Sustainable Insulation to see High Growth in Emerging Markets
15 June 2011
Leatherhead UK, 15 June 2011. Market demand for sustainable insulation is set to grow by around two per cent per annum to 2016, according to a new study by Smithers Apex.
Based on extensive primary research, The Future of Sustainable Insulation Markets to 2016 provides quantitative market sizes and forecasts for sustainable insulation. Insulation is any material which is used internally in a building or construction, covering the cavities in walls, floors, ceilings, roof spaces, and which is designed to protect the interior space relative to the exterior of the building.
Overall global demand for sustainable insulation materials amounted to some 37.6 million tonnes in 2010, representing a five per cent increase on 2009 levels after two successive years of declines in 2008 and 2009. Into 2011 demand is expected to grow by around two per cent, and in the period to 2016, similarly, is set to grow by around two per cent per annum.
According to the study, Asia now accounts for the largest regional share of demand for insulation materials at 22.7% of the total, equating to around 8.54 million tonnes, ahead of Western Europe (8.42 million tonnes) and North America (8.29 million tonnes), with the US representing the single largest national market at 7.35 million tonnes for 2010. Driven by strong growth in China and other emerging markets, Asia's share of global demand is set to rise to 25.5% by 2016 while those of Western Europe and North America are set to fall from 22.4% in 2010 to 21.4% in 2016 and 22.0% to 19.2% respectively.
Historic and forecast demand for sustainable insulation materials by region, 2000-16 ('000 tonnes)
Source: Smithers Pira Ltd
A wide range of materials are employed for insulation, with their usage and availability varying from country to country. Worldwide, glass fibre is the most commonly used insulation material, but in some cases mineral wool, expanded polystyrene and recycled cellulose are more commonly used.
Glass fibre is expected to lose some share to mineral wool and EPS in the coming years although demand will grow here too. Materials will growth in excess of three per cent per annum over the period 2011-2016 are likely to include loose-fill polystyrene, hemp, aramides, sheep's wool and aerogels, although excluding loose-fill polystyrene at 2.03 million tonnes by 2016, these areas will remain small by comparison, accounting for volumes of around 95,000 tonnes by the end of the forecast period.
Insulation can take many forms: it can involve protection against heat or cold (the traditional view of insulation), acoustics, fire, moisture, water, wind, vibration. As a rule, sustainable insulation mainly refers to those products which are renewable through natural growth. Such materials include sheep's wool and natural vegetable fibres such as cellulose and hemp. In common usage however, the terminology is however not restricted to these parameters alone. In this survey, a wider definition is used, materials which are:
- renewable through natural growth or by a cycle of cultivation and harvesting.
- abundant on planet earth and where the resources can be mined, extracted and processed.
- composed of fully or partly recycled components which assist in reducing resource depletion and energy use.
- when mined, extracted, processed, converted, use as little energy as possible.
- biodegradable and can be returned to the soil to assist in the further biochemical cycle of growth of natural resources or which release energy which can be harvested through incineration.
- biocompatible, which do not contain toxins which could damage the living biosphere in the full product life-cycle of mining, extraction, conversion, installation or use, burying in landfill, recycling or incineration.
The issue of sustainability is made complex by the fact that materials can be classed as abundant, sustainable or depleting but still be regarded as sustainable due to the efficiency of the resource use and durability of the application. In the pure definition of a sustainable material, only those that grow naturally, such as natural fibres and wood fibre, sheep's wool and recycled cellulose would be classed as sustainable.
The Future of Sustainable Insulation Markets to 2016 is available now for £3,750. For further information please contact Bill Allen on +44 (0)1372 802086 or email Bill
Press contact: For editorial queries or an expanded article please contact:
Rebecca Leigh +44(0)1372 802207 email Rebecca
Smithers Apex
Smithers Apex provides market research, strategic and technical consulting to niche, emerging and high growth industries.
Market coverage includes lighting and displays, clean energy, home and personal care, industrial biotechnology, performance materials and chemicals. Smithers Apex is a division of Smithers Pira.