Alternative Energy
The concept of Net-Zero Energy homes appears to be moving forward toward main stream. California is leading the nation with a goal of having all new homes constructed by 2020 achieving net-zero under its Residential ZNE Plan. Builders and homeowners ... Read More →
The energy efficiency goal in the design of any home is ultimately passivity. Everyone would like to have a really comfortable home interior living environment with little or no cost for heating and cooling. But what defines a truly “passive ... Read More →
Earth Day is recognized in some 190 countries around the world. As concerns over climate change continue to raise awareness for the environment billions of people are more tuned in than ever to the need for energy efficiency. Earth Day ... Read More →
Natural Gas has emerged as the most abundant fuel supply in the U.S, particularly with “fracking” opening up access to huge domestic sources. This cleanest of fossil fuels has long been commercially supplied to homes for heating and cooking. Fleet ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association President Chris Hoch was a featured speaker at the White House this month. The first-ever Weatherization Supply Chain event was held June 15 as a forum to discuss the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP.) ... Read More →
Insulation helps us make more efficient use of energy, but that’s only one element in the pursuit of a greener, more sustainable energy infrastructure. Each year the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions cosponsor ... Read More →
The Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011 winning design is going on display in California. The “CHIP” had its ribbon cutting Tuesday, January 17th in downtown Los Angeles. You can learn about this innovative solar house of the future here. ... Read More →
The first thing you noticed about the 2011GreenBuild International Expo is the scale. Displays and exhibits covering virtually every aspect of green building, energy efficiency and sustainability filled two giant halls in the beautiful Toronto Convention Centre. Walking the show ... Read More →
The European Union and several of its member nations are moving forward rapidly with the concept of lowering the carbon footprint of houses. Concerns over climate change have driven this movement but many groups are now recognizing the practical implications–carbon ... Read More →
It is certainly no secret that energy costs are rising for U.S. households and businesses. While the estimates vary, studies in the past few years have put the average energy cost for the typical household ranging from 10 to as ... Read More →
CIMA awarded the Extreme Insulation Retrofit to a Kentucky couple selected at random in April from the hundreds who visited the online sweepstakes. Now, CIMA is blowing the door out of the Extreme Insulation Retrofit winner’s house. Well, to clarify, ... Read More →
Whether you believe climate change is a planetary or man-made phenomenon, it’s hard to refute that our world is getting hotter. Even though much of the nation has suffered through a harsh winter, the global thermostat continued to set records ... Read More →
The record winter that 2011 is producing across the nation is focusing more people to seriously think about green building and home weatherization. This snowy, icy cold winter comes on the heals of very frigid seasons in 2010. As the ... Read More →
We are often confronted with questions about the “greenest” way to generate electricity in the home. In doing some research on the embodied energy / carbon footprint of a variety of different solutions we came across a company in the ... Read More →
Building Insulation Fire
Watch Penny Burn In Wad Of Cellulose Insulation This very short video by Sean Maxwell has been around for a while but still provides a demonstration worth watching. CIMA does not recommend anyone attempting to replicate this demonstration. That said, ... Read More →
Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute Home Insulation Fire Video One of the most dramatic fire tests to compare the characteristics of various types of insulation in large simulated home fires was conducted in 1998 at the Maryland Fire & Safety ... Read More →
Watch Test Comparing Fires For Cellulose Insulation & Fiberglass Insulation Here is another video that demonstrates the characteristic differences between cellulose insulation and fiberglass insulation. Titled “The Big Burn” by its producers, the video is not a true scientific controlled ... Read More →
Nebraska fire demonstrates cellulose insulation fire control characteristics Cellulose insulation is designed to save homeowners money by making their homes more energy efficient. It also has a Class 1 fire rating and is designed to save their homes in a ... Read More →
Fire Test Videos Show Results For Cellulose & Fiberglass Insulation Products In the wake of the horrific June 2017 high rise fire in London interest in fire related to building insulation products has surged. People are understandably searching for more ... Read More →
Carbon Neutral Housing
Join the Webinar January 20, 2020 On Embodied Carbon & Net Zero Energy CIMA Executive Director Dan Lea, with be featured speaker in a webinar presented by Sustainable Minds. The program, moderated by Terry Swack, Sustainable Minds Founder and CEO, ... Read More →
Construction With Wood-Based Products Traps Carbon The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service established a $1 million in fund designated for supporting the construction of mass timber projects on college campuses across the country. The initiative is designed to simulate ... Read More →
A high percentage of homes in the U.S. have siding and of those vinyl continues to be the most common choice. Data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), shows vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common exterior ... Read More →
As much of the nation experiences another bitterly cold winter in 2015 with record snowfalls, NOAA confirms reports 2014 was the hottest year ever recorded. The annual climate report on NOAA website states: “The year 2014 was the warmest year ... Read More →
Arbor Day was first held in the small Spanish village of Villanueva de la Sierra in 1805. The U.S. recognition of Arbor Day dates back to 1874 and its founding in Nebraska as the culmination of a tree planting holiday ... Read More →
The European Union and several of its member nations are moving forward rapidly with the concept of lowering the carbon footprint of houses. Concerns over climate change have driven this movement but many groups are now recognizing the practical implications–carbon ... Read More →
Whether you believe climate change is a planetary or man-made phenomenon, it’s hard to refute that our world is getting hotter. Even though much of the nation has suffered through a harsh winter, the global thermostat continued to set records ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation
The Facts On Cellulose Insulation & Vapor Barriers We receive many questions on the CIMA website Contact Us form every month. A recent one on cellulose insulation and air/vapor barriers (one of a flurry on the topic) tipped the scale ... Read More →
Join the Webinar January 20, 2020 On Embodied Carbon & Net Zero Energy CIMA Executive Director Dan Lea, with be featured speaker in a webinar presented by Sustainable Minds. The program, moderated by Terry Swack, Sustainable Minds Founder and CEO, ... Read More →
For many homeowners, proper attic insulation is a common concern and an easy target for improving energy efficiency. Most older homes, and even many newer ones, simply lack the proper amount of insulation in their attics. However, there are many ... Read More →
Construction With Wood-Based Products Traps Carbon The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service established a $1 million in fund designated for supporting the construction of mass timber projects on college campuses across the country. The initiative is designed to simulate ... Read More →
New White Board Video Simplifies Passive House Concept There have been a few articles on the Greenest Insulation Blog that recognize the Passive House topic. It’s actually a very basic concept where, according to Wikipedia: A house that is designed ... Read More →
How To Avoid Common Attic Insulation DIY Project Injuries One of the most popular Do-It-Yourself energy efficiency projects for homeowners is adding insulation in the attics of their homes. But it can often lead to injuries when the proper precautions ... Read More →
Renovation of the historic Haynes Pictures Shop included Cellulose Insulation Cellulose insulation has been around at least since the time of Jefferson’s Monticello when old newspapers were used to insulate the famed mansion. Since that time, the product has evolved ... Read More →
We often recognize new innovative green products here on the Greenest Insulation Blog. There have been a few announced using cellulose for alternative products recently that appear to have promise and worth sharing. Many people are surprised to learn that ... Read More →
Welcome New Producer Member CleanFiber LLC The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is proud to welcome our newest producer member CleanFiber LLC. CleanFiber was conceived by several veteran cellulose insulation installers. They recently began production at their state-of-the-art facility in Buffalo, ... Read More →
The CIMA producer member company Advance Fiber Technology was recently recognized in their local Ohio newspaper for many years of providing high-quality products. Advance Fiber is a family business founded in the mid 1970s by Dick Leuthold and sons Doug ... Read More →
UN Climate Change Report Must Stimulate Action From Bottom Up The dire news coming out of the recent landmark report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts just 12 years left to take action against irreversible impacts ... Read More →
China Accepting Less U.S. Recycling Means Paper For Cellulose China is curtailing the amount of recycling material it accepts from the United States. This continues to be a pressing problem since the U.S. has shipped much of its recycled paper, ... Read More →
Reports Expose CFCs In Chinese Made Foam Insulation News reports broke this recently about the discovery of foam insulation manufactured in China that includes CFCs. According to the lead report by the Environmental Investigation Agency, now carried in several highly ... Read More →
Nanowood Has Lignin Removed Making It Less Heat Conductive We are always on the lookout for new trends in green building materials here on the CIMA blog. Last month the story broke about an innovative new product called “Nanowood” that ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Has Industry’s Highest Recycled Content World-wide the amount of construction related waste continues to increase as growth booms in developed and emerging economies both. The need for recycling construction waste, and for innovative construction products that use recycled ... Read More →
Fire Test Videos Show Results For Cellulose & Fiberglass Insulation Products In the wake of the horrific June 2017 high rise fire in London interest in fire related to building insulation products has surged. People are understandably searching for more ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Is Perfect For Insulating Walls Larry Janesky and his company Dr. Energy Saver Home Services specialize in cellulose insulation. They have produced an excellent video on the process for retrofitting the walls in an older home with dense ... Read More →
Insulating walls in a home or building is critical to achieving high energy efficiency. A big factor in the effectiveness is how well the wall cavity is sealed by the insulation. Fiberglass batts do not create an effective seal. Over ... Read More →
As the globe turns toward summer on the North American Continent the sun changes the equation for home energy efficiency. The number one way to save energy, money and the environment this summer: Manage The Thermostat. The best way to ... Read More →
A home building company recently contacted CIMA. They were considering changing standard features to include cellulose insulation in an effort to offer greener, more energy-efficient homes. But they had heard cellulose insulation settles and wanted to know how this affected ... Read More →
For anyone that might have missed the news this month, NASA and NOAH confirmed 2015 was the hottest year ever. In fact, it was hot enough to shatter over a century of high temperature records! In the U.S. the temperature ... Read More →
The trend has become a reality as more and more people use mobile devices for online searches. Visitors to CIMA’s website continue to grow this year and so has the percentage of viewers using mobile devices. We are pleased to ... Read More →
The EPA proposed new rules on August 14, 2015 to further reduce emissions of methane-rich gas from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the U.S. These new EPA rules will by default likely require more emphasis on recycling of paper, ... Read More →
There are a variety of building insulation products on the market. They are all designed with the primary function of saving energy in homes and buildings. The basic measure of effectiveness by which all building insulation products are measured is ... Read More →
A high percentage of homes in the U.S. have siding and of those vinyl continues to be the most common choice. Data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), shows vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common exterior ... Read More →
Father’s Day is a holiday not without its special traditions. And as much as we all love a steak dinner or a new tie or set of wrenches, maybe it’s time to rethink the typical Father’s Day gift. When it ... Read More →
The Bob Vila website recently had a very good article covering the topic of blown in insulation. Writer Benjamin Hardy does an excellent job of comparing and contrasting the top products – loose fill fiberglass, cellulose and foam – and ... Read More →
It’s official: 2014 was the hottest year on record topping both 2005 and 2010 according to NOAA and other sources. The brutal winter of 2014/5 also set records across much of the U.S for snowfall and temperatures. Add to this ... Read More →
Weather can be serious business in Ohio with hot, humid summers, cold winters, and extreme weather possible throughout the year. With such a broad climate spectrum, proper weatherization of homes is critical to reducing household energy costs. As a byproduct, ... Read More →
As much of the nation experiences another bitterly cold winter in 2015 with record snowfalls, NOAA confirms reports 2014 was the hottest year ever recorded. The annual climate report on NOAA website states: “The year 2014 was the warmest year ... Read More →
In case you missed it, which is highly likely, the congress once again extended and the president signed into law the tax credit for home energy efficiency improvements. This includes the credit of for adding home insulation. The good news: ... Read More →
The music equipment and recording business is estimated at $7 billion world-wide. That includes thousands of “garage bands.” With a new focus in the industry on DIY and independent home recording, opportunities for the amateur artist to be heard on ... Read More →
Getting a home ready for winter is an annual fall event for most homeowners. The big items typically come to mind for most people interested in improving energy efficiency and lowing utility bills. Upgrading insulation, adding more caulk and replacing ... Read More →
Adding or upgrading insulation in a home attic is the best investment for energy efficiency home improvements. But many homeowners often neglect the need for insulating their HVAC ducts. One way to achieve both is to use blown-in cellulose insulation. ... Read More →
Early predictions for the 2014-15 Winter Weather season are mixed as is the case about every year. However, many forecasters are anticipating another cold, wet and snowy winter for much of the US. Regardless of predictions, the fact is September ... Read More →
Congratulations to Ken Farrish of Delta, BC Canada. He was the lucky winner of our $100 giveaway in honor of the 100th post published here at the Greenest Insulation Blog. Ken was selected at random from all subscribers on the ... Read More →
The best way to achieve the highest level of energy savings in older homes is to fully insulate the total building envelope. While most homeowners often add or upgrade attics many fail to consider insulating the exterior walls. This leads ... Read More →
Scouring the web for our Summer Home Improvement tips list uncovers a few good articles from a variety of sources. We found three lists that provide a good cross section of sources from RIS Media’s real estate driven news, to ... Read More →
Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) calculation tools can be valuable resources for designers, builders, building officials and even consumers trying to determine the environmental impact of building products and materials. These calculators are available from a variety of sources and vary in ... Read More →
Arbor Day was first held in the small Spanish village of Villanueva de la Sierra in 1805. The U.S. recognition of Arbor Day dates back to 1874 and its founding in Nebraska as the culmination of a tree planting holiday ... Read More →
Earth Day is recognized in some 190 countries around the world. As concerns over climate change continue to raise awareness for the environment billions of people are more tuned in than ever to the need for energy efficiency. Earth Day ... Read More →
The winter of 2014 is proving to be one of the fiercest in several years. Meteorologists seem to have even coined a new phrase “polar vortex” for these endless cold fronts that are keeping the deep freeze on all the ... Read More →
