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BASIX® - Insulation

Insulation is a very important component in the process of thermally optimising your home. So at the BASIX® Certificate Centre, we take into account many variables which will have an effect on acclimatising the structure.

Although, when using the online Thermal Comfort section of the BASIX® tool for Alterations & Additions, the opportunity to change or customise the insulation specifications is not available, and the same applies to the D.I.Y. section for new homes / units. This results in minimum specifications for insulation, based on your construction type and area of location.

However, at the BASIX® Certificate Centre, when calculating the Thermal Comfort specifications for new home & units, in the majority of cases we will use the specially designed software of Nathers (First Generation) and Accurate (Second Generation).  Our assessors are trained in the use of these products, with accreditation from ABSA or Association of Building Sustainability Assessors.

We are able to specifically tailor insulation to your construction and will take into account whether you request insulation requirements to the minimum standards or insulation that will greatly benefit your comfort and investment to a Five Star or higher rating for your home.

 

Insulation can be required to the following areas of construction:

  • Concrete slabs (under-slab or slab edge)
  • Bearers & joist construction (between joists for example)
  • External walls (timber/steel frame, brick veneer, cavity brick etc)
  • Ceilings (raked or level)
  • Roof (under tiles or sheeting)
  • Internal walls (timber or steel frame)

 

Insulation can be made of the following materials:

  • Foil
  • Fibreglass
  • Polystyrene boards - EPS
  • Acrylic
  • Polyester
  • Wool
  • Cellulose

 

Types of insulation are:

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Proactive Technology

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Information from www.proactivetechnology.com.au

 

At the BASIX® Certificate Centre we can also suggest alterative insulation based on the construction restraints or suggest construction materials that themselves form effectively as thermal barriers without the need for additional components.

While the BASIX® Certificate only specifies insulation necessary to achieve the Thermal Comfort requirement, insulation can also have the additional benefit of reducing noise.  Sometimes insulation of this type, for example the CSR Rockwool or Insulco Acousti-Therm are used for this purpose.  These can be used in external walls, plus solely for sound reduction on internal walls, like around a Home Theatre or in the floors between the different levels in a home.  

Insulation is generally specified in an “R” value, which refers to the resistance of heat flow.  The higher the number, the better the material is in resisting the flow of heat.

 

The insulation requirements for your home can be specified in the BASIX® commitments in the following forms:

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ABSA Specification details

This information is displayed on the ABSA Thermal Comfort Specification, calculated and tailored by an approved ABSA assessor specialising in Thermal Comfort.

There are many benefits of using the correct insulation and these are:

  • Will keep your home cooler in summer, by up to 10º
  • Will keep your home warmer in winter, by up to 5º
  • Will reduce energy use, thus reducing the amount of green house gas emissions
  • The correct insulation can save you over $100 of energy costs each year
  • Insulation is such an important part of an energy efficient design that it will add value to your home, as well as comfort
  • Certain types of insulation will also reduce some unwanted noise
 

Insulation should not only be thought of as a component just to achieve the necessary score or points required to obtain a BASIX® Certificate, but should be considered as an added value to your home, your future, your investment.

 

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Revised: 02-Jan-2018.

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