WOOD FIBER INSULATION

| A high-value insulator with a negative carbon footprint

TECHNOLOGY

Wood fiber insulation (WFI) based products have been produced and used in European countries, mainly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, since the mid-1990s. WFI is made in three forms, 1) loose-fill, 2) batts, and 3) rigid boards. Emerging domestic manufacturing is projected to make WFI a cost-neutral, drop-in replacement for fossil-based insulation materials.

DEVELOPMENT

  • Since 2018, UMaine and TimberHP have partnered on R&D programs and prototyping efforts evaluating the effect of various manufacturing parameters, adhesives (including bio-based) types, and loading on the mechanical and physical properties of WFI.
  • In July of 2023, TimberHP reopened a former paper mill, in Madison, Maine after a 110-million dollar upgrade and conversion to a WFI – the first in North America.
  • The ongoing installation of a WFI pilot line, donated by TimberHP, is occurring at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center to continue developing the technology, make it more sustainable, and improve its market viability.

INNOVATION

  • Comprised of greater than 90% softwood fiber 
    Meets all performance requirements of common commercial construction insulations 
  • Made from renewable wood chips to maximize the use of our renewable forest resource 
  • Has better ecological credentials, as well as several performance advantages, over fossil-based conventional insulation materials, including better sound attenuation, and vapor openness. 
  • Utilizes a wide range of species, providing a critical outlet for a lower-value, underutilized species which has a positive impact on overall forest health.

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