SB: XPS, EPS, or lignin-based insulation

["Lombard, Rosemary" <Rosemary_Lombard@city.palo-alto.ca.us>]

There's a local company here in Palo Alto, CA, that has licensed a
university-developed plastic made from lignin, which can be foamed or
extruded. Lignin, as you probably know, is the "glue" that holds plants up
(it's the dark fleck in unbleached papers). Lignin feedstock is abundant as
a waste byproduct or can be separated from organics in MSW or other wastes.
(How green can you get?)

An advantage, other than its nonpetroleum source, is that the polymers
already exist in lignin's native form and don't have to be synthesized. The
company would like to commercialize it as insulation sheets as well as for
agricultural films and packaging. Whether it would be a good candidate for
under-floor applications would depend on whether it was separated from the
soil; certain organisms living in soil biodegrade the plastic--ordinarily a
good feature, since it would biodegrade in landfill.

It's not here yet--waiting for $$ to move commercialization on--but you can
contact the company at weis@weisrenewables.com. 
Rosemary
     

-----Original Message-----
From: Kimber & Elizabeth Janney [mailto:kivaconstruction@mindspring.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2001 6:30 AM
To: S. G. Fawthrop; Strawbale List
Subject: Re: SB: Re: Bales in Floor: Thanks


On 12/19/01 9:23 PM, "S. G. Fawthrop" <S.G.Fawthrop@Eklectika.net> wrote:

> Thanks to everyone who responsded to my question about bales in the floor.
> I think I am convinced now that it is probably not a good idea.  I don't
> like the idea of using any sort of petroleum products in my house but it
> sounds as though the XPS or EPS board is the best option.  I'm going to
feed
> the r-values and cost thru my spreadsheet and see what it comes out with.
> 
We used a 6" layer of a cob/pumice mixture underneath our radiant adobe
floor. Pretty hard to put an R value to it but it seems to be working well.
Pumice has to be mined so it is not completely green. Perlite would work but
it is also mined and then fired in a kiln. Both seem(completely subjective)
like a better alternative to XPS. EPS is often made from recycled material -
can be a little greener. Our locale is very dry and the soil drains well so
I do not worry about the straw in the mixture rotting.
Kimber


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