Replies

1. 
   Riversong|Jul 11, 2009 12:49pm|#1

   Google.com

2. 
   John Brooks|Jul 11, 2009 01:08pm|#2

   Let me rephrase...I have noticed it seems to be used more widely in Europe.. yet seems rare here.
   I am curious if anyone here at GBA has used it.
   maybe I should have only asked "what are the upsides and downsides"

3. 
   Riversong|Jul 12, 2009 11:16am|#3

   In the broadest sense, mineral wool insulation includes fiberglass, fibered rock and fibered blast-furnace slag. But we generally use the term mineral wool for the latter two.

   I suspect the reason it has not seen the popularity in residential construction in the US that it has in the British empire is the power of fiberglass industry advertising. It is, however, widely used in commercial and industrial applications because of its high heat tolerance, fire-resistive and acoustic properties.

   It is more dense and has a higher R-value per inch than fiberglass and though it has about half the embodied energy per pound as fiberglass, it has about the the same EE per R because of its greater density.

   It's greater density, however, makes it a better acoustical barrier than fiberglass and more impermeable to both fire and air movement. It's vapor permeance is about the same as fiberglass.

   It can be used as loose-fill, as batts, or as dense boards for foundation insulation/drainage. The batts are 98% inorganic material with the remainder a thermosetting resin binder and oil (the binder, like with fiberglass, may contain phenol formaldehyde). And, as with fiberglass, airborn fibers may be a health threat.

   I believe it is generally more expensive than fiberglass.