glass particles along with 1% CaCO3
the prepared sheep wool insulation samples. They found that the highest which had provided good insulation (0.03W/m/K) and acoustic (15 dB)
sound absorption frequency decreases with an escalation in insulation properties. Other commercialized glass fiber-based recycle insulation
thickness; thereby, the sound absorption coefficient improves. The materials had thermal conductivity and density ranging from 0.038 to
lightweight insulation samples were more sensitive to temperature 0.050 W/m/K and 100–165 kg/m3, respectively [7]. Similarly, thermal
changes than denser ones. Moreover, sheep wool absorbed a large conductivity and density of recycled cotton and textile waste were
estimated as 0.039–0.044W/m/K [74] and 0.034–0.053W/m/K [75],

Table 1
Properties of building insulation materials (conventional and state-of-the-art).
Insulation type Density Thermal Specific Vapor Sound Reaction Cost Embodied Embodied References
Conductivity heat diffusion absorption to Fire Energy Carbon
capacity resistance coefficient
factor

Notion (unit) ρ (kg/ k (mW/m K) cp (J/goC) μ( ) α( ) Φ( ) Ci (US EE (MJ/kg) EC (kg CO2-

m3) $/m3) eq/kg)
Conventional building insulation materials
Glass wool 10–100 30–50 0.8–1 1–1.3 0.45–0.8 A1 9.3–14.7 14–30.8 1.24 [18,80–83]
Rock wool 40–200 33–40 0.8–1.0 1.0–1.3 0.29–0.9 A1-A2 12–20 16.8 1.05 [7,18,81,
82]
Slag wool 50 40 0.7 0.5 0.5 – – – [7,82,84]
Expanded 18–50 29–41 1.25 20–100 0.22–03.65 E 8.6–17 80.8–127 6.3–7.3 [7,18,81,82,
Polystyrene 85]
Extruded 32–40 32–37 1.45–1.7 80–170 0.2–0.65 E 18–23 72.8–105 7.55 [7,18,81]
Polystyrene
Polyurethane 30–160 22–35 1.3–1.45 50–100 0.67 or 0.8 D-F 24.91 74–140.4 5.9 [7,18,86,
87]
Polyisocyanurate 30–45 18–28 1.4–1.5 55–150 – B 20–24 69.8 5.5 [18,88]
Foamed Glass 100–200 38–55 0.21 ∞ – A1 46–62 20.6–27 – [89,90]
Perlite 32–176 40–60 0.2 3.5 0.2–0.75 A1 38–42 [91,92]
Calcium Silicate 200–240 59–65 1.3 6–20 0.71 A1 10 [93,94]
Vermiculite 64–130 40–64 0.84–1.08 3–5 0.8 A1 7.2 [95,96]
Phenolic foam 40–160 18–24 1.3–1.4 35 0.3–0.5 B–C 23 13–159 4.15–7.21 [97–99]
Cork 100–120 37–43 1.5–1.7 5–30 0.39–0.85 E 25.6–44.7 26 0.82 [100–103]
Cellulose 30–80 37–42 1.3–1.6 1.7–3.0 0.53–0.9 B–C–E 24.6 3.3–10.5 0.31–1.83 [26,82,104]
State-of-the-art building insulation materials
Closed-cell foam 16–55 25–48 – – – – – [105]
Aerogel 70–150 13–21 1.0 2.0–5.5 0.54–0.78 A1/C 61–214 53.9 4.3 [37,
106–109],
[110]
vacuum insulation 160–230 3.5–8 0.8 340,000 0.1–0.3 A1c 90–172 149–226 6.2–11.1 [21,111]
panel
Transparent – 0.22–1.3* – – – – – – – [112]
(aerogel)
Transparent (no – 0.42–1.8* – – – – 100-400* – – [113]
aerogel)
Nano insulation 230 4–15 1.0 5 0.2–0.8 C 3000* 1.4–2.685 [39,114,
materials 115]
Gas filled panels – 11–20 – – – – 214 – – [116,117]
Reflective multi- – 160-180* – – – – – – – [118,119]
foiled

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Table 2
Properties of building insulation materials (natural).
Insulation Density Thermal Specific Vapor Sound Reaction Cost (P/ Embodied Embodied References
type Conductivity heat diffusion absorption to Fire m2) Energy Carbon
capacity resistance coefficient
factor

Notion (unit) ρ (kg/m3) k (mW/m K) cp (J/goC) μ( ) α( ) Φ( ) C (US EE (MJ/kg) EC (kg CO2- –