Each year as the winter season hits there are many articles in the news and online from construction experts about how to make a house more energy efficient. CIMA monitors and shares information and links to such stories from other ... Read More →
As the weather changes and the temperature begins to fall, the importance of home insulation and energy efficiency becomes top-of-mind for many American homeowners. The CIMA website tends to be a harbinger of consumer interest this time of year as ... Read More →
The Passive House Institute U.S. has announced it will no longer grant certification approval for construction projects using SPF insulation, which employ chemical agents with high Global-Warming-Costs (GWP). In a recent article BuldingGreen.com, PHIUS’s executive director Katrin Klingenberg explained the decision. ... Read More →
With the recent surge in real estate sales and new home starts the “bubble” talk is inevitable and likely to be an ongoing debate in the media. However, most economists on the subject appear to agree factors driving the home ... Read More →
Throughout the nation the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) has run into hard times due to a large decrease in federal funding. In Ohio HWAP is still alive and well, thanks in large part to effective use of remaining available ... Read More →
Each region of the country is different when it comes to home energy needs. However, they are all the same in one respect: properly sealing and insulating a home saves a homeowner money whether it’s cold in Minnesota, steaming in ... Read More →
For most new home buyers, their builder is the source of awareness for the products that go into building their new home. When it comes to what’s behind the walls and above the ceiling home buyers become even less involved ... Read More →
Airports and homes don’t mix and they never will. It’s an old problem that lately has been getting major attention in some cities with airports located in urban areas. All airplanes are loud and commercial jetliners are the loudest of ... Read More →
Greenest Insulation Blog is always on the lookout for innovative green ideas. CIMA producer member National Fiber has a new twist on the well known recycling aspects of cellulose insulation. The company is launching a program to recycle cellulose insulation ... Read More →
A block-by-block retrofit project in the small town of Murray City, Ohio, that included cellulose insulation provided by CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, is an excellent example of the effective implementation of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Weatherization Assistance ... Read More →
Installing cellulose insulation in a new home or upgrading an older home is a great way to improve energy efficiency and save money for years to come on home energy bills. In fact, it’s one of the quickest return on ... Read More →
Consumers who invested in new insulation, water heaters, air conditioners, boilers and other qualifying appliances will be able to claim the 25C federal tax credit when they file their 2012 taxes. Thanks to the last ditch effort on the compromise ... Read More →
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently updated its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims. The “Green Guide” outlines the guidelines and requirements for companies and marketers making claims about their products’ environmental benefits. (See this story from the Environmental ... Read More →
A new home construction project in Florida is testing the concept of “Made in the USA” by requiring all materials and labor to be domestic made and legal respectively. It’s proving to be a difficult challenge. The story from the ... Read More →
One of the more unusual items on display at the 2012 GreenBuild Expo was a Martin guitar. The innovative green aspect was the instrument’s fret board made of material by Forbo Flooring company. According to a company representative at their ... Read More →
Thanks to all the attendees who visited the Cellulose Insulation Pavilion at Greenbuild 2012. Many of our Producer Members were at the Pavilion to help provide information and assist visitors with completing the short quiz to test their knowledge about ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) and CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, Bucyrus, Ohio, were among the invited guests when the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD) held its 2012 Weatherization Month Open House in October at a weatherization program ... Read More →
October is National Energy Awareness Month. There have been a host of related programs this month as can be seen on the White House website. You might not have been aware of this from watching the presidential debate since neither President ... Read More →
SUCCESSFUL ATTIC RETROFIT REQUIRES GOOD PREP The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) recommends using a professional insulation contractor trained in the proper techniques of cellulose installation to achieve the maximum performance from an attic retrofit. However, a home owner should ... Read More →
As the digital revolution continues to drive more archive storage to disk rather than file cabinets it’s important to walk the talk when you depend on recycled paper for a raw material. We caught up with the Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers ... Read More →
A television station in Texas recently ran a story about a house fire and quoted a local fire official who erroneously stated cellulose insulation contributed to the damage. This insulation fire story from Texas includes many misstatements and errors based ... Read More →
Every year millions of houses are sold in the U.S. In many cases, a professional home inspection is conducted in the transaction process. The inspection is typically paid by the purchaser although, like most everything else in real estate transactions, ... Read More →
A great story comes to us from the Lakewood Ohio Observer. Chris Perry’s insightful article on upgrading a 100-year-old Lakewood Home is a text book outline on how to green an old house. It’s worth a read for anyone interested ... Read More →
The Community Environmental Center (CEC) in Queens, NY is a not-for-profit specializing in weatherization and green building throughout the New York Metropolitan area. According to the website and a recent blog post, the CEC has been a leader in Weatherization ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association President Chris Hoch was a featured speaker at the White House this month. The first-ever Weatherization Supply Chain event was held June 15 as a forum to discuss the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP.) ... Read More →
It’s Robert Moog’s 78th birthday! You may be asking yourself what that has to do with cellulose insulation or green products in general? Nothing and everything. Google revolutionized the way most people search for and research information. That innovation has ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers are launching a new initiative to bring the unique benefits of cellulose insulation to the attention of a wider audience. The initiative kickoffs with the debut of a major tradeshow display–the Cellulose Pavilion at the American Institute ... Read More →
Everyone knows insulating a home saves energy and makes for a more comfortable living environment. We have written here at the Greenest Insulation Blog about how effective cellulose insulation is in providing superior sound proofing in addition to energy-efficiency. Cellulose ... Read More →
The news from the NAHB 2012 International Builder Show is the economy is improving, real estate will follow and energy efficiency will drive new home sales. In general, the mood was cautiously optimistic from builders we spoke with to vendors ... Read More →
Noted housing columnist Katherine Salant has a very interesting article in the January 20, 2012 Washington Post. She profiled Alex Wilson’s (executive editor of Environmental Building News and a widely acclaimed green building expert) observations on how homeowners can boost ... Read More →
The Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011 winning design is going on display in California. The “CHIP” had its ribbon cutting Tuesday, January 17th in downtown Los Angeles. You can learn about this innovative solar house of the future here. ... Read More →
Green Building appears to be poised for a rebound in 2012 according to trend predictions from industry experts and prognosticators. Expectations are mixed on new construction but retrofitting existing buildings for improved energy efficiency appears to be a green wave ... Read More →
It’s not really hard to determine whether an old home needs new attic insulation. If there is room enough to get a look in the attic it’s pretty easy to tell. Recently we purchased an historic 1940’s era home for ... Read More →
A recent article from the Kansas City Star notes “The payback period for insulation is quick, too, according to Consumer Reports, and it keeps your home comfortable year-round. With the tax credit, insulation starts paying back in a year or ... Read More →
Evergreen Home Performance technician Nick Wheeler finished the week upgrading the Knox County Courthouse with tons of cellulose insulation to make the building more energy efficient. Then over the weekend he demonstrated another type of energy efficiency placing 9th in ... Read More →
In the gridlocked congress there is actually one piece of legislation that seems to have good bipartisan support. The SAVE Act: Sensible Accounting to Value Energy [S. 1737] SAVE would: help revive housing stimulate the overall economy encourage energy efficiency ... Read More →
At the Greenest Insulation Blog we track all things energy-efficiency related. The volume of stories online about the subject has been growing steadily for the past year. It’s interesting to see a major retailer like Best Buy beginning to embrace ... Read More →
Washington, DC– CIMA member National Fiber sponsored two homes in 2011’s Solar Decathlon: Middlebury College and Parsons The New School for Design/Stevens Institute of Technology. National Fiber’s sponsorships included the donation and shipment of product, on-site technical training and installation ... Read More →
It’s that time of year when most homeowners begin to think about higher winter energy bills. Even for folks in Texas just feeling relief from their scorching record breaking heat wave, thoughts of the last few brutal winters will be ... Read More →
The first thing you noticed about the 2011GreenBuild International Expo is the scale. Displays and exhibits covering virtually every aspect of green building, energy efficiency and sustainability filled two giant halls in the beautiful Toronto Convention Centre. Walking the show ... Read More →
Congratulations to G. H. Runevitch from Ohio who was the lucky winner drawn from the many subscribers to the new Greenest Insulation blog. Mr. Runevitch will be able to read new stories and posts to the blog on a brand ... Read More →
If attendance at the GreenBuild International Conference and Expo is any indicator, Green Building is bigger than ever. The annual event drew a record 27,000 attendees last year in Chicago. Organizers anticipate attendance will eclipse that figure with the first ... Read More →
Jacksonville, FL–Sarah Boren is on a mission to bring a storefront face to Green Building while also supporting Jacksonville Florida’s initiative to revitalize its downtown. The concept embraces the vision at the Greenest Insulation and we applaud her effort. Bringing ... Read More →
Become a Subscriber – Win A New Apple iPad 2 Sorry if you missed this drawing. If you have not already subscribed please do so now. You will get notices whenever new stories and information is posted here at the ... Read More →
Greenest of the Green Now Greenest Insulation Blog. We are pleased to launch a brand new look and feel to the blog of the Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association. Since we first published the Greenest of the Green web blog in ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) manages the website cellulose.org as an informational resource for its members, building industry professionals and consumers. Analysis of the visitors to the website, which number in the thousands monthly, reveals some interesting trends. Over ... Read More →
After a spring marked by some of the most damaging tornadoes in recent history and a couple of weeks of sweltering temperatures between the Rockies and the Appalachians the specter of “global warming” or “climate change” is again being raised. ... Read More →
The European Union and several of its member nations are moving forward rapidly with the concept of lowering the carbon footprint of houses. Concerns over climate change have driven this movement but many groups are now recognizing the practical implications–carbon ... Read More →
It is certainly no secret that energy costs are rising for U.S. households and businesses. While the estimates vary, studies in the past few years have put the average energy cost for the typical household ranging from 10 to as ... Read More →
Electric cooperatives (co-ops), unlike other types of electric utility companies, are beholden only to their members. Essentially each customer is a member and “owner” of the company. As such, electric co-ops have always tended to be progressive and aggressive in ... Read More →
Memorial Day. The traditional kickoff of summertime. Our thoughts fade of cold winter months–and many look forward to lower monthly energy bills. But don’t forget that buzzing you will soon hear while sitting on the porch will more often be ... Read More →
CIMA awarded the Extreme Insulation Retrofit to a Kentucky couple selected at random in April from the hundreds who visited the online sweepstakes. Now, CIMA is blowing the door out of the Extreme Insulation Retrofit winner’s house. Well, to clarify, ... Read More →
Here at the Greenest Of The Green every day is Earth Day. No matter what your politics, views or interests, it’s hard to refute the premise that a healthy planet is perhaps the most basic component of human existence. We ... Read More →
Whether you believe climate change is a planetary or man-made phenomenon, it’s hard to refute that our world is getting hotter. Even though much of the nation has suffered through a harsh winter, the global thermostat continued to set records ... Read More →
One of the most important energy related summits is the annual Northeast Sustainable Energy Association Conference. In a recent publicity release for the NESEA BuildingEnergy 2011 Conference & Trade Show, green/sustainable building expert Alex Wilson, founder and executive editor of ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is challenging homeowners to learn more about how to upgrade their insulation with a special promotion on cellulose.org. One lucky contestant will win the prize that keeps on giving heating and cooling energy cost savings ... Read More →
The record winter that 2011 is producing across the nation is focusing more people to seriously think about green building and home weatherization. This snowy, icy cold winter comes on the heals of very frigid seasons in 2010. As the ... Read More →
The APA Carbon Challenge Grand Prize Design Award was presented to Damon Roby of True Design Studios in Jacksonville, Florida. Roby and five other winners were recognized on January 13, 2011, at a ceremony sponsored by APA and CIMA at ... Read More →
Charity
A high percentage of homes in the U.S. have siding and of those vinyl continues to be the most common choice. Data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), shows vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common exterior ... Read More →
DIY & Insulation Tips
The Facts On Cellulose Insulation & Vapor Barriers We receive many questions on the CIMA website Contact Us form every month. A recent one on cellulose insulation and air/vapor barriers (one of a flurry on the topic) tipped the scale ... Read More →
Join the Webinar January 20, 2020 On Embodied Carbon & Net Zero Energy CIMA Executive Director Dan Lea, with be featured speaker in a webinar presented by Sustainable Minds. The program, moderated by Terry Swack, Sustainable Minds Founder and CEO, ... Read More →
For many homeowners, proper attic insulation is a common concern and an easy target for improving energy efficiency. Most older homes, and even many newer ones, simply lack the proper amount of insulation in their attics. However, there are many ... Read More →
Here Is How To Determine Current Home Attic R-Value One of the most common questions homeowners ask is how to determine the R-Value of their current attic insulation. This typically results when a homeowner begins to think about improving their ... Read More →
How To Avoid Common Attic Insulation DIY Project Injuries One of the most popular Do-It-Yourself energy efficiency projects for homeowners is adding insulation in the attics of their homes. But it can often lead to injuries when the proper precautions ... Read More →
Those Beautiful Icicles Likely A Sign Of Bad Attic Insulation The 2019 winter prediction report mentioned here on the Greenest Insulation Blog has proven to be very accurate. A cold and wet winter continues across most of the U.S. One ... Read More →
Snow melting quick on house roof can indicate attic insulation deficiencies. While in the midst of winter it is often too late to add insulation to home attics, snowfalls can actually help to identify potential deficiencies that can be corrected ... Read More →
Nebraska fire demonstrates cellulose insulation fire control characteristics Cellulose insulation is designed to save homeowners money by making their homes more energy efficient. It also has a Class 1 fire rating and is designed to save their homes in a ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Is Perfect For Insulating Walls Larry Janesky and his company Dr. Energy Saver Home Services specialize in cellulose insulation. They have produced an excellent video on the process for retrofitting the walls in an older home with dense ... Read More →
