JÄMFÖRELSE AV KLIMATPÅVERKANFÖR GLASULL OCH POLYURETAN : MPARISON OF CLIMATE IMPACT FOR GLASS WOOL AND POYURETHANE

Sammanfattning: This study examines the climate impact of the thermal insulation materials, glass wool and polyurethane. Two wall constructions with a size of one square meter are used in the study to compare their carbon footprints and determine which material has the lowest environmental impact. For the walls to be comparable, they need to have the same U-value. The study will be limited to only examining the materials from a cradle-to-gate perspective. Literature searches will be conducted for data collection. For the calculation of environmental impact, the study will examine Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and the Boverket’s Climate Declaration.Environmental data for building materials is calculated using LCA, and from this, EPDs can be generated, which contain summarized environmental data. This study collects environmental data from EPDs Boverket’s Climate Database. U-values are calculated using the U- and λ-value method, and then the mean value is derived. Subsequently, the quantities of the materials are determined, and the walls' total Global Warming Potential (GWP) is calculated.According to the results of the study, walls with polyurethane and glass wool insulation show a significant difference in their carbon footprints. GWP calculations show that the wall with polyurethane insulation emits approximately 33 kg CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalents), while the wall with glass wool insulation emits around 17 kg CO2e. The results also indicate that the insulation layers alone exhibit a significant difference in carbon footprint, approximately 20 kg CO2e for polyurethane and 4.0 kg CO2e for glass wool. The significant difference may be attributed to the oil-based production of polyurethane. The study also found that the manufacturing stage contributes the most to the climate impact for both insulation materials.When selecting insulation materials, other material properties also need to be investigated, such as fire resistance, acoustic performance, and more. The economic aspect also plays a significant role in the selection process.From an environmental perspective, the conclusion indicates that glass wool insulation is the better choice.