$/m3) eq/kg)
Bamboo fibres 431–538 77–88 1.79–1.96 8.7–15.4 0.2–0.56 – – – [48,
120–123],
Corn 148–257 101–139 1.48–1.72 5.2 0.2–0.8 – – – [124–126]
[127]
Durian 357–1456 35–185 0.77 19 0.15–0.95 – – – – [128,129]
Coconut pith 174–664 42–86 2.6 1–10 0.28–0.74 E 84.35 – – [80,130,
131]
Fique 421–128 28–80 – – 0.2–0.7 – – – – [126,132]
Flax 20–100 33–90 1.6 1–5.28 0.54–0.84 C 15.18 39.5 20* [46,133,
134]
Hemp 25–100 39–123 1.7–1.8 1–10 0.52–0.6 E 15–19.4 18.71 0.14 [12,135,
136]
Kenaf 30–180 26–44 0.21–1.7 1.2–2.3 0.3–0.95 E – 22.7–39.06 0.59–2.09 [12,
137–141]
Reeds 130–190 45–56 1.2 1–2 0.08–0.54 E – 37 [47,142]
Sunflower 36–152 38–50 – – 0.7 – – 21.11 0.56 [18,143,
144],
Rice husk 130–170 48–80 1.2–2.7 2 0.15–0.66 A 5 1.36 0.6 [54,
145–147]
Coir Fibres 75–125 0.040–0.045 1.3–1.6 5.0–30 0.2–0.75 D-E – 0.55 [18,148]
Wheat husk 480 0.1 0.718 2–12 0.29–0.78 – – – [54,
149–151]
Straw bale 80 0.052 0.6 –
Bagasse 250–350 49–55 1.3–1.5 – 0.46–0.71 – – 2.96 [103,152,
153]
Date Palm 187–389 72–85 1.19–1.79 – 0.59–0.83 – – – – [50,52,
154–157]
Coffee Chaff 350 76 – – 0.1–0.9 – – 0.23 0.05 [147,158]
Jute fibre – 50 – – 0.2–0.56 – – 21.11 0.56 [14,18]
Cotton stalks 150–450 58–82 0.13 – 0.5–74 E – 44–48 2.4–2.7 [13,45]
fibres
Pineapple 178–232 35–57 – – 0.9 – – [159,160]
Wood fibre 50–270 38–50 1.9–2.1 1–5 0.1–0.32 E 26.6–37.8 20.3 0.124 [161,162]
wood (pine) 450–630 151 1.38 5 0.75–0.95 E – – – [80,85,163,
164]
Bio- 10–20 38–54 1.3–1.7 4–5 0.056–1.12 E 24 5.4 0.12 [7,18,
insulation: 165–167]
Sheep wool

respectively. . The waste of newsprint papers, vermiculite, perlite, zinc humid region. Acoustic properties are particularly important if there is a
borax, and plaster are recycled to make low environmental impact need to maintain a minimum noise level in a zone. Finally, the fire
insulation materials with thermal conductivity of 0.063–0.15 W/m/K retardant property is critical to ensure the safety of building occupants
[76]. Gounni et al. [77] developed an insulation material using in the event of a fire. Table 1, Table 2 and Table 3 present the above-
nonwoven fabrics waste of spinning, knitting, treated raw wool, and mentioned properties and performances of different insulation
carpet. These were compressed using the needle pressing method to materials.
achieve the desired mechanical strength of the panel.

3. Comparative analysis of properties and performances of 3.1. Thermal properties

different insulation materials
Insulation materials exhibit two intrinsic thermal properties: thermal
Most of the previous studies selected optimum building insulation conductivity and volumetric heat capacity. Ideally, the thermal con­
materials only using lifecycle cost analysis (LCC). LCC considers the time ductivity of insulation materials is lower than commonly used con­
value of money associated with initial material cost and operational struction materials, resulting in low heat transfer through the envelope.
energy saving cost over the expected lifetime of buildings. Less attention The volumetric heat capacity (also known as thermal mass) measures
was paid to the embodied energy and carbon of insulation materials, as the thermal energy storage capabilities of material. High thermal mass
seen in Fig. 2. Only one study investigated the impact of insulation material can delay and minimize indoor peak temperature by anti-
materials on thermal comfort. phasing with outdoor temperature, and reduce the risk of summer
This section compares the thermal, environmental, economic, hy­ overheating. Fig. 3 shows the thermal conductivity and volumetric heat
groscopic, acoustic and fire-retardant properties and performances of capacity of classified insulators (conventional, state-of-the-art and sus­
different insulation materials based on the comprehensive review of tainable). In general, thermal conductivities of the state-of-the-art in­
existing literature. Thermal properties are necessary for cost savings, sulators are the lowest amongst the three insulation types. On the other
and operational energy savings, whilst environmental properties are hand, Sustainable insulation materials have higher volumetric heat ca­
essential for CO2 emission reduction in the built environment. Hygro­ pacities compared to the other two types. As aerogel [78] and VIP [79]
scopic property is important to control indoor relative humidity in a have very low thermal conductivity, the walls with these two insulations
are thinner compared to the other insulations and save more floor space.