One of the critical areas where homes lose energy efficiency is at the attic access hatch. Regardless of the insulation product type used, air leaks from a poorly insulated attic access will result in higher heating and cooling bills. This ... Read More →
As the globe turns toward summer on the North American Continent the sun changes the equation for home energy efficiency. The number one way to save energy, money and the environment this summer: Manage The Thermostat. The best way to ... Read More →
A home building company recently contacted CIMA. They were considering changing standard features to include cellulose insulation in an effort to offer greener, more energy-efficient homes. But they had heard cellulose insulation settles and wanted to know how this affected ... Read More →
Reports broke across the news this week of a decline in sales for winter-related items. Sales for just about everything from boots, and sweaters to firewood and fuel oil are down from the same period last year. The companion news ... Read More →
A high percentage of homes in the U.S. have siding and of those vinyl continues to be the most common choice. Data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), shows vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common exterior ... Read More →
The Bob Vila website recently had a very good article covering the topic of blown in insulation. Writer Benjamin Hardy does an excellent job of comparing and contrasting the top products – loose fill fiberglass, cellulose and foam – and ... Read More →
Many residents and businesses are compiling spring cleaning lists as most of the nation thaws from one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record. Spring should also trigger energy-efficiency and safety checklists including the often forgot attic insulation. Here ... Read More →
The music equipment and recording business is estimated at $7 billion world-wide. That includes thousands of “garage bands.” With a new focus in the industry on DIY and independent home recording, opportunities for the amateur artist to be heard on ... Read More →
Getting a home ready for winter is an annual fall event for most homeowners. The big items typically come to mind for most people interested in improving energy efficiency and lowing utility bills. Upgrading insulation, adding more caulk and replacing ... Read More →
Adding or upgrading insulation in a home attic is the best investment for energy efficiency home improvements. But many homeowners often neglect the need for insulating their HVAC ducts. One way to achieve both is to use blown-in cellulose insulation. ... Read More →
The best way to achieve the highest level of energy savings in older homes is to fully insulate the total building envelope. While most homeowners often add or upgrade attics many fail to consider insulating the exterior walls. This leads ... Read More →
Scouring the web for our Summer Home Improvement tips list uncovers a few good articles from a variety of sources. We found three lists that provide a good cross section of sources from RIS Media’s real estate driven news, to ... Read More →
The winter of 2014 is proving to be one of the fiercest in several years. Meteorologists seem to have even coined a new phrase “polar vortex” for these endless cold fronts that are keeping the deep freeze on all the ... Read More →
SUCCESSFUL ATTIC RETROFIT REQUIRES GOOD PREP The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) recommends using a professional insulation contractor trained in the proper techniques of cellulose installation to achieve the maximum performance from an attic retrofit. However, a home owner should ... Read More →
Every year millions of houses are sold in the U.S. In many cases, a professional home inspection is conducted in the transaction process. The inspection is typically paid by the purchaser although, like most everything else in real estate transactions, ... Read More →
A great story comes to us from the Lakewood Ohio Observer. Chris Perry’s insightful article on upgrading a 100-year-old Lakewood Home is a text book outline on how to green an old house. It’s worth a read for anyone interested ... Read More →
Everyone knows insulating a home saves energy and makes for a more comfortable living environment. We have written here at the Greenest Insulation Blog about how effective cellulose insulation is in providing superior sound proofing in addition to energy-efficiency. Cellulose ... Read More →
Noted housing columnist Katherine Salant has a very interesting article in the January 20, 2012 Washington Post. She profiled Alex Wilson’s (executive editor of Environmental Building News and a widely acclaimed green building expert) observations on how homeowners can boost ... Read More →
It’s not really hard to determine whether an old home needs new attic insulation. If there is room enough to get a look in the attic it’s pretty easy to tell. Recently we purchased an historic 1940’s era home for ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) manages the website cellulose.org as an informational resource for its members, building industry professionals and consumers. Analysis of the visitors to the website, which number in the thousands monthly, reveals some interesting trends. Over ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (June 15, 2011)–The benefits of having a home properly insulated are readily obvious when it comes to saving energy and reducing home heating and cooling costs. Most everyone knows that having higher R-Value insulation and tighter seals makes ... Read More →
Memorial Day. The traditional kickoff of summertime. Our thoughts fade of cold winter months–and many look forward to lower monthly energy bills. But don’t forget that buzzing you will soon hear while sitting on the porch will more often be ... Read More →
CIMA awarded the Extreme Insulation Retrofit to a Kentucky couple selected at random in April from the hundreds who visited the online sweepstakes. Now, CIMA is blowing the door out of the Extreme Insulation Retrofit winner’s house. Well, to clarify, ... Read More →
Energy Savings
Here Is How To Determine Current Home Attic R-Value One of the most common questions homeowners ask is how to determine the R-Value of their current attic insulation. This typically results when a homeowner begins to think about improving their ... Read More →
Those Beautiful Icicles Likely A Sign Of Bad Attic Insulation The 2019 winter prediction report mentioned here on the Greenest Insulation Blog has proven to be very accurate. A cold and wet winter continues across most of the U.S. One ... Read More →
The concept of Net-Zero Energy homes appears to be moving forward toward main stream. California is leading the nation with a goal of having all new homes constructed by 2020 achieving net-zero under its Residential ZNE Plan. Builders and homeowners ... Read More →
As the globe turns toward summer on the North American Continent the sun changes the equation for home energy efficiency. The number one way to save energy, money and the environment this summer: Manage The Thermostat. The best way to ... Read More →
For anyone that might have missed the news this month, NASA and NOAH confirmed 2015 was the hottest year ever. In fact, it was hot enough to shatter over a century of high temperature records! In the U.S. the temperature ... Read More →
Reports broke across the news this week of a decline in sales for winter-related items. Sales for just about everything from boots, and sweaters to firewood and fuel oil are down from the same period last year. The companion news ... Read More →
The EPA proposed new rules on August 14, 2015 to further reduce emissions of methane-rich gas from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the U.S. These new EPA rules will by default likely require more emphasis on recycling of paper, ... Read More →
There are a variety of building insulation products on the market. They are all designed with the primary function of saving energy in homes and buildings. The basic measure of effectiveness by which all building insulation products are measured is ... Read More →
A high percentage of homes in the U.S. have siding and of those vinyl continues to be the most common choice. Data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), shows vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common exterior ... Read More →
Earth day was conceived in 1969 at a UNESCO conference held in San Francisco. Renowned activist in multiple disciplines John McConnell proposed a date in which we celebrate the Earth and honor the idea of peace. From those beginnings Earth Day ... Read More →
It’s official: 2014 was the hottest year on record topping both 2005 and 2010 according to NOAA and other sources. The brutal winter of 2014/5 also set records across much of the U.S for snowfall and temperatures. Add to this ... Read More →
Weather can be serious business in Ohio with hot, humid summers, cold winters, and extreme weather possible throughout the year. With such a broad climate spectrum, proper weatherization of homes is critical to reducing household energy costs. As a byproduct, ... Read More →
Many residents and businesses are compiling spring cleaning lists as most of the nation thaws from one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record. Spring should also trigger energy-efficiency and safety checklists including the often forgot attic insulation. Here ... Read More →
In case you missed it, which is highly likely, the congress once again extended and the president signed into law the tax credit for home energy efficiency improvements. This includes the credit of for adding home insulation. The good news: ... Read More →
Getting a home ready for winter is an annual fall event for most homeowners. The big items typically come to mind for most people interested in improving energy efficiency and lowing utility bills. Upgrading insulation, adding more caulk and replacing ... Read More →
Adding or upgrading insulation in a home attic is the best investment for energy efficiency home improvements. But many homeowners often neglect the need for insulating their HVAC ducts. One way to achieve both is to use blown-in cellulose insulation. ... Read More →
The energy efficiency goal in the design of any home is ultimately passivity. Everyone would like to have a really comfortable home interior living environment with little or no cost for heating and cooling. But what defines a truly “passive ... Read More →
The best way to achieve the highest level of energy savings in older homes is to fully insulate the total building envelope. While most homeowners often add or upgrade attics many fail to consider insulating the exterior walls. This leads ... Read More →
The U.S. House has passed the bipartisan Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act. This is one small step out of legislative gridlock and one giant step toward regrouping the national focus on energy efficiency. Now it will be up to the ... Read More →
Scouring the web for our Summer Home Improvement tips list uncovers a few good articles from a variety of sources. We found three lists that provide a good cross section of sources from RIS Media’s real estate driven news, to ... Read More →
Earth Day is recognized in some 190 countries around the world. As concerns over climate change continue to raise awareness for the environment billions of people are more tuned in than ever to the need for energy efficiency. Earth Day ... Read More →
CIMA’s annual reminder to claim tax credits for those who made insulation and other energy efficient improvements to homes in 2013 comes with a footnote. This may be your last year for those and other important homeowner related tax deductions! ... Read More →
The winter of 2014 is proving to be one of the fiercest in several years. Meteorologists seem to have even coined a new phrase “polar vortex” for these endless cold fronts that are keeping the deep freeze on all the ... Read More →
Each year as the winter season hits there are many articles in the news and online from construction experts about how to make a house more energy efficient. CIMA monitors and shares information and links to such stories from other ... Read More →
Here at the Greenest Insulation Blog it has long been asserted the best energy saving home improvement is a well insulated house. A recent story at theenergycollective.com comparing the value of insulation in homes in Northern Europe confirms this premise. ... Read More →
As the weather changes and the temperature begins to fall, the importance of home insulation and energy efficiency becomes top-of-mind for many American homeowners. The CIMA website tends to be a harbinger of consumer interest this time of year as ... Read More →
Throughout the nation the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) has run into hard times due to a large decrease in federal funding. In Ohio HWAP is still alive and well, thanks in large part to effective use of remaining available ... Read More →
Architects may be the top influencers when it comes to housing. What home buyers see and builders build is typically driven by what architects design and specify. When it comes to innovation and green building the architects can make a ... Read More →
Each region of the country is different when it comes to home energy needs. However, they are all the same in one respect: properly sealing and insulating a home saves a homeowner money whether it’s cold in Minnesota, steaming in ... Read More →
A block-by-block retrofit project in the small town of Murray City, Ohio, that included cellulose insulation provided by CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, is an excellent example of the effective implementation of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Weatherization Assistance ... Read More →
Consumers who invested in new insulation, water heaters, air conditioners, boilers and other qualifying appliances will be able to claim the 25C federal tax credit when they file their 2012 taxes. Thanks to the last ditch effort on the compromise ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) and CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, Bucyrus, Ohio, were among the invited guests when the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD) held its 2012 Weatherization Month Open House in October at a weatherization program ... Read More →
October is National Energy Awareness Month. There have been a host of related programs this month as can be seen on the White House website. You might not have been aware of this from watching the presidential debate since neither President ... Read More →
Every year millions of houses are sold in the U.S. In many cases, a professional home inspection is conducted in the transaction process. The inspection is typically paid by the purchaser although, like most everything else in real estate transactions, ... Read More →
A great story comes to us from the Lakewood Ohio Observer. Chris Perry’s insightful article on upgrading a 100-year-old Lakewood Home is a text book outline on how to green an old house. It’s worth a read for anyone interested ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association President Chris Hoch was a featured speaker at the White House this month. The first-ever Weatherization Supply Chain event was held June 15 as a forum to discuss the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP.) ... Read More →
The Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011 winning design is going on display in California. The “CHIP” had its ribbon cutting Tuesday, January 17th in downtown Los Angeles. You can learn about this innovative solar house of the future here. ... Read More →
At the Greenest Insulation Blog we track all things energy-efficiency related. The volume of stories online about the subject has been growing steadily for the past year. It’s interesting to see a major retailer like Best Buy beginning to embrace ... Read More →
It’s that time of year when most homeowners begin to think about higher winter energy bills. Even for folks in Texas just feeling relief from their scorching record breaking heat wave, thoughts of the last few brutal winters will be ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) manages the website cellulose.org as an informational resource for its members, building industry professionals and consumers. Analysis of the visitors to the website, which number in the thousands monthly, reveals some interesting trends. Over ... Read More →
After a spring marked by some of the most damaging tornadoes in recent history and a couple of weeks of sweltering temperatures between the Rockies and the Appalachians the specter of “global warming” or “climate change” is again being raised. ... Read More →
The European Union and several of its member nations are moving forward rapidly with the concept of lowering the carbon footprint of houses. Concerns over climate change have driven this movement but many groups are now recognizing the practical implications–carbon ... Read More →
Green Building
Join the Webinar January 20, 2020 On Embodied Carbon & Net Zero Energy CIMA Executive Director Dan Lea, with be featured speaker in a webinar presented by Sustainable Minds. The program, moderated by Terry Swack, Sustainable Minds Founder and CEO, ... Read More →
Construction With Wood-Based Products Traps Carbon The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service established a $1 million in fund designated for supporting the construction of mass timber projects on college campuses across the country. The initiative is designed to simulate ... Read More →
New White Board Video Simplifies Passive House Concept There have been a few articles on the Greenest Insulation Blog that recognize the Passive House topic. It’s actually a very basic concept where, according to Wikipedia: A house that is designed ... Read More →
