Section J of the Building Code of Australia is a mandatory component that dictates the level of performance which must be met in order for a building to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards.
When it comes to complying with the requirements of Section J, the easy part is satisfying the thermal performance. Almost any insulation material on the market, when properly installed, can tick this box. The hard part is keeping a lid on the price, getting a visually acceptable thermal barrier and installing the product in coordination with all the services that are fixed to, and share the same slab soffit.
3 of the most popular options when it comes to thermal insulation are Extruded PIR Foam Board, Foil Faced Glasswool, and Spray Applied Insulations.
Here we take a brief look at the pros and cons of these 3 options:
Extruded PIR Foam Board
These panels are imported and expensive. However, they have a smart flat washable finish and must be installed as a “first trade” to a clear slab. Although they possess excellent thermal resistivity, they have no sound absorption properties and almost no recycled content. Generally used in visually exposed locations or where thickness / headroom is critical.
Foil Faced Glasswool
This product, in its flexible version (12kg/m3) is cheap and used in areas not visually exposed, for example, above ceilings. In higher densities (24kg/m3- 60kgm3) the insulation is stiffer and can be used in exposed areas. It must be installed as a “first trade”. Foil faced glasswool has excellent acoustic properties and easy to patch up if damaged. It contains a medium level recycled content.
Fire Resistant Spray Applied Insulations
Spray applied insulation has been available in Australia for over 20 years, and is often the perfect solution in many situations. The use of spray applied insulation can be determined based on the following performance parameters:
PROS
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Extremely cost effective for system thermal ratings upto and including R 2.0
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Can be easily sprayed around existing services for a perfect unblemished finish
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Has a very high Noise Reduction Coeff for excellent reverberation control
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High Density 35kg/m3 – 90kg/m3
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Can be dyed to suit an architectural colour scheme
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Can be installed as a “first trade” or a “last trade”.
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Unrivalled rain noise attenuation when applied below metal roofs
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Very high Total Recycled Content upto 80%
CONS
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Not very cost efficient when applied to small areas(less than 50m2) due to set up time.
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Susceptible to damage from direct rain.
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Cannot be installed in tight access locations (above existing cable trays etc)
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Cheaper option are available when System Thermal Values exceed R 2.0
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Product is difficult to install in windy conditions.
Click here to find out more about the benefits of using fire resistant spray applied insulations in a wide range of commercial applications.