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Table 3
Properties of building insulation materials (recycle).
Insulation type Density Thermal Specific Vapor Sound Reaction Cost Embodied Embodied References
Conductivity heat diffusion absorption to Fire (P/m2) Energy Carbon
capacity resistance coefficient
factor

Notion (unit) ρ (kg/m3) k (mW/m2 K) cp (J/goC) μ( ) α( ) Φ( ) C (US EE (MJ/kg) EC (kg CO2-

$/m3) eq/kg)
Cellulose 85 40–50 1.8 1 – – – – – [10]
Rubber 500–930 100–140 14 0.2–0.8 D-E – 67.9–140 3.76 [18,168]
Cotton waste 18–45 38–44 1.6 1–2 0.66–0.95 E 19.32 27.1 1.28 [7,80,168,
169]
Textile waste 30–80 36–42 1.2–1.6 2.2 – E-F – 9.82 0.87 [18,169]
Polystyrene 15–60 34–39 1.2 3.1 0.61–0.75 B – 14.2–78.24 1.66–2.11 [18,71]
fibres
Glass fibres 100–450 31–50 0.83–1.0 – 0.35 – – 167.71 9.63 [170]
Typha Australis- 1974–2124 65–112 0.16–0.25 1.29–7.06 – – – – – [171,172]
clay
Polystyrene- 146–495 60–100 – – – – – – – [173]
scrap tyre
Basalt fibre 165–187 31–32 – 2 0.9 A1 27–30 – – [174,175]
Waste paper 170–646 36–61 – – 0.72 – – 1.63 0.08 [176]
Cork Scrap 195 55 – – 0.99 – – 2.33 0.73 [147]
Granulated 550 135 – – 00.96 – – 0.34 0.105 [13,147]
Rubber
Tyre Shred 313 166.3 – – 0.3–0.5 – – – – [177,178]
Residues
Chrome shaving 150–200 34–42 – – – – – – – [179,180]
Coal fly ash- 290–315 40 0.04–0.56 – – – – – – [181,182],
scrap tire
Linter & 25–45 33–45 0.17–0.2 – – – – – – [183]
Tablecloth
textile waste
Buffing dust – 24–26 – – – – – – – [180]
Hemp shive 210–410 59–73 – 0.90–2.63 0.5 – – – – [184]
composite
coring wool & 66–58 32 – – 0.18–0.58 A2 – – – [71]
doper wool

That is why it is beneficial to use those insulations in areas with higher insulated walls in a colder climate is found to be less than 3-years due to
rent [79]. its high heat resistive properties [185]. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is
more cost-effective in the cooling dominated region with a payback
3.2. Lifecycle cost performance period of fewer than 2 years except for 4 years in a hot and humid
climate [186]. Moreover, the hemp fiber [187] and polystyrene [188]
Fig. 4 shows optimum thermal resistance of different insulated walls were promising materials in hot and cold, and Mediterranean buildings,
calculated using minimum LCC criteria. It should be noted that insu­ respectively, with a minimum payback period 4 and 1.8 years. Overall, it
lation thickness and wall construction materials (Brick, timber, aerated is evident from Fig. 5 that building walls with a higher thermal resis­
concrete etc.) vary significantly in the existing literature and the LCCs tance (low thermal conductivity materials) are more cost-effective in
were calculated considering the total cost of construction materials heating-dominated regions. On the other hand, walls with compara­
including the insulation and corresponding operational energy cost tively lower thermal resistance are more cost-effective in the cooling
savings. As a result, it was impossible to compare the LCC of different dominated region.
insulation materials only. In order to compare the LCC from different
studies, total wall resistance (including insulation and other construc­ 3.3. Operational-stage energy and emissions performance
tion material layers) was calculated and plotted against the corre­
sponding LCC as shown in Fig. 4. The horizontal axis of Fig. 4 indicates Fig. 6 shows the operational energy savings potential corresponding
the walls containing that insulation. In these studies, 20 years lifecycle to the optimum thermal resistance of walls containing various insulation
period was considered. materials in different climate zones. In those studies, the optimum wall
The walls with rock wool insulation were found to be the most cost- thermal resistance was calculated using minimum LCC criteria (sum of
effective (15–24 US$/m2-year) and heat resistive (1.9–4.5 m2K/W) initial insulation cost and operational energy saving cost). Although the
among other conventional insulation followed by calcium silicate, optimum wall thermal resistance exhibits a positive linear relationship
phenolic foam and foamed-PVC with 20, 20–30 and 25–35 US$/m2/ with energy savings, there are also exceptions where walls with lower
year, respectively. In the case of sustainable insulators, the walls with thermal resistance result in higher energy savings. This is primarily
hemp fibre account for the least LCC under 50 US$/m2/year with op­ because of the difference in the volumetric heat capacity of the wall
timum wall thermal resistance (OWTR) of above 6 m2 K/W. The mini­ materials in respective climate zones [189]. It is evident from Fig. 7 that
mum LCC of insulated envelopes with cellulose, cotton, sheep wool and in cooling dominated region (hot desert, hot and temperate, hot and
the cork were in the range of 40–80 US$/m2/year. humid, hot and mild) the lower the wall thermal resistance, the higher is
Fig. 5 presents a comparative analysis of different insulation mate­ the operational energy savings. This scenario is totally opposite of the
rials under various climatic conditions based on the available literature. heating-dominated region (temperate and cold, warm and temperate,
The best insulation material for a climate zone was investigated based on Mediterranean) where the energy-saving potential increases with an
the minimum lifecycle cost and payback period criteria. Although aer­ increase in wall thermal resistance. These findings agree with that of
ogel (AGR) has a higher initial cost, the payback period of aerogel section 3.2 where it was observed that the walls with higher thermal