NRDC and the National Housing Trust Suggest Avoiding Foam Chemicals A report released by Energy Efficiency for All, a partnership of Non Governmental Agencies (NGOs) that includes the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and National Housing Trust, cautions home builders ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Production Has Low Environmental Impact Recent headlines about protests over a proposed Rockwool Insulation Production Plant in Charles Town, WV raise valid concerns over the potential for environmental impacts. This product is similar to fiberglass and foam insulation ... Read More →
Nanowood Has Lignin Removed Making It Less Heat Conductive We are always on the lookout for new trends in green building materials here on the CIMA blog. Last month the story broke about an innovative new product called “Nanowood” that ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Has Industry’s Highest Recycled Content World-wide the amount of construction related waste continues to increase as growth booms in developed and emerging economies both. The need for recycling construction waste, and for innovative construction products that use recycled ... Read More →
Insulating walls in a home or building is critical to achieving high energy efficiency. A big factor in the effectiveness is how well the wall cavity is sealed by the insulation. Fiberglass batts do not create an effective seal. Over ... Read More →
The concept of Net-Zero Energy homes appears to be moving forward toward main stream. California is leading the nation with a goal of having all new homes constructed by 2020 achieving net-zero under its Residential ZNE Plan. Builders and homeowners ... Read More →
The EPA proposed new rules on August 14, 2015 to further reduce emissions of methane-rich gas from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the U.S. These new EPA rules will by default likely require more emphasis on recycling of paper, ... Read More →
There are a variety of building insulation products on the market. They are all designed with the primary function of saving energy in homes and buildings. The basic measure of effectiveness by which all building insulation products are measured is ... Read More →
Earth day was conceived in 1969 at a UNESCO conference held in San Francisco. Renowned activist in multiple disciplines John McConnell proposed a date in which we celebrate the Earth and honor the idea of peace. From those beginnings Earth Day ... Read More →
It’s official: 2014 was the hottest year on record topping both 2005 and 2010 according to NOAA and other sources. The brutal winter of 2014/5 also set records across much of the U.S for snowfall and temperatures. Add to this ... Read More →
As much of the nation experiences another bitterly cold winter in 2015 with record snowfalls, NOAA confirms reports 2014 was the hottest year ever recorded. The annual climate report on NOAA website states: “The year 2014 was the warmest year ... Read More →
The music equipment and recording business is estimated at $7 billion world-wide. That includes thousands of “garage bands.” With a new focus in the industry on DIY and independent home recording, opportunities for the amateur artist to be heard on ... Read More →
Environmental consumerism is on the rise in the U.S. and around the globe according to a recent study by Havas PR: Because It Matters. The report was reviewed in a recent article by EnvironmentalLeader.com and recaps the study that analyzed ... Read More →
The energy efficiency goal in the design of any home is ultimately passivity. Everyone would like to have a really comfortable home interior living environment with little or no cost for heating and cooling. But what defines a truly “passive ... Read More →
The best way to achieve the highest level of energy savings in older homes is to fully insulate the total building envelope. While most homeowners often add or upgrade attics many fail to consider insulating the exterior walls. This leads ... Read More →
Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) calculation tools can be valuable resources for designers, builders, building officials and even consumers trying to determine the environmental impact of building products and materials. These calculators are available from a variety of sources and vary in ... Read More →
Arbor Day was first held in the small Spanish village of Villanueva de la Sierra in 1805. The U.S. recognition of Arbor Day dates back to 1874 and its founding in Nebraska as the culmination of a tree planting holiday ... Read More →
Earth Day is recognized in some 190 countries around the world. As concerns over climate change continue to raise awareness for the environment billions of people are more tuned in than ever to the need for energy efficiency. Earth Day ... Read More →
Each year as the winter season hits there are many articles in the news and online from construction experts about how to make a house more energy efficient. CIMA monitors and shares information and links to such stories from other ... Read More →
Here at the Greenest Insulation Blog it has long been asserted the best energy saving home improvement is a well insulated house. A recent story at theenergycollective.com comparing the value of insulation in homes in Northern Europe confirms this premise. ... Read More →
The Passive House Institute U.S. has announced it will no longer grant certification approval for construction projects using SPF insulation, which employ chemical agents with high Global-Warming-Costs (GWP). In a recent article BuldingGreen.com, PHIUS’s executive director Katrin Klingenberg explained the decision. ... Read More →
Throughout the nation the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) has run into hard times due to a large decrease in federal funding. In Ohio HWAP is still alive and well, thanks in large part to effective use of remaining available ... Read More →
Architects may be the top influencers when it comes to housing. What home buyers see and builders build is typically driven by what architects design and specify. When it comes to innovation and green building the architects can make a ... Read More →
For most new home buyers, their builder is the source of awareness for the products that go into building their new home. When it comes to what’s behind the walls and above the ceiling home buyers become even less involved ... Read More →
Greenest Insulation Blog is always on the lookout for innovative green ideas. CIMA producer member National Fiber has a new twist on the well known recycling aspects of cellulose insulation. The company is launching a program to recycle cellulose insulation ... Read More →
A block-by-block retrofit project in the small town of Murray City, Ohio, that included cellulose insulation provided by CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, is an excellent example of the effective implementation of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Weatherization Assistance ... Read More →
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently updated its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims. The “Green Guide” outlines the guidelines and requirements for companies and marketers making claims about their products’ environmental benefits. (See this story from the Environmental ... Read More →
There was a wide variety of green ideas at the 2012 GreenBuild Expo. It was certainly a healthy experience, in addition to a green one, with the exhibits spread between three buildings and a few city blocks at San Francisco’s ... Read More →
A quick glance across the news spectrum over the past few months finds the topic of climate change is heating up. Major news outlets have frequently run stories on the topic linking severe weather to climate change. The debate rages ... Read More →
A great story comes to us from the Lakewood Ohio Observer. Chris Perry’s insightful article on upgrading a 100-year-old Lakewood Home is a text book outline on how to green an old house. It’s worth a read for anyone interested ... Read More →
The Community Environmental Center (CEC) in Queens, NY is a not-for-profit specializing in weatherization and green building throughout the New York Metropolitan area. According to the website and a recent blog post, the CEC has been a leader in Weatherization ... Read More →
Noted housing columnist Katherine Salant has a very interesting article in the January 20, 2012 Washington Post. She profiled Alex Wilson’s (executive editor of Environmental Building News and a widely acclaimed green building expert) observations on how homeowners can boost ... Read More →
The Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011 winning design is going on display in California. The “CHIP” had its ribbon cutting Tuesday, January 17th in downtown Los Angeles. You can learn about this innovative solar house of the future here. ... Read More →
Green Building appears to be poised for a rebound in 2012 according to trend predictions from industry experts and prognosticators. Expectations are mixed on new construction but retrofitting existing buildings for improved energy efficiency appears to be a green wave ... Read More →
The first thing you noticed about the 2011GreenBuild International Expo is the scale. Displays and exhibits covering virtually every aspect of green building, energy efficiency and sustainability filled two giant halls in the beautiful Toronto Convention Centre. Walking the show ... Read More →
Jacksonville, FL–Sarah Boren is on a mission to bring a storefront face to Green Building while also supporting Jacksonville Florida’s initiative to revitalize its downtown. The concept embraces the vision at the Greenest Insulation and we applaud her effort. Bringing ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) manages the website cellulose.org as an informational resource for its members, building industry professionals and consumers. Analysis of the visitors to the website, which number in the thousands monthly, reveals some interesting trends. Over ... Read More →
The European Union and several of its member nations are moving forward rapidly with the concept of lowering the carbon footprint of houses. Concerns over climate change have driven this movement but many groups are now recognizing the practical implications–carbon ... Read More →
Memorial Day. The traditional kickoff of summertime. Our thoughts fade of cold winter months–and many look forward to lower monthly energy bills. But don’t forget that buzzing you will soon hear while sitting on the porch will more often be ... Read More →
CIMA awarded the Extreme Insulation Retrofit to a Kentucky couple selected at random in April from the hundreds who visited the online sweepstakes. Now, CIMA is blowing the door out of the Extreme Insulation Retrofit winner’s house. Well, to clarify, ... Read More →
Here at the Greenest Of The Green every day is Earth Day. No matter what your politics, views or interests, it’s hard to refute the premise that a healthy planet is perhaps the most basic component of human existence. We ... Read More →
Whether you believe climate change is a planetary or man-made phenomenon, it’s hard to refute that our world is getting hotter. Even though much of the nation has suffered through a harsh winter, the global thermostat continued to set records ... Read More →
One of the most important energy related summits is the annual Northeast Sustainable Energy Association Conference. In a recent publicity release for the NESEA BuildingEnergy 2011 Conference & Trade Show, green/sustainable building expert Alex Wilson, founder and executive editor of ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is challenging homeowners to learn more about how to upgrade their insulation with a special promotion on cellulose.org. One lucky contestant will win the prize that keeps on giving heating and cooling energy cost savings ... Read More →
The record winter that 2011 is producing across the nation is focusing more people to seriously think about green building and home weatherization. This snowy, icy cold winter comes on the heals of very frigid seasons in 2010. As the ... Read More →
The APA Carbon Challenge Grand Prize Design Award was presented to Damon Roby of True Design Studios in Jacksonville, Florida. Roby and five other winners were recognized on January 13, 2011, at a ceremony sponsored by APA and CIMA at ... Read More →
The International Builder Show returns to Orlando January 12 – 15, 2011 and is sure to feature the latest green trends in the housing industry. January 13 is slated as the 4th Annual Green Day by the NAHB. In fact, ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) has joined forces with the Engineered Wood Association (APA) to bring forward the next generation of residential construction—Carbon Neutral Housing—with the Carbon Challenge. Carbon emissions continue to be at the forefront of the climate ... Read More →
The April 20th, 2008 Sunday New York Time Magazine is called “The Low Carbon Catalog” and contains more challenging thoughts to “green issues” than just lowering the thermostat 2 degrees (although that is buried in there as well). The short ... Read More →
Green Products
Join the Webinar January 20, 2020 On Embodied Carbon & Net Zero Energy CIMA Executive Director Dan Lea, with be featured speaker in a webinar presented by Sustainable Minds. The program, moderated by Terry Swack, Sustainable Minds Founder and CEO, ... Read More →
NRDC and the National Housing Trust Suggest Avoiding Foam Chemicals A report released by Energy Efficiency for All, a partnership of Non Governmental Agencies (NGOs) that includes the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and National Housing Trust, cautions home builders ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Production Has Low Environmental Impact Recent headlines about protests over a proposed Rockwool Insulation Production Plant in Charles Town, WV raise valid concerns over the potential for environmental impacts. This product is similar to fiberglass and foam insulation ... Read More →
Nanowood Has Lignin Removed Making It Less Heat Conductive We are always on the lookout for new trends in green building materials here on the CIMA blog. Last month the story broke about an innovative new product called “Nanowood” that ... Read More →
There are a variety of building insulation products on the market. They are all designed with the primary function of saving energy in homes and buildings. The basic measure of effectiveness by which all building insulation products are measured is ... Read More →
The Bob Vila website recently had a very good article covering the topic of blown in insulation. Writer Benjamin Hardy does an excellent job of comparing and contrasting the top products – loose fill fiberglass, cellulose and foam – and ... Read More →
It’s official: 2014 was the hottest year on record topping both 2005 and 2010 according to NOAA and other sources. The brutal winter of 2014/5 also set records across much of the U.S for snowfall and temperatures. Add to this ... Read More →
Environmental consumerism is on the rise in the U.S. and around the globe according to a recent study by Havas PR: Because It Matters. The report was reviewed in a recent article by EnvironmentalLeader.com and recaps the study that analyzed ... Read More →
Adding or upgrading insulation in a home attic is the best investment for energy efficiency home improvements. But many homeowners often neglect the need for insulating their HVAC ducts. One way to achieve both is to use blown-in cellulose insulation. ... Read More →
Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) calculation tools can be valuable resources for designers, builders, building officials and even consumers trying to determine the environmental impact of building products and materials. These calculators are available from a variety of sources and vary in ... Read More →
Earth Day is recognized in some 190 countries around the world. As concerns over climate change continue to raise awareness for the environment billions of people are more tuned in than ever to the need for energy efficiency. Earth Day ... Read More →
Natural Gas has emerged as the most abundant fuel supply in the U.S, particularly with “fracking” opening up access to huge domestic sources. This cleanest of fossil fuels has long been commercially supplied to homes for heating and cooking. Fleet ... Read More →
The Passive House Institute U.S. has announced it will no longer grant certification approval for construction projects using SPF insulation, which employ chemical agents with high Global-Warming-Costs (GWP). In a recent article BuldingGreen.com, PHIUS’s executive director Katrin Klingenberg explained the decision. ... Read More →
For most new home buyers, their builder is the source of awareness for the products that go into building their new home. When it comes to what’s behind the walls and above the ceiling home buyers become even less involved ... Read More →
Greenest Insulation Blog is always on the lookout for innovative green ideas. CIMA producer member National Fiber has a new twist on the well known recycling aspects of cellulose insulation. The company is launching a program to recycle cellulose insulation ... Read More →
One of the more unusual items on display at the 2012 GreenBuild Expo was a Martin guitar. The innovative green aspect was the instrument’s fret board made of material by Forbo Flooring company. According to a company representative at their ... Read More →
The nations leading cellulose insulation manufacturers continue to find innovative ways to convert waste paper into energy-efficient insulation products. Cellulose insulation producers stay in tune with recycled paper trends, and with obvious interest in old newsprint (ONP) supplies. Recycled newsprint ... Read More →
CIMA awarded the Extreme Insulation Retrofit to a Kentucky couple selected at random in April from the hundreds who visited the online sweepstakes. Now, CIMA is blowing the door out of the Extreme Insulation Retrofit winner’s house. Well, to clarify, ... Read More →
Here at the Greenest Of The Green every day is Earth Day. No matter what your politics, views or interests, it’s hard to refute the premise that a healthy planet is perhaps the most basic component of human existence. We ... Read More →
