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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
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Products: Phenolic foam insulation boards

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorMike George
    • CommentTimeFeb 27th 2011 edited
     
    I'm not sure that we have ever really discussed this one. Anyone have any experiences, thoughts on advantages, disadvantages?

    A starter is that it has a better lambda value than the PUR/PIR's, so better u-values for a given thickness.
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeFeb 27th 2011 edited
     
    Kingspan make it and say..

    Kooltherm K8 Cavity Board

    Benefits
    Premium performance rigid phenolic insulation -
    thermal conductivity 0.020-0.022 W/mK.
    Negligible smoke obscuration.
    Class O / low risk fire rating.
    Clear cavity is maintained – resists moisture penetration.
    Low emissivity foil facings are resistant to the passage of water vapour and double the thermal resistance of the cavity.
    Meets NHBC technical requirements when used with a 50 mm residual cavity.


    For comparison Celotex make polyisocyanurate rigid foam and say the thermal conductivity of that is 0.022 W/mK

    So perhaps phenolic is only 10% better.
    • CommentAuthorjamesingram
    • CommentTimeFeb 27th 2011 edited
     
    nice comparisons list here
    http://www.greenspec.co.uk/insulation-oil-derived.php
    nicked from above link plus some others

    Positives
    Reusable if in suitable condition
    Inherently flame resistant
    High compressive strength
    High thermal performance
    Moisture resistant
    In Europe, most blowing agents are zero ozone depletion (ODP) blowing agents

    Negatives
    Oil based insulation so all concerns related to that.
    Not readily recyclable
    high embodied energy ( irrelavent when considering insulation benefits)
    Produced from phenol formaldehyde - a toxic petrochemical derivative
    Shrinking of panels leading to gaps in the insulation layer can reduce insulation effectiveness. Jointing of panels (eg tongue & groove) and multiple layers can reduce the problem
    Expensive
    U value degrades over time ???


    I've consider it for EWI work due to reduce thickness giving better results without effecting verges/eaves/pipework etc., high strength for impact resistance and mmost importantly fire proof !
    , from memory last time I got a quote it was 4x the cost of standard EPS ( from EWI supplier vall in system package )
  4.  
    I used to use it a lot, and still do occasionally. What stopped me using it often was the extra cost. Maybe I just struck unlucky, but the cost differential between 'standard Kingspan' and Kooltherm (phenolic) was so great as to make it sensible, if thickness was not critical, simply to go up 25mm with 'standard Kingspan' every time. I used it mostly with pl'bd bonded to it. It rasps beatifully, where Pu and PiR crumble.

    I do not know if it's shrinkage, or 'factory tolerances', but nearly every board with pl'bd bonded had the ins 2 - 3mm back from the edge. Anyone who isn't really careful may put up boards with a min 4mm gap in hte ins every time boards meet.
    • CommentAuthorgcar90
    • CommentTimeFeb 27th 2011
     
    from Wikipedia

    "Effectiveness of the insulation of a building envelope can be compromised by gaps resulting from shrinkage of individual panels. Manufacturing criteria requires that shrinkage be limited to less than 1% (previously 2%). Even when shrinkage is limited to substantially less than this limit, the resulting gaps around the perimeter of each panel can reduce insulation effectiveness, especially if the panels are assumed to provide a vapor/infiltration barrier. Multiple layers with staggered joints, ship lapped or tongue & groove joints greatly reduce these problems."

    I would like to see more data on the various Phenolic/PIR/PUR boards as regards shrinkage and the time period over which most shrinkage is likely to occur.

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