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 4. Optimum wall thermal resistance corresponding to minimum LCC for

(a) Conventional (b) State-of-the-art and (c) sustainable insulation materials.
Fig. 3. Thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity of different building
insulation materials.

resistance have a higher payback period in cooling dominated regions

but comparatively lower payback period in heating-dominated regions.
Fig. 8 shows the scope 2 CO2-emission reduction potential of
different insulation materials in different climate zones. The CO2 emis­
sion reduction potential of the selected insulators in a specific climate
was calculated on the basis of available literature. Scope 2 emission was
estimated by multiplying the operational energy consumption with
scope 2 emission factor of the region where the buildings are situated.
Scope 2 emission is highly dependent on the types of fuel sources used to
produce electricity. Buildings with lower operational energy consump­
tion in a city that uses coal to produce electricity may result in higher
carbon emission compared to another building with higher operational
energy consumption in another city with gas as a fuel. Hence it is not
possible to establish a relationship between wall thermal resistance and
carbon emissions in different climate zones although Fig. 8 is showing an Fig. 5. Optimum wall thermal resistance corresponding to minimum LCC and
approximately linear relationship. payback period at different climate zones.

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 6. Operational energy savings potential corresponding to the optimum

thermal resistance of walls containing various insulation materials.
Fig. 9. Impact of insulation on overheating hours [209].

by 4.8 � C and 9.0 � C in summer and winter in a warm temperate climate

with warm summer and cold winter [195]. In a single-family Japanese
dwelling Predicted percentage of dissatisfaction (PPD) dropped to 9.5%
with the application of glass wool insulation during the heating period
[191]. Insulation is essential to mitigate heat stress risk [196] and
reduce heat-related mortality [197].
However, recent studies also showed that highly insulated and
airtight houses may also lead to overheating during a hot summer period
[198,199], create thermal discomfort [200] and increase peak cooling
energy demand [201,202]. In central and northern Europe (Denmark,
Austria., England, and France), insulated and airtight buildings were
more prone to overheating risk which could be lessened with night-time
ventilation [203,204]. According to the National Climate Change
Adaptation Research Facility report, the risk of summer overheating will
increase in Australian households which will ameliorate cooling demand
Fig. 7. Operational energy savings of various insulated walls in different by 75–115% in Melbourne and 95–359% in Brisbane by 2070 due to
climate zones. climate change [205]. Similarly, the massive-framed multi-story
dwellings had a higher risk of overheating than the light-framed struc­
ture [206]. A post-occupancy survey of a multi-story building revealed
summer overheating as the main problem in an airtight building in
Melbourne [207]. Additionally, an office building insulated with
3-cm-thick expanded polystyrene was responsible for the thermal
discomfort period of 26 days/year in the Mediterranean climate [193].
Moreover, in the same climate, the cost-optimal insulated envelope
(optimum insulation level selected using lifecycle cost criteria) had
resulted in thermal discomfort [208].
Both external and internally insulated walls may lead to some de­
grees of overheating. However, an internally insulated wall causes more
overheating than externally insulated one as seen in Fig. 9 [209]. Porrit
et al. [210] also observed similar scenarios in their study.
Hatvani-kovacs et al. [198] also showed that a higher energy rated
house with a higher insulation level increases the peak cooling demand,
although the total annual energy consumption decreases. Hence, there is
a need to optimize the building insulation level considering both energy
consumption and overheating, particularly in the heating-dominated
Fig. 8. Emission reduction potential corresponding to the optimum thermal
area where the buildings are designed to retain the winter heat inside
resistance of walls containing various insulation materials.
using high level of insulation. One way of doing it is to consider the peak
cooling energy demand during the summer period as an optimization
3.4. Thermal comfort assessment criteria together with the total operational energy consumption [198,
202]. Thermal mass in buildings can also reduce the transient cooling
The nexus between the insulation and thermal comfort has been load if applied correctly [211]. In this perspective, sustainable insulation
reported in several studies [190–193]. An insulated building improves may reduce the peak cooling load and lower the risk of overheating due
thermal comfort from 36% to 78% by increasing indoor temperature by to their high heat storage capacity compared to other insulation types.
1.9 � C in the cold climate of the UK [190]. In a hot climate, the indoor
temperature of a shelter room constructed with wood and multi-layer is
3.5. Embodied energy and embodied carbon
found to be around 1 � C–3 � C lower than that with brick and steel
structure [194]. The use of insulation reduced the indoor temperature
Energy used in different stages of materials lifecycle (extraction,