One of the most important energy related summits is the annual Northeast Sustainable Energy Association Conference. In a recent publicity release for the NESEA BuildingEnergy 2011 Conference & Trade Show, green/sustainable building expert Alex Wilson, founder and executive editor of ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is challenging homeowners to learn more about how to upgrade their insulation with a special promotion on cellulose.org. One lucky contestant will win the prize that keeps on giving heating and cooling energy cost savings ... Read More →
The International Builder Show returns to Orlando January 12 – 15, 2011 and is sure to feature the latest green trends in the housing industry. January 13 is slated as the 4th Annual Green Day by the NAHB. In fact, ... Read More →
We came across two interesting pieces of information this week which makes us feel good about our beer drinking. It turns out drinking beer is environmentally friendly – whether it comes in a can or on tap. A new Anheuser-Busch ... Read More →
News & Information
The Facts On Cellulose Insulation & Vapor Barriers We receive many questions on the CIMA website Contact Us form every month. A recent one on cellulose insulation and air/vapor barriers (one of a flurry on the topic) tipped the scale ... Read More →
Join the Webinar January 20, 2020 On Embodied Carbon & Net Zero Energy CIMA Executive Director Dan Lea, with be featured speaker in a webinar presented by Sustainable Minds. The program, moderated by Terry Swack, Sustainable Minds Founder and CEO, ... Read More →
For many homeowners, proper attic insulation is a common concern and an easy target for improving energy efficiency. Most older homes, and even many newer ones, simply lack the proper amount of insulation in their attics. However, there are many ... Read More →
Here Is How To Determine Current Home Attic R-Value One of the most common questions homeowners ask is how to determine the R-Value of their current attic insulation. This typically results when a homeowner begins to think about improving their ... Read More →
Construction With Wood-Based Products Traps Carbon The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service established a $1 million in fund designated for supporting the construction of mass timber projects on college campuses across the country. The initiative is designed to simulate ... Read More →
Renovation of the historic Haynes Pictures Shop included Cellulose Insulation Cellulose insulation has been around at least since the time of Jefferson’s Monticello when old newspapers were used to insulate the famed mansion. Since that time, the product has evolved ... Read More →
We often recognize new innovative green products here on the Greenest Insulation Blog. There have been a few announced using cellulose for alternative products recently that appear to have promise and worth sharing. Many people are surprised to learn that ... Read More →
Welcome New Producer Member CleanFiber LLC The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is proud to welcome our newest producer member CleanFiber LLC. CleanFiber was conceived by several veteran cellulose insulation installers. They recently began production at their state-of-the-art facility in Buffalo, ... Read More →
Those Beautiful Icicles Likely A Sign Of Bad Attic Insulation The 2019 winter prediction report mentioned here on the Greenest Insulation Blog has proven to be very accurate. A cold and wet winter continues across most of the U.S. One ... Read More →
Fiberlite Technologies Appoints Patricia Grubb CIMA producer member Fiberlite Technologies has promoted long-time employee Patricia Grubb to head the company’s production plant in Joplin, Missouri as General Manager. She is one of just a few woman to hold such a ... Read More →
Snow melting quick on house roof can indicate attic insulation deficiencies. While in the midst of winter it is often too late to add insulation to home attics, snowfalls can actually help to identify potential deficiencies that can be corrected ... Read More →
The CIMA producer member company Advance Fiber Technology was recently recognized in their local Ohio newspaper for many years of providing high-quality products. Advance Fiber is a family business founded in the mid 1970s by Dick Leuthold and sons Doug ... Read More →
Weather Trends 360 Predicts Cold Wet Winter For 2019 Captain Bill Kirk, CEO of the website weathertrends360.com, and his team of meteorologists boast an 84% accuracy rate for their short-term and year-ahead forecasts for temperature and precipitation. The site serves businesses ... Read More →
UN Climate Change Report Must Stimulate Action From Bottom Up The dire news coming out of the recent landmark report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts just 12 years left to take action against irreversible impacts ... Read More →
NRDC and the National Housing Trust Suggest Avoiding Foam Chemicals A report released by Energy Efficiency for All, a partnership of Non Governmental Agencies (NGOs) that includes the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and National Housing Trust, cautions home builders ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Production Has Low Environmental Impact Recent headlines about protests over a proposed Rockwool Insulation Production Plant in Charles Town, WV raise valid concerns over the potential for environmental impacts. This product is similar to fiberglass and foam insulation ... Read More →
China Accepting Less U.S. Recycling Means Paper For Cellulose China is curtailing the amount of recycling material it accepts from the United States. This continues to be a pressing problem since the U.S. has shipped much of its recycled paper, ... Read More →
Reports Expose CFCs In Chinese Made Foam Insulation News reports broke this recently about the discovery of foam insulation manufactured in China that includes CFCs. According to the lead report by the Environmental Investigation Agency, now carried in several highly ... Read More →
Nanowood Has Lignin Removed Making It Less Heat Conductive We are always on the lookout for new trends in green building materials here on the CIMA blog. Last month the story broke about an innovative new product called “Nanowood” that ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Has Industry’s Highest Recycled Content World-wide the amount of construction related waste continues to increase as growth booms in developed and emerging economies both. The need for recycling construction waste, and for innovative construction products that use recycled ... Read More →
Watch Test Comparing Fires For Cellulose Insulation & Fiberglass Insulation Here is another video that demonstrates the characteristic differences between cellulose insulation and fiberglass insulation. Titled “The Big Burn” by its producers, the video is not a true scientific controlled ... Read More →
Fire Test Videos Show Results For Cellulose & Fiberglass Insulation Products In the wake of the horrific June 2017 high rise fire in London interest in fire related to building insulation products has surged. People are understandably searching for more ... Read More →
A home building company recently contacted CIMA. They were considering changing standard features to include cellulose insulation in an effort to offer greener, more energy-efficient homes. But they had heard cellulose insulation settles and wanted to know how this affected ... Read More →
For anyone that might have missed the news this month, NASA and NOAH confirmed 2015 was the hottest year ever. In fact, it was hot enough to shatter over a century of high temperature records! In the U.S. the temperature ... Read More →
Reports broke across the news this week of a decline in sales for winter-related items. Sales for just about everything from boots, and sweaters to firewood and fuel oil are down from the same period last year. The companion news ... Read More →
The trend has become a reality as more and more people use mobile devices for online searches. Visitors to CIMA’s website continue to grow this year and so has the percentage of viewers using mobile devices. We are pleased to ... Read More →
The EPA proposed new rules on August 14, 2015 to further reduce emissions of methane-rich gas from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the U.S. These new EPA rules will by default likely require more emphasis on recycling of paper, ... Read More →
The Bob Vila website recently had a very good article covering the topic of blown in insulation. Writer Benjamin Hardy does an excellent job of comparing and contrasting the top products – loose fill fiberglass, cellulose and foam – and ... Read More →
Earth day was conceived in 1969 at a UNESCO conference held in San Francisco. Renowned activist in multiple disciplines John McConnell proposed a date in which we celebrate the Earth and honor the idea of peace. From those beginnings Earth Day ... Read More →
Weather can be serious business in Ohio with hot, humid summers, cold winters, and extreme weather possible throughout the year. With such a broad climate spectrum, proper weatherization of homes is critical to reducing household energy costs. As a byproduct, ... Read More →
As much of the nation experiences another bitterly cold winter in 2015 with record snowfalls, NOAA confirms reports 2014 was the hottest year ever recorded. The annual climate report on NOAA website states: “The year 2014 was the warmest year ... Read More →
In case you missed it, which is highly likely, the congress once again extended and the president signed into law the tax credit for home energy efficiency improvements. This includes the credit of for adding home insulation. The good news: ... Read More →
Getting a home ready for winter is an annual fall event for most homeowners. The big items typically come to mind for most people interested in improving energy efficiency and lowing utility bills. Upgrading insulation, adding more caulk and replacing ... Read More →
Environmental consumerism is on the rise in the U.S. and around the globe according to a recent study by Havas PR: Because It Matters. The report was reviewed in a recent article by EnvironmentalLeader.com and recaps the study that analyzed ... Read More →
Early predictions for the 2014-15 Winter Weather season are mixed as is the case about every year. However, many forecasters are anticipating another cold, wet and snowy winter for much of the US. Regardless of predictions, the fact is September ... Read More →
Congratulations to Ken Farrish of Delta, BC Canada. He was the lucky winner of our $100 giveaway in honor of the 100th post published here at the Greenest Insulation Blog. Ken was selected at random from all subscribers on the ... Read More →
The energy efficiency goal in the design of any home is ultimately passivity. Everyone would like to have a really comfortable home interior living environment with little or no cost for heating and cooling. But what defines a truly “passive ... Read More →
The best way to achieve the highest level of energy savings in older homes is to fully insulate the total building envelope. While most homeowners often add or upgrade attics many fail to consider insulating the exterior walls. This leads ... Read More →
For over five years CIMA’s Greenest Insulation Blog has been sharing news and information posting stories about cellulose insulation, other innovative green products and trends in green building, the environment and energy efficiency. Occasionally there have also been fun ways ... Read More →
The U.S. House has passed the bipartisan Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act. This is one small step out of legislative gridlock and one giant step toward regrouping the national focus on energy efficiency. Now it will be up to the ... Read More →
Scouring the web for our Summer Home Improvement tips list uncovers a few good articles from a variety of sources. We found three lists that provide a good cross section of sources from RIS Media’s real estate driven news, to ... Read More →
Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) calculation tools can be valuable resources for designers, builders, building officials and even consumers trying to determine the environmental impact of building products and materials. These calculators are available from a variety of sources and vary in ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association has launched a new website. The new design greatly expands the content, images and graphics, and functionality of the website making it easier for homeowners and building industry professionals to find information. All of the ... Read More →
CIMA’s annual reminder to claim tax credits for those who made insulation and other energy efficient improvements to homes in 2013 comes with a footnote. This may be your last year for those and other important homeowner related tax deductions! ... Read More →
The winter of 2014 is proving to be one of the fiercest in several years. Meteorologists seem to have even coined a new phrase “polar vortex” for these endless cold fronts that are keeping the deep freeze on all the ... Read More →
Each year as the winter season hits there are many articles in the news and online from construction experts about how to make a house more energy efficient. CIMA monitors and shares information and links to such stories from other ... Read More →
Here at the Greenest Insulation Blog it has long been asserted the best energy saving home improvement is a well insulated house. A recent story at theenergycollective.com comparing the value of insulation in homes in Northern Europe confirms this premise. ... Read More →
For anyone that follows trends on insulation there have been many interesting and innovative stories from around the world with concerns over climate change and the need for lower energy cost post the global economic crisis. Some of the most ... Read More →
Natural Gas has emerged as the most abundant fuel supply in the U.S, particularly with “fracking” opening up access to huge domestic sources. This cleanest of fossil fuels has long been commercially supplied to homes for heating and cooking. Fleet ... Read More →
As the weather changes and the temperature begins to fall, the importance of home insulation and energy efficiency becomes top-of-mind for many American homeowners. The CIMA website tends to be a harbinger of consumer interest this time of year as ... Read More →
The Passive House Institute U.S. has announced it will no longer grant certification approval for construction projects using SPF insulation, which employ chemical agents with high Global-Warming-Costs (GWP). In a recent article BuldingGreen.com, PHIUS’s executive director Katrin Klingenberg explained the decision. ... Read More →
With the recent surge in real estate sales and new home starts the “bubble” talk is inevitable and likely to be an ongoing debate in the media. However, most economists on the subject appear to agree factors driving the home ... Read More →
Throughout the nation the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) has run into hard times due to a large decrease in federal funding. In Ohio HWAP is still alive and well, thanks in large part to effective use of remaining available ... Read More →
Architects may be the top influencers when it comes to housing. What home buyers see and builders build is typically driven by what architects design and specify. When it comes to innovation and green building the architects can make a ... Read More →
Monday April 22, 2013 is Earth Day! It’s a great day to celebrate the planet and get a better understanding of our environment. Here are some interesting places online about Earth Day and ways to check your footprint on the ... Read More →
Airports and homes don’t mix and they never will. It’s an old problem that lately has been getting major attention in some cities with airports located in urban areas. All airplanes are loud and commercial jetliners are the loudest of ... Read More →
Greenest Insulation Blog is always on the lookout for innovative green ideas. CIMA producer member National Fiber has a new twist on the well known recycling aspects of cellulose insulation. The company is launching a program to recycle cellulose insulation ... Read More →
A block-by-block retrofit project in the small town of Murray City, Ohio, that included cellulose insulation provided by CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, is an excellent example of the effective implementation of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Weatherization Assistance ... Read More →
Installing cellulose insulation in a new home or upgrading an older home is a great way to improve energy efficiency and save money for years to come on home energy bills. In fact, it’s one of the quickest return on ... Read More →
Consumers who invested in new insulation, water heaters, air conditioners, boilers and other qualifying appliances will be able to claim the 25C federal tax credit when they file their 2012 taxes. Thanks to the last ditch effort on the compromise ... Read More →
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently updated its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims. The “Green Guide” outlines the guidelines and requirements for companies and marketers making claims about their products’ environmental benefits. (See this story from the Environmental ... Read More →
A new home construction project in Florida is testing the concept of “Made in the USA” by requiring all materials and labor to be domestic made and legal respectively. It’s proving to be a difficult challenge. The story from the ... Read More →
There was a wide variety of green ideas at the 2012 GreenBuild Expo. It was certainly a healthy experience, in addition to a green one, with the exhibits spread between three buildings and a few city blocks at San Francisco’s ... Read More →
One of the more unusual items on display at the 2012 GreenBuild Expo was a Martin guitar. The innovative green aspect was the instrument’s fret board made of material by Forbo Flooring company. According to a company representative at their ... Read More →
