Insulation conserves energy and adding insulation above the minimum requirements set by codes for the health and comfort of the occupants can help reduce emissions and save you money in monthly heating and cooling bills. There are many types of insulation on the market and this webpage provides some resources to help you buy a safer and greener option.

Environmental Attributes to Consider*

• Greater thermal insulation values (R-value)
• Reduction/elimination of toxics (formaldehyde, isocyanates, flame-retardants) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Recycled-content
• Embodied energy & greenhouse gas emissions

*Depending upon the performance requirements (e.g., your local temperature ranges and variations; construction above or below grade), building occupants, project scope, and other considerations.

How to Buy

• See construction standards and ecolabels recommended by EPA.
• Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines for suggested recycled content in building insulation materials.
• Green Procurement Compilation - Insulation. The Green Procurement Compilation (GPC) is a comprehensive green purchasing resource designed for federal contracting personnel and program managers.  It helps you identify applicable green purchasing requirements.
• Institutional and Federal purchasers can use this model specification language for insulation (Section 07 20 00 Thermal Protection), which provides federal agencies' requirements and other practices to consider when specifying insulation. Exit

Government Resources

ENERGYSTAR

EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) estimate of streamlined life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission factors for fiberglass insulation

EPA 2009 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant recipient – Ecovative mushroom insulation

Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers Exit
Model specification language for green building construction.

GSA Advantage!®
GSA Advantage is the federal government's premier online shopping superstore giving you access to millions of commercial products and services available from GSA-negotiated contracts.  Anyone may browse the site to view and compare the variety of products and services offered.  Visit the Environmental Program Aisle search by environmental icons and limit your results to sustainable products.

Improving Ducts: Duct Sealing and Insulation

Design for the Environment Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) resources

Protect Your Family from Asbestos-Contaminated Vermiculite Insulation

Other Resources

StopWaste Guide to Environmentally Preferable Fiberglass and Cellulose Insulation Products Exit

Green Science Policy Institute’s Safer Insulation initiative Exit

BuildingGreen.com Exit
BuildingGreen.com provides print and electronic resources to help in the design and building of construction projects from a whole-systems perspective, and publish the Environmental Building News and the GreenSpec®.