This is a common question that we get at every lecture we give. The best insulation
is air. All insulation products are created with one purpose in mind- “trap air”!
You see, only air can act as a buffer from one temperature zone to the next. The
earth may be the best example of air at work. The earth is hurdling through space
which has a temperature of around - 450 degrees Fahrenheit, yet on the surface of
the earth the temperature will remain between -128.6 degrees (coldest ever recorded)
to 136 degrees (hottest ever recoded) Fahrenheit. Why is this? The main reason is
we are separated from space by a large volume of high density air made up of several
different types of gases that insulate the earth from the coldness of space. Without
this volume of air the earth would be the same temperature as space only warming
up when direct sun light touches the surface. As the earth rotates on its axis we
experience night and day and thermal radiation coming from the sun penetrates though
the atmosphere to the surface and warms it. This heat is trapped under our protective
atmosphere and the temperature remains predictable and stable. Understanding this
natural process is key to designing a sustainable zero energy building. The building
can be designed to work using these natural processes. So disregard what you hear
on advertisements saying they have the best insulation on the market- Most of those
guys have no clue how their material even works; ask them! So to answer the question-
The best insulation is an integrated building design that responds per frequency
of thermal exposure (determined by specific geographic location) and the mitigation
strategies (passive and/or active) that both shields and conserves comfort temperature
and humidity levels within the living space to achieve a balanced sustainable internal
environment within the building. This is exactly what is taking place with the relationships
between the earth, sun and void of space using the atmosphere that surrounds the
earth to insulate our living space.
