The literature and marketplace is best with contradictory claims concerning relative strengths and weaknesses of various types of thermal insulation. The need for valid comparison is particularly pressing in the light of impending legislation in several Australian states following the introduction of Mandatory thermal insulation standards for dwellings in Victoria in 1991.
Thermal performance is the principal function of any thermal insulation.
Durability and quality assurance are also important aspects of thermal performance but they are beyond the scope of the present paper. Nevertheless, we shall look at some of the key factors which should be taken into account when assessing the cost of thermal insulation. The question of Safety is a very broad issue and under this heading we propose to examine only Fire Performance and the associated issue of Toxicity of Smoke evolved in event of fire. These safety factors are key objectives of the Building Code of Australia and therefore must be strictly controlled. The architect or specifier must be aware of the relationship between k and R for homogeneous solids.