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 10. Embodied energy (cradle-to-gate) of (a) conventional and state-of-the-art and (b) sustainable building insulation materials.

extraction and production stage, whilst the later one considers energy
use in all stages such as extraction, production, transportation, main­
tenance and disposal of material [212]. The construction materials of an
average household contain about 1000 GJ of embodied energy which is
roughly equal to 15-year of normal operational energy use [213]. Con­
ventional buildings consume more operational energy than embodied
energy [214]. However, in modern energy-efficient and net-zero energy
buildings (nZEBs) consumes less operation than embodied energy due to
application of energy-efficient materials and equipment which are
highly energy-intensive, thereby embodied energy becomes an impor­
tant factor [215]. For example, an insulated and lightweight wall
structure saves more operational energy than the walls with brick or
block masonry, but the embodied energy of brick and block masonry is
lower than that of the insulated and lightweight wall [216]. In terms of
building services, the embodied energy of a solar water heater is much
higher than the electric and gas water heater although the operational
Fig. 11. Lifecycle energy consumption of different insulation materials. energy consumption is lower in the former case [217]. Previous studies
showed that optimum insulation material thickness calculated using
lifecycle cost criteria is different from the thickness calculated using
production, transportation, installation and disposal) is called as
lifecycle carbon emission [218–220]. Therefore, the embodied energy
embodied energy, and resulting emissions are termed as embodied
and embodied carbon must be included in the selection of optimum
carbon. They are further classified as cradle-to-gate and cradle-to-grave
insulation along with LCC and operational energy.
energy and carbon. The first one includes energy uses in material

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 12. Optimum insulation materials in different climate zones in terms of lifecycle energy.

The embodied energy and embodied carbon (cradle-to-gate) of 3.7. Lifecycle environmental performance
different insulation materials are presented in Fig. 10. The VIP and
petrochemical insulation (expanded polystyrene, expanded perlite, None of the existing studies conducted lifecycle environmental
polyurethane, phenolic form, polyisocyanurate, and formaldehyde) analysis of building insulation materials. Therefore, the present authors
require above 70 MJ/kg energy in their production stage, which is have simulated a typical Australian residential building using the
responsible for over 6 kgCO2-eq/kg emission. The embodied energy properties of 40 different insulation materials mentioned in section 3.1
values of sustainable insulation are the lowest amongst all insulation under different climate zones of Australia and calculated life cycle car­
types. The figure also shows that embodied energy and embodied carbon bon emission. The simulated building is single-story detached house
of EPS is very high although it was found to be the most cost-effective in with a floor area of 274 m2. The simulation was carried out using
section 3.2. Although aerogel insulation can significantly reduce oper­ EnergyPlus V9.2. For each insulation material, the thickness was varied
ational energy consumption (Fig. 6), their embodied energy and emis­ to calculate the optimum wall resistance against minimum lifecycle
sion are also considerably higher compared to others. But it can be carbon emission (summation of carbon emission associated with
reduced by producing it from paper-based cellulose materials using the embodied energy and operational energy). Fig. 13 shows optimum wall
ambient pressure drying method instead of silica-aerogel using a su­ thermal resistance of different insulation materials calculated based on
percritical drying method (sol-gel process) [221,222]. minimum life cycle carbon emission. In Melbourne, the conventional
insulators have the highest emissions ranging from 13-16 kg CO2-eq/
3.6. Lifecycle energy performance m2-year with thermal resistance of 1–4 m2K/W. These are followed by
aerogel insulation materials emissions of 12 kg CO2-eq/m2-year with
Several studies in Italy [223,224], Greece [218,225], Netherlands optimum wall thermal resistance of 6 m2K/W. The recycled polystyrene
[80], Spain [189,226], China [227,228], Iran [229] and Poland [220] is environmentally better option than recycled glass fibre because of
calculated optimum wall thermal resistance of conventional insulation high envelope thermal resistance at given carbon emission. Natural in­
materials based on minimum lifecycle energy usage (embodied and sulators emit under 10 kg/m2-year with optimum wall thermal resis­
operational energy). Fig. 11 shows that the lifecycle energy of mineral tance of 3–7 m2K/W. Hobart has the same temperate and cold climate
wool and cork is less than half of the other conventional insulations zone as Melbourne but optimum thermal resistance of some insulation
(EPS, XPS, RW and GW) although the wall thermal resistances of the materials is different, and the lifecycle emissions are lower than Mel­
former are three times of the later. The optimum thermal resistance and bourne. This is because Melbourne uses coal to generate electricity,
corresponding lifecycle energy performance of different insulation ma­ which has significantly higher carbon emission factor compared to the
terials in different climate zones are presented in Fig. 12. The figure hydro power plant used in Hobart. Comparison of Figs. 13 and 14 show
shows that the low resistive materials are better option for cooling that even in the same climate zone of Hobert, optimum wall thermal
dominated regions, whilst high resistive materials are suitable for resistance of some insulation materials are different if selected using
heating dominated region. Mineral wool (MW) is found to be the best lifecycle cost and lifecycle energy. For example, optimum thermal
insulation materials for hot and humid, and warm and temperate resistance with expanded polystyrene (EPS) is around 4 m2K/W and 2.2
climate zone. For hot and cold climate zone, extruded polystyrene (XPS) m2K/W when lifecycle carbon and lifecycle energy are used as the
was found to be the best to minimize lifecycle energy consumption. optimization criteria, respectively. Overall, the natural insulators are
These are different compared to the optimum insulation materials re­ found to be the better options for cold and temperate climate zones of
ported based on lifecycle cost and operational energy savings in Figs. 5 Australia because of higher envelope thermal resistance and lower
and 7, respectively. However, it should be noted that the lifecycle carbon emission.
above-mentioned studies of lifecycle energy performance are limited to
conventional insulation materials [229]. As mentioned earlier,
compared to lifecycle cost, very few studies reported optimization of 3.8. Other properties
building insulation materials using lifecycle energy criteria.
3.8.1. Hygroscopic properties
Hygroscopic properties of materials can regulate indoor relative