Thanks to all the attendees who visited the Cellulose Insulation Pavilion at Greenbuild 2012. Many of our Producer Members were at the Pavilion to help provide information and assist visitors with completing the short quiz to test their knowledge about ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) and CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, Bucyrus, Ohio, were among the invited guests when the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD) held its 2012 Weatherization Month Open House in October at a weatherization program ... Read More →
October is National Energy Awareness Month. There have been a host of related programs this month as can be seen on the White House website. You might not have been aware of this from watching the presidential debate since neither President ... Read More →
As the digital revolution continues to drive more archive storage to disk rather than file cabinets it’s important to walk the talk when you depend on recycled paper for a raw material. We caught up with the Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers ... Read More →
The nations leading cellulose insulation manufacturers continue to find innovative ways to convert waste paper into energy-efficient insulation products. Cellulose insulation producers stay in tune with recycled paper trends, and with obvious interest in old newsprint (ONP) supplies. Recycled newsprint ... Read More →
A quick glance across the news spectrum over the past few months finds the topic of climate change is heating up. Major news outlets have frequently run stories on the topic linking severe weather to climate change. The debate rages ... Read More →
A television station in Texas recently ran a story about a house fire and quoted a local fire official who erroneously stated cellulose insulation contributed to the damage. This insulation fire story from Texas includes many misstatements and errors based ... Read More →
Every year millions of houses are sold in the U.S. In many cases, a professional home inspection is conducted in the transaction process. The inspection is typically paid by the purchaser although, like most everything else in real estate transactions, ... Read More →
The Community Environmental Center (CEC) in Queens, NY is a not-for-profit specializing in weatherization and green building throughout the New York Metropolitan area. According to the website and a recent blog post, the CEC has been a leader in Weatherization ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association President Chris Hoch was a featured speaker at the White House this month. The first-ever Weatherization Supply Chain event was held June 15 as a forum to discuss the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP.) ... Read More →
It’s Robert Moog’s 78th birthday! You may be asking yourself what that has to do with cellulose insulation or green products in general? Nothing and everything. Google revolutionized the way most people search for and research information. That innovation has ... Read More →
Everyone knows insulating a home saves energy and makes for a more comfortable living environment. We have written here at the Greenest Insulation Blog about how effective cellulose insulation is in providing superior sound proofing in addition to energy-efficiency. Cellulose ... Read More →
Insulation helps us make more efficient use of energy, but that’s only one element in the pursuit of a greener, more sustainable energy infrastructure. Each year the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions cosponsor ... Read More →
Noted housing columnist Katherine Salant has a very interesting article in the January 20, 2012 Washington Post. She profiled Alex Wilson’s (executive editor of Environmental Building News and a widely acclaimed green building expert) observations on how homeowners can boost ... Read More →
The Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011 winning design is going on display in California. The “CHIP” had its ribbon cutting Tuesday, January 17th in downtown Los Angeles. You can learn about this innovative solar house of the future here. ... Read More →
Green Building appears to be poised for a rebound in 2012 according to trend predictions from industry experts and prognosticators. Expectations are mixed on new construction but retrofitting existing buildings for improved energy efficiency appears to be a green wave ... Read More →
At the Greenest Insulation Blog we track all things energy-efficiency related. The volume of stories online about the subject has been growing steadily for the past year. It’s interesting to see a major retailer like Best Buy beginning to embrace ... Read More →
It’s that time of year when most homeowners begin to think about higher winter energy bills. Even for folks in Texas just feeling relief from their scorching record breaking heat wave, thoughts of the last few brutal winters will be ... Read More →
The first thing you noticed about the 2011GreenBuild International Expo is the scale. Displays and exhibits covering virtually every aspect of green building, energy efficiency and sustainability filled two giant halls in the beautiful Toronto Convention Centre. Walking the show ... Read More →
Congratulations to G. H. Runevitch from Ohio who was the lucky winner drawn from the many subscribers to the new Greenest Insulation blog. Mr. Runevitch will be able to read new stories and posts to the blog on a brand ... Read More →
Jacksonville, FL–Sarah Boren is on a mission to bring a storefront face to Green Building while also supporting Jacksonville Florida’s initiative to revitalize its downtown. The concept embraces the vision at the Greenest Insulation and we applaud her effort. Bringing ... Read More →
Become a Subscriber – Win A New Apple iPad 2 Sorry if you missed this drawing. If you have not already subscribed please do so now. You will get notices whenever new stories and information is posted here at the ... Read More →
After a spring marked by some of the most damaging tornadoes in recent history and a couple of weeks of sweltering temperatures between the Rockies and the Appalachians the specter of “global warming” or “climate change” is again being raised. ... Read More →
It is certainly no secret that energy costs are rising for U.S. households and businesses. While the estimates vary, studies in the past few years have put the average energy cost for the typical household ranging from 10 to as ... Read More →
Press Releases
Welcome New Producer Member CleanFiber LLC The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is proud to welcome our newest producer member CleanFiber LLC. CleanFiber was conceived by several veteran cellulose insulation installers. They recently began production at their state-of-the-art facility in Buffalo, ... Read More →
The trend has become a reality as more and more people use mobile devices for online searches. Visitors to CIMA’s website continue to grow this year and so has the percentage of viewers using mobile devices. We are pleased to ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association has launched a new website. The new design greatly expands the content, images and graphics, and functionality of the website making it easier for homeowners and building industry professionals to find information. All of the ... Read More →
Some tax payers may have something extra to be thankful for from Washington, DC as the 2012 tax filing deadline approaches. Consumers who invested in new insulation, water heaters, air conditioners, boilers and other qualifying appliances will be able to ... Read More →
Washington, DC (May 15, 2012)–The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) announced a new initiative to bring the unique benefits of cellulose insulation to the attention of a wider audience. The initiative will kickoff with the debut of a major tradeshow ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (February 3, 2012)–CIMA is taking the association’s tradeshow message to the next level with a dynamic new display. The Cellulose Pavilion will have its official unveiling at the American Institute of Architects National Convention and Design Expo May ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (October 11, 2011)–CIMA has awarded a brand new Apple iPad 2 to celebrate the launch of its Greenest Insulation Blog. Everyone subscribing to the blog in its inaugural month was automatically entered to win the iPad 2 and ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (August 31, 2011)–CIMA has launched a brand new look and feel to the blog of the Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association. First published as the Greenest of the Green web blog in 2008, the content and interest has grown ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (June 15, 2011)–The benefits of having a home properly insulated are readily obvious when it comes to saving energy and reducing home heating and cooling costs. Most everyone knows that having higher R-Value insulation and tighter seals makes ... Read More →
Taylorsville, KY (April 27, 2011)–David and Susan Heath of Taylorsville, Kentucky were the lucky winners drawn at random in the Cellulose Insulation Extreme Retrofit Sweepstakes that attracted several thousand visitors to www.cellulose.org and the sweepstakes contest. The couple will enjoy ... Read More →
Orlando, FL (January 24, 2011)–CIMA joined forces with the APA (The Engineered Wood Association) in late 2010 to sponsor a competition challenging architects to design a home at or near carbon neutral. The APA Carbon Challenge Grand Prize Design Award ... Read More →
Washington, DC (January 18, 2011)–CIMA challenged visitors to its website in November and December 2010 to test their insulation IQ for a chance at winning a trip to the Super Bowl. On January 18th, Margo Eastlund of Washington, DC was ... Read More →
Jacksonville, FL (November 26, 2010)National builder Ryland Homes is using cellulose insulation and its many unique benefits to help differentiate its homes. Branded under the builder’s exclusive HouseWorks program, cellulose insulation has become a key part of the positioning Ryland ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (February 10, 2010)—The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) announced a revolutionary new concept for creating energy efficient homes that offer the best solution to minimize energy consumption, reduce the amount of paper going to landfills and limit carbon ... Read More →
DAYTON, Ohio – September 30th, 2008 – The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) launches “Greenest of the Green” industry campaign in conjunction with a new industry website (www.cellulose.org) to educate consumers, architects, builders and contractors about cellulose insulation – the ... Read More →
Sweepstakes & Prizes
Congratulations to Ken Farrish of Delta, BC Canada. He was the lucky winner of our $100 giveaway in honor of the 100th post published here at the Greenest Insulation Blog. Ken was selected at random from all subscribers on the ... Read More →
For over five years CIMA’s Greenest Insulation Blog has been sharing news and information posting stories about cellulose insulation, other innovative green products and trends in green building, the environment and energy efficiency. Occasionally there have also been fun ways ... Read More →
Thanks to all the attendees who visited the Cellulose Insulation Pavilion at Greenbuild 2012. Many of our Producer Members were at the Pavilion to help provide information and assist visitors with completing the short quiz to test their knowledge about ... Read More →
Congratulations to G. H. Runevitch from Ohio who was the lucky winner drawn from the many subscribers to the new Greenest Insulation blog. Mr. Runevitch will be able to read new stories and posts to the blog on a brand ... Read More →
Become a Subscriber – Win A New Apple iPad 2 Sorry if you missed this drawing. If you have not already subscribed please do so now. You will get notices whenever new stories and information is posted here at the ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is challenging homeowners to learn more about how to upgrade their insulation with a special promotion on cellulose.org. One lucky contestant will win the prize that keeps on giving heating and cooling energy cost savings ... Read More →
Uncategorized
We’re challenging people to learn the facts about cellulose insulation. Test your Insulation IQ at www.cellulose.org/IQ for a chance to win a Super Bowl Sweepstakes prize package including Airfare, Accommodations and Tickets for two to the game in Dallas. Take ... Read More →
2008
DAYTON, Ohio – September 30th, 2008 – The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) launches “Greenest of the Green” industry campaign in conjunction with a new industry website (www.cellulose.org) to educate consumers, architects, builders and contractors about cellulose insulation – the ... Read More →
A respected investment banker with close ties to the oil field, has predicted that over-stated reserves and increasing demand will drive the price of oil over the coming years to $500 per barrel. In a September 22nd, 2008 article on ... Read More →
In a recent article from the BBC, it was announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown that people would be able to receive free or half priced insulation for their homes. The program (or programme for our English friends) involves providing ... Read More →
We are often confronted with questions about the “greenest” way to generate electricity in the home. In doing some research on the embodied energy / carbon footprint of a variety of different solutions we came across a company in the ... Read More →
We came across two interesting pieces of information this week which makes us feel good about our beer drinking. It turns out drinking beer is environmentally friendly – whether it comes in a can or on tap. A new Anheuser-Busch ... Read More →
The April 20th, 2008 Sunday New York Time Magazine is called “The Low Carbon Catalog” and contains more challenging thoughts to “green issues” than just lowering the thermostat 2 degrees (although that is buried in there as well). The short ... Read More →
There seems to be a lot of myths surrounding Cellulose Insulation. Namely, that it is made from paper so it must burn easily and that because it is called “cellulose” it must be a food source for mold. Well, quite ... Read More →
A study conducted by the University of Colorado School of Architecture shows that Cellulose insulation provides a more effective barrier against air infiltration than traditional insulation materials, one of the key factors in preventing energy loss. In cold weather, research ... Read More →
2009
2010
The International Builder Show returns to Orlando January 12 – 15, 2011 and is sure to feature the latest green trends in the housing industry. January 13 is slated as the 4th Annual Green Day by the NAHB. In fact, ... Read More →
We’re challenging people to learn the facts about cellulose insulation. Test your Insulation IQ at www.cellulose.org/IQ for a chance to win a Super Bowl Sweepstakes prize package including Airfare, Accommodations and Tickets for two to the game in Dallas. Take ... Read More →
Jacksonville, FL (November 26, 2010)National builder Ryland Homes is using cellulose insulation and its many unique benefits to help differentiate its homes. Branded under the builder’s exclusive HouseWorks program, cellulose insulation has become a key part of the positioning Ryland ... Read More →
Insulate Tax Credits End December 31st The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 reinstated tax credits for energy-efficiency improvements to homes, but the deadline for taking advantage of the credits is rapidly approaching. ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) has joined forces with the Engineered Wood Association (APA) to bring forward the next generation of residential construction—Carbon Neutral Housing—with the Carbon Challenge. Carbon emissions continue to be at the forefront of the climate ... Read More →
It’s national Energy Awareness Month and the cellulose insulation manufacturers applaud the country’s focus on this critical topic. Conserving energy and lowering our nation’s dependence on foreign oil is in everybody’s best interest. One of the easiest ways to conserve ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (February 10, 2010)—The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) announced a revolutionary new concept for creating energy efficient homes that offer the best solution to minimize energy consumption, reduce the amount of paper going to landfills and limit carbon ... Read More →
2011
It’s not really hard to determine whether an old home needs new attic insulation. If there is room enough to get a look in the attic it’s pretty easy to tell. Recently we purchased an historic 1940’s era home for ... Read More →
A recent article from the Kansas City Star notes “The payback period for insulation is quick, too, according to Consumer Reports, and it keeps your home comfortable year-round. With the tax credit, insulation starts paying back in a year or ... Read More →
Evergreen Home Performance technician Nick Wheeler finished the week upgrading the Knox County Courthouse with tons of cellulose insulation to make the building more energy efficient. Then over the weekend he demonstrated another type of energy efficiency placing 9th in ... Read More →
In the gridlocked congress there is actually one piece of legislation that seems to have good bipartisan support. The SAVE Act: Sensible Accounting to Value Energy [S. 1737] SAVE would: help revive housing stimulate the overall economy encourage energy efficiency ... Read More →
At the Greenest Insulation Blog we track all things energy-efficiency related. The volume of stories online about the subject has been growing steadily for the past year. It’s interesting to see a major retailer like Best Buy beginning to embrace ... Read More →
