Thermal Insulation Committee C16 Contributes to Sustainable Design
- ORNL
Sustainability is not a new concept. In 1789 Thomas Jefferson said, 'Then I say the earth belongs to each ... generation during its course, fully and in its own right, no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence.' (Thomas Jefferson reportedly used an early form of cellulose insulation in Monticello.) Modern interpretations of sustainability typically focus on making the best possible use of our resources, minimizing our overall impact on the environment, and on developing durable and healthy buildings. Several organizations have produced guides and rating systems to 'measure' sustainability, including Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the Minnesota Sustainable Design Guide, the Model Green Home Building guidelines, and the Green Building Initiative. Although these rating systems vary in complexity and cost, they share a common focus on land use, recycled material content, energy conservation features, community planning and quality of life. Committee C16 makes its major contribution to sustainability by reducing building and process energy consumption and by improving the quality of the indoor environment. Some of the products and processes within the purview of C16 also improve the sustainability of components by including recycled content and improving the ability of a product to be recycled after a building is demolished.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 931345
- Journal Information:
- Standardization News, Vol. 35, Issue 3; ISSN 0090-1210
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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