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 13. Lifecycle carbon emission corresponding to optimum wall thermal resistance in (a) Melbourne and (b) Hobart.

humidity. They are useful in a hot and humid climate and in wet areas (i. resulted in 5%–30% operation energy savings in the study of Osa­
e bathroom, kitchen, etc) with minimum ventilation rate. Fig. 15 shows nyintola and Simonson et al. [231]. In another study, the moisture
the water vapor diffusion resistance factor of different insulation ma­ transfer between indoor air and the wooden envelope resulted up to 35%
terials. The higher the resistance factor, the lower is the moisture ab­ reduction in indoor air relative humidity [232]. Therefore, buildings
sorption capacity. The inorganic cellular insulators (XPS, EPS, PU, PIC, equipped with a relative humidity control based air conditioning system
and PF) are moisture retarders with a water vapor resistance coefficient could be insulated with hygroscopic insulation materials to decrease
of 20–170. However, the mineral insulators (glass wool and rock wool) operational energy use (latent cooling load) and improving indoor air
are a good absorber of moisture which also increases their thermal quality [233].
conductivity and hence increases the operational energy use [230]. The
natural insulators absorb water vapor without significant deviation in 3.8.2. Acoustic properties
thermal properties [69]. The use of hygroscopic material (wood panels, The operational energy use is independent of acoustic characteristics
porous wood fibers, and cellulose insulation with lower vapor diffusion of insulators, but it is an essential element of indoor environment
resistance factor) in the bedroom wall has lowered indoor relative quality. In Europe, 65% of urban residents are exposed to a noisy
temperature and ventilation rate by 1–2 � C and 7.5 L/s, respectively; and environment [82]. Acoustic insulators can reduce sound transmission

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 14. Lifecycle Energy consumption corresponding to optimum wall thermal resistance in Hobart.

