Posted By: Tech Admin from Technologists Inc.
October 26, 2007	11:00 AM	Insulation Guideline Update - Interim Review of Analysis
Dear Stakeholders, DOE through its Oak Ridge National Laboratory will be conducting a new analysis regarding the recommended residential insulation levels. Please see the attached ORNL letter that requests your comments regarding cost data. Please post your comments below so that all stakeholders can see your thoughts and can respond if desired. Comments are due by November 21, 2007. Also, for your reference you may look at the previous round of comments below. Thank You. Marc LaFrance, US DOE Technology Development Manager, 202-586-9142

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29 - Nov - 2007	1:16 PM
November 21, 2007 Therese Stovall Senior Research Engineer Oak Ridge National Laboratories Bethel Valley Rd. PO Box 2008 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Subject: Owens Corning Comments on DOE Insulation Level Recommendations Dear Ms. Stovall: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Interim Review of DOE Insulation Level Recommendation memorandum of October 23, 2007. The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) has submitted comments on behalf of our industry in response to your request for stakeholder review of the update to the DOE R-value recommendations. Our comments today briefly address: 1. Do the stakeholders agree that the installed insulation costs used are reasonable? If not, please provide supportable alternate suggestions. We have compared the proposed ORNL insulation cost data to three publicly available sources of construction cost data: R.S. Means 2007, the BNi Building News 2008 Cost Book and the ASHRAE Standard 90.2 insulation cost data from 2003. We see some instances where ORNLs installed costs for glass fiber insulation are unexpectedly below those of the other sources. Underestimated insulation costs could affect the overall credibility of the DOE recommendations. We recommend that ORNL recheck the estimated costs for reasonableness and consistency and consider using the Std. 90.2 data adjusted to today as they were developed for similar use as DOE will be using this data. Please contact me for follow-up as needed. Sincerely Merle McBride Phone: 740-321-7083

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30 - Nov - 2007	6:06 PM	Changes to Insulation Fact Sheet
Before You Insulate Around the chimney: pack gaps around an insulated chimney with UNFACED rock wool or UNFACED fiberglass insulation All chimneys and flues have a code specified air space required around them. The combustibility of the insulation is not necessarily the concern here as much as is heat build up. The insulation can trap heat in and cause the pipe to fail or conduct enough energy to ignite materials in contact with the insulation. In the example of the chimney; metal flashing and non combustible (ASTM E-136) fire caulk are what is recommended for draft stopping. The rest of the ideas are simply to put the different types of insulation into balance (from my perspective of course!) Thank you, Robert De Vries Technical Services NU-WOOL CO INC. 1-800-748-0128 Attached Document

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30 - Nov - 2007	6:24 PM	NAIMA Comments on DOE Insulation Level Recommendat
The comments in the attached document below is submitted on behalf of the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) in response to the request for stakeholder review of the update to the Department of Energy (DOE) R-value recommendations. On behalf of, Charles C. Cottrell, Vice President, Technical Services Attached Document

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30 - Nov - 2007	5:43 PM	DOE Insulation Fact Sheet
I would like to briefly respond to your request for stakeholder comments on the fact sheet methodology. The cost assumptions as described in your e-mail appear reasonable; however I have not been able to collect specific insulation cost data to cross-check the numbers. Our material-only selling prices do not translate to installed costs paid by the builder or ultimate home owner. One additional potential source of cost data is the work that NREL has done on optimizing energy efficiency, which is discussed in the documents at these links. You might be able to get more from them on the underlying cost data base. http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy05osti/37733.pdf http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy06osti/39821.pdf http://aceee.org/conf/06et/tp1-3_anderson.pdf I can confirm that all the cavity insulation R-values you have listed are available from our company and others on a national basis. All the batt products are manufactured at each of our regional plants and are listed on the standard Product Availability list for customers to order. In each locality, there are certain more popular items that are normally inventoried by contractors or retailers, but all the other R-values are available for ordering if they need them. Also, the loose-fill products for attics can be installed to a range of thicknesses/R-values to meet local requirements. Reed Larson, Technical Services Manager / Insulation Systems, JMTC/P.O. Box625005/Littleton,CO80162

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30 - Nov - 2007	7:04 PM	DOE Insulation Fact Sheet
I have read this attached DOE Insulation Fact Sheet in its entirety and have nothing to add, remove or change. Regards, Joe Church.

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