Are Recticel Insulation's products environmentally friendly?
Our boards are an extremely efficient form of insulation and over the life of a building will save far more energy in their use than required in their production, resulting in significant reductions in energy consumption and cost, as well as reduced CO2 emissions.
Can I install downlighters in conjunction with Recticel Insulation boards?
The temperature of a lamp can reach 2000C. Without adequate ventilation to allow the escape of heat, downlighters can cause fires. Recticel recommends the following measures are taken when installing downlighters: Downlighters should not be recessed into insulated ceilings if they penetrate the vapour control layer (VCL). This will result in them drawing warm moist air into the roof space where it could condense and drip back out of the fitting, causing a potential fire risk. Where downlighters are to be used they should be fitted into a false ceiling below the structural ceiling. Overheating can occur where thermal insulation is laid over existing downlighters and any associated transformers that are not designed to operate under these conditions. Cables and other electrical equipment should not be covered by insulation. In all cases, the downlighter manufacturer's instructions should be followed. They should specify the amount of space to be left around the back of the fitting, its fire rating, whether it can be covered with insulation, and the type/wattage of suitable lamps. If in doubt, consult a qualified electrician.
What is an EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) and why is it important?
An EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is an independently verified document that provides transparent, standardised information about the environmental impact of a construction product throughout its life cycle. This can include the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, transport, use and end of life.
For insulation products, an EPD can provide important data on embodied carbon, global warming potential (GWP), energy and resource use, water consumption and waste.
EPDs are important because they help architects, specifiers, contractors and building designers make more informed decisions about the environmental performance of construction products. They provide reliable data that can be used in whole-building life cycle assessments (LCA), embodied carbon calculations and sustainability assessments such as BREEAM.
Take a look at what Recticel products are included in our EPD
What is circularity in construction?
Circularity in construction means keeping materials and products in use for as long as possible while reducing waste and the consumption of virgin resources.
For insulation, this can involve designing products and systems with durability, resource efficiency, recycling, recovery and end-of-life solutions in mind.
Recticel is working to support a more circular insulation industry by exploring ways to recover and reuse materials from insulation products.
What is Next Life Polyol?
Next Life Polyol is an initiative focused on recovering valuable polyol raw materials from polyurethane waste and returning them to the production cycle.
By recovering material that would otherwise potentially become waste, technologies such as this can help reduce reliance on virgin raw materials and support a more circular approach to polyurethane insulation.
What is Recticel doing to improve insulation circularity?
Recticel is working to improve the circularity of insulation by looking at ways to reduce waste, recover valuable materials and return materials to the production cycle.
This includes initiatives focused on recovering materials from insulation waste and exploring technologies that can help move the insulation industry towards more circular material flows.
What is the circular economy?
The circular economy is an approach that aims to reduce waste and keep products and materials in use for as long as possible.
In construction, this can involve designing buildings and products with durability, resource efficiency, reuse, recovery and recycling in mind.
For insulation, circularity can include finding ways to recover materials from manufacturing waste and insulation products at the end of their service life.
Recticel Insulation proudly announces the opening of its new industrial‑scale recycled polyol plant in Wevelgem (Belgium), a major milestone in the company’s long‑term sustainability strategy and a decisive step toward circularity in the insulation sector.
What U-value do I need for a wall?
The required U-value for a wall depends on factors including the building type, construction method, project requirements and applicable Building Regulations.
Different wall constructions can achieve the same target U-value using different materials and insulation thicknesses.
Use the Recticel U-value calculator to assess different wall build-ups and insulation specifications.