Washington, DC– CIMA member National Fiber sponsored two homes in 2011’s Solar Decathlon: Middlebury College and Parsons The New School for Design/Stevens Institute of Technology. National Fiber’s sponsorships included the donation and shipment of product, on-site technical training and installation ... Read More →
It’s that time of year when most homeowners begin to think about higher winter energy bills. Even for folks in Texas just feeling relief from their scorching record breaking heat wave, thoughts of the last few brutal winters will be ... Read More →
The first thing you noticed about the 2011GreenBuild International Expo is the scale. Displays and exhibits covering virtually every aspect of green building, energy efficiency and sustainability filled two giant halls in the beautiful Toronto Convention Centre. Walking the show ... Read More →
Congratulations to G. H. Runevitch from Ohio who was the lucky winner drawn from the many subscribers to the new Greenest Insulation blog. Mr. Runevitch will be able to read new stories and posts to the blog on a brand ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (October 11, 2011)–CIMA has awarded a brand new Apple iPad 2 to celebrate the launch of its Greenest Insulation Blog. Everyone subscribing to the blog in its inaugural month was automatically entered to win the iPad 2 and ... Read More →
If attendance at the GreenBuild International Conference and Expo is any indicator, Green Building is bigger than ever. The annual event drew a record 27,000 attendees last year in Chicago. Organizers anticipate attendance will eclipse that figure with the first ... Read More →
Jacksonville, FL–Sarah Boren is on a mission to bring a storefront face to Green Building while also supporting Jacksonville Florida’s initiative to revitalize its downtown. The concept embraces the vision at the Greenest Insulation and we applaud her effort. Bringing ... Read More →
Become a Subscriber – Win A New Apple iPad 2 Sorry if you missed this drawing. If you have not already subscribed please do so now. You will get notices whenever new stories and information is posted here at the ... Read More →
Greenest of the Green Now Greenest Insulation Blog. We are pleased to launch a brand new look and feel to the blog of the Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association. Since we first published the Greenest of the Green web blog in ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (August 31, 2011)–CIMA has launched a brand new look and feel to the blog of the Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association. First published as the Greenest of the Green web blog in 2008, the content and interest has grown ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) manages the website cellulose.org as an informational resource for its members, building industry professionals and consumers. Analysis of the visitors to the website, which number in the thousands monthly, reveals some interesting trends. Over ... Read More →
After a spring marked by some of the most damaging tornadoes in recent history and a couple of weeks of sweltering temperatures between the Rockies and the Appalachians the specter of “global warming” or “climate change” is again being raised. ... Read More →
The European Union and several of its member nations are moving forward rapidly with the concept of lowering the carbon footprint of houses. Concerns over climate change have driven this movement but many groups are now recognizing the practical implications–carbon ... Read More →
It is certainly no secret that energy costs are rising for U.S. households and businesses. While the estimates vary, studies in the past few years have put the average energy cost for the typical household ranging from 10 to as ... Read More →
Electric cooperatives (co-ops), unlike other types of electric utility companies, are beholden only to their members. Essentially each customer is a member and “owner” of the company. As such, electric co-ops have always tended to be progressive and aggressive in ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (June 15, 2011)–The benefits of having a home properly insulated are readily obvious when it comes to saving energy and reducing home heating and cooling costs. Most everyone knows that having higher R-Value insulation and tighter seals makes ... Read More →
Memorial Day. The traditional kickoff of summertime. Our thoughts fade of cold winter months–and many look forward to lower monthly energy bills. But don’t forget that buzzing you will soon hear while sitting on the porch will more often be ... Read More →
CIMA awarded the Extreme Insulation Retrofit to a Kentucky couple selected at random in April from the hundreds who visited the online sweepstakes. Now, CIMA is blowing the door out of the Extreme Insulation Retrofit winner’s house. Well, to clarify, ... Read More →
Taylorsville, KY (April 27, 2011)–David and Susan Heath of Taylorsville, Kentucky were the lucky winners drawn at random in the Cellulose Insulation Extreme Retrofit Sweepstakes that attracted several thousand visitors to www.cellulose.org and the sweepstakes contest. The couple will enjoy ... Read More →
Here at the Greenest Of The Green every day is Earth Day. No matter what your politics, views or interests, it’s hard to refute the premise that a healthy planet is perhaps the most basic component of human existence. We ... Read More →
Whether you believe climate change is a planetary or man-made phenomenon, it’s hard to refute that our world is getting hotter. Even though much of the nation has suffered through a harsh winter, the global thermostat continued to set records ... Read More →
One of the most important energy related summits is the annual Northeast Sustainable Energy Association Conference. In a recent publicity release for the NESEA BuildingEnergy 2011 Conference & Trade Show, green/sustainable building expert Alex Wilson, founder and executive editor of ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is challenging homeowners to learn more about how to upgrade their insulation with a special promotion on cellulose.org. One lucky contestant will win the prize that keeps on giving heating and cooling energy cost savings ... Read More →
The record winter that 2011 is producing across the nation is focusing more people to seriously think about green building and home weatherization. This snowy, icy cold winter comes on the heals of very frigid seasons in 2010. As the ... Read More →
The APA Carbon Challenge Grand Prize Design Award was presented to Damon Roby of True Design Studios in Jacksonville, Florida. Roby and five other winners were recognized on January 13, 2011, at a ceremony sponsored by APA and CIMA at ... Read More →
Orlando, FL (January 24, 2011)–CIMA joined forces with the APA (The Engineered Wood Association) in late 2010 to sponsor a competition challenging architects to design a home at or near carbon neutral. The APA Carbon Challenge Grand Prize Design Award ... Read More →
Washington, DC (January 18, 2011)–CIMA challenged visitors to its website in November and December 2010 to test their insulation IQ for a chance at winning a trip to the Super Bowl. On January 18th, Margo Eastlund of Washington, DC was ... Read More →
2012
A new home construction project in Florida is testing the concept of “Made in the USA” by requiring all materials and labor to be domestic made and legal respectively. It’s proving to be a difficult challenge. The story from the ... Read More →
There was a wide variety of green ideas at the 2012 GreenBuild Expo. It was certainly a healthy experience, in addition to a green one, with the exhibits spread between three buildings and a few city blocks at San Francisco’s ... Read More →
One of the more unusual items on display at the 2012 GreenBuild Expo was a Martin guitar. The innovative green aspect was the instrument’s fret board made of material by Forbo Flooring company. According to a company representative at their ... Read More →
Thanks to all the attendees who visited the Cellulose Insulation Pavilion at Greenbuild 2012. Many of our Producer Members were at the Pavilion to help provide information and assist visitors with completing the short quiz to test their knowledge about ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) and CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, Bucyrus, Ohio, were among the invited guests when the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD) held its 2012 Weatherization Month Open House in October at a weatherization program ... Read More →
October is National Energy Awareness Month. There have been a host of related programs this month as can be seen on the White House website. You might not have been aware of this from watching the presidential debate since neither President ... Read More →
SUCCESSFUL ATTIC RETROFIT REQUIRES GOOD PREP The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) recommends using a professional insulation contractor trained in the proper techniques of cellulose installation to achieve the maximum performance from an attic retrofit. However, a home owner should ... Read More →
As the digital revolution continues to drive more archive storage to disk rather than file cabinets it’s important to walk the talk when you depend on recycled paper for a raw material. We caught up with the Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers ... Read More →
The nations leading cellulose insulation manufacturers continue to find innovative ways to convert waste paper into energy-efficient insulation products. Cellulose insulation producers stay in tune with recycled paper trends, and with obvious interest in old newsprint (ONP) supplies. Recycled newsprint ... Read More →
A quick glance across the news spectrum over the past few months finds the topic of climate change is heating up. Major news outlets have frequently run stories on the topic linking severe weather to climate change. The debate rages ... Read More →
A television station in Texas recently ran a story about a house fire and quoted a local fire official who erroneously stated cellulose insulation contributed to the damage. This insulation fire story from Texas includes many misstatements and errors based ... Read More →
Every year millions of houses are sold in the U.S. In many cases, a professional home inspection is conducted in the transaction process. The inspection is typically paid by the purchaser although, like most everything else in real estate transactions, ... Read More →
A great story comes to us from the Lakewood Ohio Observer. Chris Perry’s insightful article on upgrading a 100-year-old Lakewood Home is a text book outline on how to green an old house. It’s worth a read for anyone interested ... Read More →
The Community Environmental Center (CEC) in Queens, NY is a not-for-profit specializing in weatherization and green building throughout the New York Metropolitan area. According to the website and a recent blog post, the CEC has been a leader in Weatherization ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association President Chris Hoch was a featured speaker at the White House this month. The first-ever Weatherization Supply Chain event was held June 15 as a forum to discuss the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP.) ... Read More →
Washington, DC (May 15, 2012)–The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA) announced a new initiative to bring the unique benefits of cellulose insulation to the attention of a wider audience. The initiative will kickoff with the debut of a major tradeshow ... Read More →
It’s Robert Moog’s 78th birthday! You may be asking yourself what that has to do with cellulose insulation or green products in general? Nothing and everything. Google revolutionized the way most people search for and research information. That innovation has ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers are launching a new initiative to bring the unique benefits of cellulose insulation to the attention of a wider audience. The initiative kickoffs with the debut of a major tradeshow display–the Cellulose Pavilion at the American Institute ... Read More →
Everyone knows insulating a home saves energy and makes for a more comfortable living environment. We have written here at the Greenest Insulation Blog about how effective cellulose insulation is in providing superior sound proofing in addition to energy-efficiency. Cellulose ... Read More →
Insulation helps us make more efficient use of energy, but that’s only one element in the pursuit of a greener, more sustainable energy infrastructure. Each year the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions cosponsor ... Read More →
The news from the NAHB 2012 International Builder Show is the economy is improving, real estate will follow and energy efficiency will drive new home sales. In general, the mood was cautiously optimistic from builders we spoke with to vendors ... Read More →
Dayton, OH (February 3, 2012)–CIMA is taking the association’s tradeshow message to the next level with a dynamic new display. The Cellulose Pavilion will have its official unveiling at the American Institute of Architects National Convention and Design Expo May ... Read More →
Noted housing columnist Katherine Salant has a very interesting article in the January 20, 2012 Washington Post. She profiled Alex Wilson’s (executive editor of Environmental Building News and a widely acclaimed green building expert) observations on how homeowners can boost ... Read More →
The Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2011 winning design is going on display in California. The “CHIP” had its ribbon cutting Tuesday, January 17th in downtown Los Angeles. You can learn about this innovative solar house of the future here. ... Read More →
Green Building appears to be poised for a rebound in 2012 according to trend predictions from industry experts and prognosticators. Expectations are mixed on new construction but retrofitting existing buildings for improved energy efficiency appears to be a green wave ... Read More →
2013
Here at the Greenest Insulation Blog it has long been asserted the best energy saving home improvement is a well insulated house. A recent story at theenergycollective.com comparing the value of insulation in homes in Northern Europe confirms this premise. ... Read More →
For anyone that follows trends on insulation there have been many interesting and innovative stories from around the world with concerns over climate change and the need for lower energy cost post the global economic crisis. Some of the most ... Read More →
Natural Gas has emerged as the most abundant fuel supply in the U.S, particularly with “fracking” opening up access to huge domestic sources. This cleanest of fossil fuels has long been commercially supplied to homes for heating and cooking. Fleet ... Read More →
As the weather changes and the temperature begins to fall, the importance of home insulation and energy efficiency becomes top-of-mind for many American homeowners. The CIMA website tends to be a harbinger of consumer interest this time of year as ... Read More →
The Passive House Institute U.S. has announced it will no longer grant certification approval for construction projects using SPF insulation, which employ chemical agents with high Global-Warming-Costs (GWP). In a recent article BuldingGreen.com, PHIUS’s executive director Katrin Klingenberg explained the decision. ... Read More →
With the recent surge in real estate sales and new home starts the “bubble” talk is inevitable and likely to be an ongoing debate in the media. However, most economists on the subject appear to agree factors driving the home ... Read More →
Throughout the nation the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) has run into hard times due to a large decrease in federal funding. In Ohio HWAP is still alive and well, thanks in large part to effective use of remaining available ... Read More →
Architects may be the top influencers when it comes to housing. What home buyers see and builders build is typically driven by what architects design and specify. When it comes to innovation and green building the architects can make a ... Read More →
Monday April 22, 2013 is Earth Day! It’s a great day to celebrate the planet and get a better understanding of our environment. Here are some interesting places online about Earth Day and ways to check your footprint on the ... Read More →
Each region of the country is different when it comes to home energy needs. However, they are all the same in one respect: properly sealing and insulating a home saves a homeowner money whether it’s cold in Minnesota, steaming in ... Read More →
For most new home buyers, their builder is the source of awareness for the products that go into building their new home. When it comes to what’s behind the walls and above the ceiling home buyers become even less involved ... Read More →
Airports and homes don’t mix and they never will. It’s an old problem that lately has been getting major attention in some cities with airports located in urban areas. All airplanes are loud and commercial jetliners are the loudest of ... Read More →
Some tax payers may have something extra to be thankful for from Washington, DC as the 2012 tax filing deadline approaches. Consumers who invested in new insulation, water heaters, air conditioners, boilers and other qualifying appliances will be able to ... Read More →
Greenest Insulation Blog is always on the lookout for innovative green ideas. CIMA producer member National Fiber has a new twist on the well known recycling aspects of cellulose insulation. The company is launching a program to recycle cellulose insulation ... Read More →
A block-by-block retrofit project in the small town of Murray City, Ohio, that included cellulose insulation provided by CIMA member Advanced Fiber Technology, is an excellent example of the effective implementation of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Weatherization Assistance ... Read More →
