Ecofriendly heating and cooling solutions provider Eco-Insulation says its passive approach to energy use – stopping heat from leaving and entering building spaces – is the best method of heating and cooling areas for domestic and office use.

Eco-Insulation GM Richard Ellis says this is because the company’s insulation product, which has the same name as the com- pany, provides a passive, non- energy-dependent method of keeping buildings comfortable for their occupants.

“Our Eco-Insulation product traps existing heat inside a building, reducing the need to burn gas, or to use electric or paraffin heaters. For cooling, the insu- lation stops heat from entering the building, which minimises the need for air conditioning or the use of electric fans,” he explains.

The company provides and installs Eco-Insulation in the roofs and/or walls of homes to prevent heat from leaving or entering the rooms. Ellis says that the method is environment friendly, which adds to its attractiveness.

“Eco-Insulation is made from recycled natural cellulose-based material and complies with the requirements of sustainable and green building. The material has been milled through a low-energy manufacturing process and uses newsprint from commercial waste streams, which is treated with an environment-friendly fire retardant.

“It is a loose fibrous material that is pumped into the roof of a building or inside hollow walls to act as a barrier against the flow of heat,” he elaborates.

Ellis details that insulation is usually made from material that has a glass-fibre, composite board or polyethylene tereph- thalate base.

“All these products inhibit the flow of heat and energy from warmer indoor spaces to cooler areas. In addition, there are well-known radiant barrier-insulating materials that reflect incoming radiation,” he explains.

Ellis adds that the company has a proven record, as it “has participated in numerous new housing developments, in addition to its retrofit insulation of many existing homes”.

Projects include the retrofitting of insulation at the Castle of Good Hope, in Cape Town. The project involved installing insulation inside the building’s office walls and roof.

“The office area had low-pitched roofs, with little ceiling area. The occupants [endured]excessive heat in summer and an extremely cold working environment in winter.

“As part of the retrofit project, sections of the roofing were replaced and Eco-Insulation was pumped into the roof and walls to replace a popular brand of fibre material insulation that had failed, owing to aging,” highlights Ellis.