Insulation

The word ‘insulate’ means to protect something by interposing a material between it and other elements that prevents transmission between them. The word ‘insulation’ refers to the material that is interposed.

Insulation may be used in the construction industry for a number of different purposes:

• Thermal insulation to prevent the transmission of heat, typically between the inside and outside of a building. For more information see: Thermal insulation.
• Acoustic insulation to prevent the transmission of sound, for example between a recording studio and a performance space. For more information see: Acoustic insulation.
• Fire insulation to prevent the passage of fire between spaces or components.
• Electrical insulation to contain and separate electrical conductors.

There are a number of articles on Designing Buildings Wiki about insulation:

• Acoustic insulation
• Acoustic insulation market
• Advice for External Wall Insulation (EWI) systems with a render or brick-slip finish
• Aerogel insulation for buildings
• BR 135 Fire Performance of external thermal insulation for walls of multi-storey buildings
• BREEAM Insulation
• Cavity wall insulation
• Celotex RS5000 PIR insulation
• Designing out unintended consequences when applying solid wall insulation FB 79
• Domestic floors: Part 1: Construction, insulation and damp proofing
• External wall insulation
• Floor insulation
• Icynene spray foam insulation
• Insulation for ground floors
• Loft insulation ruling
• PA ratio for insulation
• Phenolic foam insulation
• Reducing thermal bridging at junctions when designing and installing solid wall insulation FB 61
• Roof insulation
• Solid wall insulation
• Solid Wall Insulation: Unlocking demand and driving up standards
• Sound insulation in buildings
• Sound insulation in dwellings Part 2: New-build (GG 83-2)
• Sound insulation in dwellings: Part 1: An introduction (GG 83-1)
• Sound insulation in dwellings: Part 3: Material change of use (conversions) (GG 83-3)
• Specifying insulation for inverted roofs
• Ten facts about Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) insulation to help specifiers
• Thermal insulation for buildings
• Transparent insulation
• Types of insulation
• Understanding Insulation and the Part It Plays in Building Regulations
• Wall insulation and moisture risk
• Wood and insulation