Installing cellulose insulation in a new home or upgrading an older home is a great way to improve energy efficiency and save money for years to come on home energy bills. In fact, it’s one of the quickest return on ... Read More →
Consumers who invested in new insulation, water heaters, air conditioners, boilers and other qualifying appliances will be able to claim the 25C federal tax credit when they file their 2012 taxes. Thanks to the last ditch effort on the compromise ... Read More →
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently updated its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims. The “Green Guide” outlines the guidelines and requirements for companies and marketers making claims about their products’ environmental benefits. (See this story from the Environmental ... Read More →
2014
Getting a home ready for winter is an annual fall event for most homeowners. The big items typically come to mind for most people interested in improving energy efficiency and lowing utility bills. Upgrading insulation, adding more caulk and replacing ... Read More →
Environmental consumerism is on the rise in the U.S. and around the globe according to a recent study by Havas PR: Because It Matters. The report was reviewed in a recent article by EnvironmentalLeader.com and recaps the study that analyzed ... Read More →
Adding or upgrading insulation in a home attic is the best investment for energy efficiency home improvements. But many homeowners often neglect the need for insulating their HVAC ducts. One way to achieve both is to use blown-in cellulose insulation. ... Read More →
Early predictions for the 2014-15 Winter Weather season are mixed as is the case about every year. However, many forecasters are anticipating another cold, wet and snowy winter for much of the US. Regardless of predictions, the fact is September ... Read More →
Congratulations to Ken Farrish of Delta, BC Canada. He was the lucky winner of our $100 giveaway in honor of the 100th post published here at the Greenest Insulation Blog. Ken was selected at random from all subscribers on the ... Read More →
The energy efficiency goal in the design of any home is ultimately passivity. Everyone would like to have a really comfortable home interior living environment with little or no cost for heating and cooling. But what defines a truly “passive ... Read More →
The best way to achieve the highest level of energy savings in older homes is to fully insulate the total building envelope. While most homeowners often add or upgrade attics many fail to consider insulating the exterior walls. This leads ... Read More →
For over five years CIMA’s Greenest Insulation Blog has been sharing news and information posting stories about cellulose insulation, other innovative green products and trends in green building, the environment and energy efficiency. Occasionally there have also been fun ways ... Read More →
The U.S. House has passed the bipartisan Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act. This is one small step out of legislative gridlock and one giant step toward regrouping the national focus on energy efficiency. Now it will be up to the ... Read More →
Scouring the web for our Summer Home Improvement tips list uncovers a few good articles from a variety of sources. We found three lists that provide a good cross section of sources from RIS Media’s real estate driven news, to ... Read More →
Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) calculation tools can be valuable resources for designers, builders, building officials and even consumers trying to determine the environmental impact of building products and materials. These calculators are available from a variety of sources and vary in ... Read More →
Arbor Day was first held in the small Spanish village of Villanueva de la Sierra in 1805. The U.S. recognition of Arbor Day dates back to 1874 and its founding in Nebraska as the culmination of a tree planting holiday ... Read More →
Earth Day is recognized in some 190 countries around the world. As concerns over climate change continue to raise awareness for the environment billions of people are more tuned in than ever to the need for energy efficiency. Earth Day ... Read More →
The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association has launched a new website. The new design greatly expands the content, images and graphics, and functionality of the website making it easier for homeowners and building industry professionals to find information. All of the ... Read More →
CIMA’s annual reminder to claim tax credits for those who made insulation and other energy efficient improvements to homes in 2013 comes with a footnote. This may be your last year for those and other important homeowner related tax deductions! ... Read More →
The winter of 2014 is proving to be one of the fiercest in several years. Meteorologists seem to have even coined a new phrase “polar vortex” for these endless cold fronts that are keeping the deep freeze on all the ... Read More →
Each year as the winter season hits there are many articles in the news and online from construction experts about how to make a house more energy efficient. CIMA monitors and shares information and links to such stories from other ... Read More →
2015
Reports broke across the news this week of a decline in sales for winter-related items. Sales for just about everything from boots, and sweaters to firewood and fuel oil are down from the same period last year. The companion news ... Read More →
The trend has become a reality as more and more people use mobile devices for online searches. Visitors to CIMA’s website continue to grow this year and so has the percentage of viewers using mobile devices. We are pleased to ... Read More →
The EPA proposed new rules on August 14, 2015 to further reduce emissions of methane-rich gas from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the U.S. These new EPA rules will by default likely require more emphasis on recycling of paper, ... Read More →
There are a variety of building insulation products on the market. They are all designed with the primary function of saving energy in homes and buildings. The basic measure of effectiveness by which all building insulation products are measured is ... Read More →
A high percentage of homes in the U.S. have siding and of those vinyl continues to be the most common choice. Data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), shows vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common exterior ... Read More →
Father’s Day is a holiday not without its special traditions. And as much as we all love a steak dinner or a new tie or set of wrenches, maybe it’s time to rethink the typical Father’s Day gift. When it ... Read More →
The Bob Vila website recently had a very good article covering the topic of blown in insulation. Writer Benjamin Hardy does an excellent job of comparing and contrasting the top products – loose fill fiberglass, cellulose and foam – and ... Read More →
Earth day was conceived in 1969 at a UNESCO conference held in San Francisco. Renowned activist in multiple disciplines John McConnell proposed a date in which we celebrate the Earth and honor the idea of peace. From those beginnings Earth Day ... Read More →
It’s official: 2014 was the hottest year on record topping both 2005 and 2010 according to NOAA and other sources. The brutal winter of 2014/5 also set records across much of the U.S for snowfall and temperatures. Add to this ... Read More →
Weather can be serious business in Ohio with hot, humid summers, cold winters, and extreme weather possible throughout the year. With such a broad climate spectrum, proper weatherization of homes is critical to reducing household energy costs. As a byproduct, ... Read More →
Many residents and businesses are compiling spring cleaning lists as most of the nation thaws from one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record. Spring should also trigger energy-efficiency and safety checklists including the often forgot attic insulation. Here ... Read More →
As much of the nation experiences another bitterly cold winter in 2015 with record snowfalls, NOAA confirms reports 2014 was the hottest year ever recorded. The annual climate report on NOAA website states: “The year 2014 was the warmest year ... Read More →
In case you missed it, which is highly likely, the congress once again extended and the president signed into law the tax credit for home energy efficiency improvements. This includes the credit of for adding home insulation. The good news: ... Read More →
The music equipment and recording business is estimated at $7 billion world-wide. That includes thousands of “garage bands.” With a new focus in the industry on DIY and independent home recording, opportunities for the amateur artist to be heard on ... Read More →
2016
Insulating walls in a home or building is critical to achieving high energy efficiency. A big factor in the effectiveness is how well the wall cavity is sealed by the insulation. Fiberglass batts do not create an effective seal. Over ... Read More →
One of the critical areas where homes lose energy efficiency is at the attic access hatch. Regardless of the insulation product type used, air leaks from a poorly insulated attic access will result in higher heating and cooling bills. This ... Read More →
The concept of Net-Zero Energy homes appears to be moving forward toward main stream. California is leading the nation with a goal of having all new homes constructed by 2020 achieving net-zero under its Residential ZNE Plan. Builders and homeowners ... Read More →
As the globe turns toward summer on the North American Continent the sun changes the equation for home energy efficiency. The number one way to save energy, money and the environment this summer: Manage The Thermostat. The best way to ... Read More →
A home building company recently contacted CIMA. They were considering changing standard features to include cellulose insulation in an effort to offer greener, more energy-efficient homes. But they had heard cellulose insulation settles and wanted to know how this affected ... Read More →
For anyone that might have missed the news this month, NASA and NOAH confirmed 2015 was the hottest year ever. In fact, it was hot enough to shatter over a century of high temperature records! In the U.S. the temperature ... Read More →
2017
Watch Penny Burn In Wad Of Cellulose Insulation This very short video by Sean Maxwell has been around for a while but still provides a demonstration worth watching. CIMA does not recommend anyone attempting to replicate this demonstration. That said, ... Read More →
Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute Home Insulation Fire Video One of the most dramatic fire tests to compare the characteristics of various types of insulation in large simulated home fires was conducted in 1998 at the Maryland Fire & Safety ... Read More →
Watch Test Comparing Fires For Cellulose Insulation & Fiberglass Insulation Here is another video that demonstrates the characteristic differences between cellulose insulation and fiberglass insulation. Titled “The Big Burn” by its producers, the video is not a true scientific controlled ... Read More →
Nebraska fire demonstrates cellulose insulation fire control characteristics Cellulose insulation is designed to save homeowners money by making their homes more energy efficient. It also has a Class 1 fire rating and is designed to save their homes in a ... Read More →
Fire Test Videos Show Results For Cellulose & Fiberglass Insulation Products In the wake of the horrific June 2017 high rise fire in London interest in fire related to building insulation products has surged. People are understandably searching for more ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Is Perfect For Insulating Walls Larry Janesky and his company Dr. Energy Saver Home Services specialize in cellulose insulation. They have produced an excellent video on the process for retrofitting the walls in an older home with dense ... Read More →
2018
Weather Trends 360 Predicts Cold Wet Winter For 2019 Captain Bill Kirk, CEO of the website weathertrends360.com, and his team of meteorologists boast an 84% accuracy rate for their short-term and year-ahead forecasts for temperature and precipitation. The site serves businesses ... Read More →
UN Climate Change Report Must Stimulate Action From Bottom Up The dire news coming out of the recent landmark report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts just 12 years left to take action against irreversible impacts ... Read More →
NRDC and the National Housing Trust Suggest Avoiding Foam Chemicals A report released by Energy Efficiency for All, a partnership of Non Governmental Agencies (NGOs) that includes the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and National Housing Trust, cautions home builders ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Production Has Low Environmental Impact Recent headlines about protests over a proposed Rockwool Insulation Production Plant in Charles Town, WV raise valid concerns over the potential for environmental impacts. This product is similar to fiberglass and foam insulation ... Read More →
China Accepting Less U.S. Recycling Means Paper For Cellulose China is curtailing the amount of recycling material it accepts from the United States. This continues to be a pressing problem since the U.S. has shipped much of its recycled paper, ... Read More →
Reports Expose CFCs In Chinese Made Foam Insulation News reports broke this recently about the discovery of foam insulation manufactured in China that includes CFCs. According to the lead report by the Environmental Investigation Agency, now carried in several highly ... Read More →
Nanowood Has Lignin Removed Making It Less Heat Conductive We are always on the lookout for new trends in green building materials here on the CIMA blog. Last month the story broke about an innovative new product called “Nanowood” that ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Has Industry’s Highest Recycled Content World-wide the amount of construction related waste continues to increase as growth booms in developed and emerging economies both. The need for recycling construction waste, and for innovative construction products that use recycled ... Read More →
2019
Here Is How To Determine Current Home Attic R-Value One of the most common questions homeowners ask is how to determine the R-Value of their current attic insulation. This typically results when a homeowner begins to think about improving their ... Read More →
Construction With Wood-Based Products Traps Carbon The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service established a $1 million in fund designated for supporting the construction of mass timber projects on college campuses across the country. The initiative is designed to simulate ... Read More →
New White Board Video Simplifies Passive House Concept There have been a few articles on the Greenest Insulation Blog that recognize the Passive House topic. It’s actually a very basic concept where, according to Wikipedia: A house that is designed ... Read More →
How To Avoid Common Attic Insulation DIY Project Injuries One of the most popular Do-It-Yourself energy efficiency projects for homeowners is adding insulation in the attics of their homes. But it can often lead to injuries when the proper precautions ... Read More →
Renovation of the historic Haynes Pictures Shop included Cellulose Insulation Cellulose insulation has been around at least since the time of Jefferson’s Monticello when old newspapers were used to insulate the famed mansion. Since that time, the product has evolved ... Read More →
We often recognize new innovative green products here on the Greenest Insulation Blog. There have been a few announced using cellulose for alternative products recently that appear to have promise and worth sharing. Many people are surprised to learn that ... Read More →
Welcome New Producer Member CleanFiber LLC The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association is proud to welcome our newest producer member CleanFiber LLC. CleanFiber was conceived by several veteran cellulose insulation installers. They recently began production at their state-of-the-art facility in Buffalo, ... Read More →
Those Beautiful Icicles Likely A Sign Of Bad Attic Insulation The 2019 winter prediction report mentioned here on the Greenest Insulation Blog has proven to be very accurate. A cold and wet winter continues across most of the U.S. One ... Read More →
Fiberlite Technologies Appoints Patricia Grubb CIMA producer member Fiberlite Technologies has promoted long-time employee Patricia Grubb to head the company’s production plant in Joplin, Missouri as General Manager. She is one of just a few woman to hold such a ... Read More →
Snow melting quick on house roof can indicate attic insulation deficiencies. While in the midst of winter it is often too late to add insulation to home attics, snowfalls can actually help to identify potential deficiencies that can be corrected ... Read More →
The CIMA producer member company Advance Fiber Technology was recently recognized in their local Ohio newspaper for many years of providing high-quality products. Advance Fiber is a family business founded in the mid 1970s by Dick Leuthold and sons Doug ... Read More →
2020
The Facts On Cellulose Insulation & Vapor Barriers We receive many questions on the CIMA website Contact Us form every month. A recent one on cellulose insulation and air/vapor barriers (one of a flurry on the topic) tipped the scale ... Read More →
Join the Webinar January 20, 2020 On Embodied Carbon & Net Zero Energy CIMA Executive Director Dan Lea, with be featured speaker in a webinar presented by Sustainable Minds. The program, moderated by Terry Swack, Sustainable Minds Founder and CEO, ... Read More →
For many homeowners, proper attic insulation is a common concern and an easy target for improving energy efficiency. Most older homes, and even many newer ones, simply lack the proper amount of insulation in their attics. However, there are many ... Read More →
Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association