through the envelope and improve indoor acoustic comfort. The European standard BS EN 13501–1 [9]. Inorganic insulators such as
consecutive average of sound absorption coefficient at four frequencies glass wool, rock wool, expanded perlite, expanded vermiculite (EV),
(250, 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz) is termed as noise reduction coefficients VIPs and Basalt fibreboard are incombustible materials, whilst organic
(NRC). NRC is used to compare the acoustic performance of insulation insulators (petrochemical and sustainable) are highly combustible.
materials [12]. Polyisocyanurate (PIC), phenolic foam (PF), cellulose and recycled
Fig. 16 shows the sound absorption and noise reduction coefficient of polystyrene fibers are categorized to be low combustible materials. It
different insulation materials. Fibrous insulators attenuate nuisance takes up to 10 min for Aerogel to catch fire if exposed to a fire condition
better than cellular insulators. Among fibrous materials, natural fibers which is longer than polyurethane, coir fibers (CF), recycled rubber and
absorb more sound waves than synthesis fibers at a given frequency. doper wool (DW). Moreover, silica aerogel has better fire resistance
Thanks to their internal lumen which enables them to dissipate more properties than the cellulose aerogel materials [238,239]. Glass wool
sound energy [13]. Polyurethane and mineral wool have a noise and rock wool are the least toxic, whilst polyisocyanurate and poly­
reduction coefficient (NRC) that is higher than polystyrene and cellular urethane are the most toxic material because their combustion yields
inorganic materials. Among natural materials, Coconut pith, hemp, and hydrogen cyanide gas [240]. The toxicity doubles when fire condition
sheep wool exhibit the highest NRC of around 0.75 [12,13,166], changes from well-ventilated to under-ventilated buildings. Crewe et al.
whereas wooden and husky materials have the least NRC of 0.4 [164, [241] showed that the experimental test unit insulated with poly­
234]. The use of sheep and vegetable wool in double-leaf walls attenuate isocyanate caught fire quicker than mineral wool one. Moreover, the
noise transmission better than the heavy double-wall insulated with rock polyisocyanate insulated envelope resulted in dark and sooty smoke,
wool and polystyrene [147,235]. Moreover, a composite of poly­ whilst the burning of mineral wool caused light and transparent smoke.
urethane and rice husk had acoustically performed better than rubber
and wood shaves in a unit wall structure [13]. In another study, a 4. Discussions
20-mm-thick concrete slab was insulated with traditional and natural
sound insulation materials to determine the noise reduction impact. It Energy-efficient, thermally comfortable and low carbon emission
was found that conventional insulation materials reduced noise more buildings are essential today to combat climate change and resource
(30–31 dB) than natural insulators (17–23 dB). Silica Aerogel attenuated scarcity. Building envelops insulation can play an important role in
noise by 33 dB in the window having U-value 0.66 W/m2K [236]. achieving those criteria if applied correctly. The ideal insulation mate­
rial is the one that has low thermal conductivity and higher volumetric
3.8.3. Fire retardant properties heat capacity. In the cooling dominated region, both of these properties
Fire hazard occurs accidently or intentionally in buildings which are essential for energy efficiency and comfort. In a heating-dominated
threaten occupant life, damage property, and structure. Approximately region, lower thermal conductivity is given more emphasis to prevent
84.6 million fire incidents were reported globally for the period of heat flow from indoor to outdoor. However, volumetric heat capacity
1993–2015 which caused around one million casualties and cost around property is also becoming an important factor in the heating-dominated
1% of global GDP (US$857.9). Annually, fire incidents are responsible region due to more frequent and intense summer heatwave.
for 44,300 deaths in developed and developing countries [237]. Moreover, hygroscopic, acoustic and fire resistance properties of
Therefore, it is essential to implement fire safety measures during the building insulation materials are important to regulate indoor air hu­
preliminary design stage of the building to mitigate adverse social and midity, ensure acoustic comfort and minimize health hazards. Hygro­
economic impacts of fire hazards. scopic characteristics are important to moderate indoor relative
Fig. 17 shows the fire-resistant properties of different insulation humidity variation in buildings because it affects warm respiratory
materials. The materials have been classified from A (incombustible) to comfort and skin humidity, perceived indoor air quality, increase the
F (highly combustible) depending on their combustibility according to sensible and latent load, and causes deterioration of artifacts and

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 15. Hygroscopic characteristics of (a) conventional and state-of-the-art and (b) sustainable building insulation materials.

buildings. Acoustic property of insulation is critical for occupant com­ emission to the atmosphere due to higher embodied energy which
fort, particularly in high rise buildings. Flammable insulations are a means it will not be environmentally sustainable. In addition to that,
major health and safety risk because it significantly increases the fire overheating is becoming a major health and safety issue, particularly in
spreading rates across the buildings. the heating-dominated regions where buildings are highly insulated to
State-of-the-art insulation materials are the least conducive to heat minimize heating energy requirements. Therefore, the optimization of
amongst all insulation types and hence, can significantly reduce oper­ building envelope should focus on minimizing the overheating and peak
ating energy consumption. However, their installation cost and cooling demand as well.
embodied energy are much higher compared to others. On the other Therefore, there is a need to select insulation materials based on
hand, sustainable insulation materials have lower embodied and carbon multi-objective optimization. Fig. 18 shows a proposed conceptual
compared to others and hence, their impact on the environment is multi-objective optimization framework to select optimum insulation
negligible. They can also absorb moisture and can regulate the indoor materials for building envelope based on the current review. This pro­
humidity in humid areas. However, sustainable insulators are highly posed framework optimizes insulation based on four criteria 1) Energy,
combustive and relatively costly compared to conventional insulation 2) Environment, 3) Economy (lifecycle costing), and 4) Comfort.
materials. Each criterion can be calculated by using a set of indicators, as shown
In most of the previous cases, the performance of insulation materials in Fig. 18. The indicators to calculate the energy criteria may include
was evaluated using lifecycle cost analysis, whilst less attention was lifecycle operational energy consumption and the total embodied energy
given on embodied energy and indoor environment quality. Optimum of the materials used. Environmental criteria can be calculated using
insulation materials based on lifecycle costs may have higher carbon both the embodied and operational carbon emission indicators. The

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 16. Sound absorption and noise reduction coefficient of (a) conventional and state-of-the-art and (b) sustainable building insulation materials.

