M&J Insulation

800 MESSENGER LANE, MOORE, OK 73160 (405)794-9339

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Knauf Insulation mineral wool made with ECOSE® Technology offers superior handling...

Knauf Insulation mineral wool with ECOSE Technology doesn't look or feel like any insulation you have ever experienced:

Softer feel - Less dusty - Odorless - Easy to cut

Knauf Insulation mineral wool with ECOSE Technology is naturally brown: there are no artificial colours or dyes added
- Superior level of sustainability
- The natural brown colour represents a level of sustainability and handling never achieved.
- Manufactured from naturally occurring and/or recycled raw materials, and bonded using a bio-based technology free from formaldehyde, phenols, acrylics and with no artificial colours, bleach or dyes added.
- Contributes to improved indoor air quality compared to conventional mineral wool.
- Reduces impact on environment through lower embodied energy.
- Reduces pollutant manufacturing emissions and workplace exposures, improving the overall sustainability of buildings in which they are incorporated.
- Cost competitive with our traditional mineral wool - Delivers all the benefits you are used to from our traditional mineral wool! Thermal insulation properties, fire resistance, fire classification, acoustical insulation, sound absorption and mechanical properties as well as recycle content are maintained, with improved product durability.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is mineral wool with ECOSE Technology?
A: Knauf Insulation mineral wool is manufactured from naturally occurring and/or recycled raw materials, and is bonded using a bio-based technology free from formaldehyde, phenols, acrylics and with no artificial colours, bleach or dyes added.

Q: What is ECOSE Technology?
A: ECOSE Technology is a revolutionary, new, formaldehyde-free binder technology, based on rapidly renewable materials instead of petro-based chemicals. It reduces embodied energy and delivers superior environmental sustainability. ECOSE Technology was developed for glass and rock mineral wool insulation, but offers the same potential benefits to other products where resin-substitution would be an advantage.

Q: How does ECOSE Technology work?
A: By converting bio-based materials into an inert polymer through a proprietary process, ECOSE Technology is used to create an exceptionally strong binder.

Q: What is a binder?
A: The ECOSE Technology binder performs the same function as a phenol-formaldehyde binder in conventional mineral wool products; it binds the fibers together while providing the strength, durability and resiliency required by the insulation industry. This revolutionary scientific discovery eliminates the formaldehyde and phenols found in traditional binders used in various industrial processes.

Q: What do these bio-based ingredients consist of?
A: At the base of the new binder are plant starches, which turn into an inert polymer during the manufacturing process of our mineral wool.

Q: What has been the response to the new mineral wool with ECOSE Technology?
A: The market response so far has been absolutely overwhelming. Architects are very enthusiastic about the sustainability aspects of this new product and we already see mineral wool specifications in building projects referring to ECOSE Technology. Also, contractors and installers are now specifically requesting our new products from the trade because of the superior handling characteristics compared to conventional glass mineral wool products.

Q: Is mineral wool with ECOSE Technology more expensive?
A: No, Knauf Insulation offers its new product range with ECOSE Technology at the same price as its traditional mineral wool was sold, delivering added value at the same price.

Naturally Brown
Q: How can I recognize mineral wool made with ECOSE Technology?

A: The products distinguish themselves by colour and packaging. With the new technology the mineral wool colour results in a distinctive natural shade of earthy brown. The ECOSE Technology brand and logo are clearly visible on the new transparent packaging used for mineral wool with ECOSE Technology and serves as your complete assurance that there is absolutely no formaldehyde, acrylic, phenol, dye or artificial colours added in the chosen Knauf Insulation product.

Q: Does the brown colour come naturally?
A: Yes. There are no artificial colours, dyes or bleach added. The natural brown colour appears during the curing process of the mineral wool.

Superior Handling

Q: What do you mean by “superior handling”?

A: The new mineral wool is easy to handle because of the softer-feel, it is also odourless and contains less dust and is easy to cut.

Q: You say the new mineral wool is softer to touch and contains less dust compared with ordinary glass mineral wool. Are precautions against irritation when working with it still necessary?

A: Yes. As the new mineral wool falls into the category of mineral wool insulation for which precaution is still needed, precaution is still necessary. This is also indicated on the packaging (pictograms you will find on all packaging, as for all products from EURIMA members).

Superior Sustainability
Q: Why are products made with ECOSE Technology more sustainable than the comparable standard available products?