indicators to calculate economic criteria may include installation cost have zero emission). Therefore, embodied energy and embodied carbon
and lifecycle operational energy cost indicators. Finally, comfort may value of different insulation materials should be determined on the basis
include health risk due to fire, acoustic comfort, and thermal comfort. of local energy sources and boundary conditions. There is a need to
The left-most column shows the parameters that are required to characterize the insulation materials in terms of the parameters
calculate the indicators. For example, thermal conductivity and heat mentioned in Fig. 18 and develop a comprehensive database for opti­
capacity data are required to calculate the operational energy-saving mization study.
potential of insulation material. Scopes of emission in a particular
location can be used to calculate the carbon emission associated with 5. Future research directions
energy consumption. Water vapor absorption coefficient, noise reduc­
tion coefficient, and flammability data are needed to calculate the Following are the research directions that have arisen from the
thermal comfort, acoustic comfort, and fire risk. current study:
However, to carry out multi-objective optimization, it is critical to
know all relevant parameters shown in Fig. 18. The present review re­ 1. Determine the weightings of each optimization objectives mentioned
veals that most of the insulation materials are not fully characterized. above and develop an optimization function. The weightings and
Although thermal conductivity data of different insulation materials are optimization function may be different for different climate regions.
widely available, limited information is available on heat capacity, Then develop an optimization algorithm to carry out the optimiza­
water vapor resistance, embodied energy and embodied carbon prop­ tion activities.
erties. Moreover, the embodied energy vary with boundary conditions 2. Improve the volumetric heat capacity of low thermal conductivity
such as cradle-to-grave will be different from cradle-to-gate. Embodied material to improve thermal comfort in a heating-dominated region
carbon depends on the local energy sources (Renewable energy sources during a heatwave. For example, the thermal conductivity of aerogel

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

Fig. 17. Reaction to fire classification of building insulation materials.

Fig. 18. A framework to select optimum building insulation materials.

insulation is much lower compared to other insulation types which is 3. With the evolution of Net-zero energy building, the embodied energy
better to minimize heating energy consumption during winter in a of materials is becoming more important than the operational energy
heating-dominated region. But it may result in overheating during consumption. In this perspective, sustainable insulation materials
the hot summer period. Phase change material has the potential to can be a good candidate to replace conventional insulation materials
improve thermal comfort by improving heat storage capacity [242]. because of being low embodied energy materials. However, further
Future research can be carried out on the integration of phase change research is required to improve its fire resistance properties as these
materials in aerogel to improve the heat storage capacity. are highly combustible.

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D. Kumar et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131 (2020) 110038

4. The hygroscopic materials regulate indoor relative humidity effec­ important factor. Sustainable insulation materials have the lowest
tively but an accumulation of moisture increases the heat conduc­ embodied energy amongst the three insulation types resulting in the
tivity of materials which may impact energy-saving potential. As a lowest lifecycle energy use and lifecycle carbon emission over the ex­
consequence, the thermal performance of hygroscopic materials pected life time of buildings.
needs to be investigated considering heat transfer through the en­ To select optimum insulation materials, a novel optimization
velope and indoor relative humidity. framework has been proposed which includes 4 optimization criteria: 1)
Operational energy and carbon, 2) Embodied energy and carbon 3)
6. Conclusion Lifecycle cost and 4) Comfort. The indicators that are required to
calculate each criteria have also been proposed. To calculate those in­
A comprehensive review of different types of building insulation dicators, there is a need to have information on thermal conductivity,
materials, their properties and performances have been carried out. specific heat, embodied energy, cost, water vapor diffusion resistance
Building insulation materials could be categorized as conventional, factor, noise reduction coefficient and fire resistance properties of
state-of-the-art and sustainable. Conventional insulation materials are insulation materials. While comprehensive data on thermal conductivity
prepared through chemical and mechanical processes and are and cost of different insulation materials are available for different
commercially available. These include mineral wool, polystyrene, cel­ insulation materials, very limited studies focused on other parameters.
lulose, cork etc. The state-of-the-art insulations are mainly in the Future studies should be carried out to collect those parameter data
research and development stages, such as aerogel, vacuum insulation which then can be used in the optimization of building envelope.
panel, etc. The natural insulators are the ones that are derived from agro
and forest residues and sheep wools and are also prepared from indus­ Declaration of competing interest
trial by-products.
In general, thermal conductivities of the state-of-the-art insulators The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
are the lowest amongst the three insulation types. To maintain a similar interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence
level of thermal resistance, a thinner layer of state of the art insulators the work reported in this paper.
(such as aerogel, vacuum insulation panel) is sufficient compared to the
other two insulation types [9]. Hence, it is beneficial to use those Acknowledgments
insulations in areas with higher rent to maximize the rented floor area
[10]. However, the lifecycle cost of the building envelopes with these This research was funded by the Pakistan Government Higher Edu­
insulation materials are very high compared to other types. These cation Commission (HEC) PhD scholarship.
findings are in agreement with previous studies.
The innovation of this study lies in the comparative analysis of Appendix A. Supplementary data
insulation material properties and performances, and consideration of
multi-objective criteria to select optimum insulation materials in a Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.
climate zone. The comparative analysis of different insulation materials org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110038.
under different climatic conditions revealed that building walls with
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