A: All Knauf Insulation mineral wool products are inherently sustainable — they have high recycled and renewable content and save hundreds of times more energy in use than required to manufacture them. Products made with ECOSE Technology are even more sustainable because:
- they are manufactured from naturally occurring and/or recycled materials raw materials and bonded using a bio-based technology free from formaldehyde, phenols, acrylics and with no artificial colours or dyes added.
- they contribute to improved indoor air quality of buildings compared to traditional mineral wool since there is no formaldehyde or phenol used
- they have the added benefit of using a binder, which is up to 70% less energy intensive than traditional binders and thus reduce the impact on the environment
- pollutant manufacturing emissions and workplace exposures are reduced, and the overall sustainability of buildings in which they are incorporated is improved
- they are cost competitive with our traditional mineral wool, facilitating the market transformation to more sustainable construction.

Q: Why was ECOSE Technology selected, if current products are considered sustainable?

A: Sustainability is also about continuous improvement, pushing the technical boundaries. We believe there are always opportunities to improve. This development was driven by our intensive research & development programme to fulfill our desire to provide customers with innovative products to meet the growing market need for more sustainable construction materials — and by our company-wide commitment to greater sustainability in all aspects of our business.

Q: What is formaldehyde and where is it found?

A: Formaldehyde is a colourless, strong smelling, poisonous gas. Formaldehyde can be found in the office, your car or at home. Engineered woods used in our homes and furniture are bonded with resins based on formaldehyde. In our cars, urethanes and engineering plastics are used for components that contain formaldehyde as a key building block. Even the synthetic fibres in sport clothing use formaldehyde in their production .

Q: Is formaldehyde hazardous?
A: In view of its widespread use, toxicity, and volatility, exposure to formaldehyde is a significant consideration for human health. The EU has classified formaldehyde a substance which causes concern for man owing to possible carcinogenic effects but in respect of which the available information is not adequate for making a satisfactory assessment. Formaldehyde is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the EPA, formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes an throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 1.0 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma.

Q: What does “formaldehyde-free” mean?
A: Formaldehyde-free means that there is no formaldehyde used in the production of the binder for these products and there is no formaldehyde added any time during the manufacturing process. The new ECOSE Technology binder is not made with formaldehyde or formaldehyde-generating chemicals. As loose mineral wool insulation is also considered formaldehyde-free, the new mineral wool is formaldehyde-free. The removal of formaldehyde also means that there are no binder-related emissions of formaldehyde during the insulation manufacturing process, either to the outdoor environment or to the indoor working areas.

Q: Why is it better to use formaldehyde-free products?

A: Although a large number of tests conducted by independent expert laboratories in many countries have shown that mineral wool products are an insignificant source of formaldehyde within buildings and therefore not a risk to the health of occupiers or installers, the use of ECOSE Technology will remove formaldehyde completely from the supply chain and increase the confidence with which mineral wools can be used.

Q: Are specifications being prepared for formaldehyde-free insulation products?

A: Yes, regulatory agencies express a strong preference for formaldehyde-free building products, so more and more specifications are being written as we speak.

Q: Does formaldehyde contribute to the product performance of mineral wool insulation?

A: No, formaldehyde does not contribute to thermal or acoustic performance and the product quality of mineral wool.

Proven Performance and Improved Durability

Q: How does mineral wool with ECOSE Technology perform compared to traditional mineral wool?

A: Where assessed to insulation standards, like EN 13162 and ASTM C665, glass and rock mineral wool with ECOSE Technology have the same industry-leading performance as other Knauf Insulation glass and rock mineral wool products, with the additional benefit of being more sustainable and easier to handle.

Q: What testing have Knauf Insulation mineral wool products with ECOSE Technology gone through?

A: ECOSE Technology was developed during five years of research and development. During that time products have undergone a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation to determine their environmental effects and acceptability in use. Testing indicates that products with ECOSE Technology improve on the already excellent performance of conventional mineral wool products. As with all Knauf Insulation products, the new products comply to the (regional) applicable standards, like health and safety standards, quality certification for mineral wool products and CE-marking for Europe, as well as ‘Underwriters Laboratories’ criteria (UL) and GREENGUARD™ in North America.

Q: What is the warranty of the mineral wool products with ECOSE Technology?

A: The warranty is the same as for our conventional glass and rock mineral wool products.

Q: What do you mean by “improved durability?”

A: Over time glass mineral wool with ECOSE Technology performs better in product recovery than traditional mineral wool. The product stiffness of mineral wool with ECOSE Technology is much better compared to traditional mineral wool in all densities and loss of tensile strength for glass mineral wool with ECOSE Technology over time is significantly less compared to traditional mineral wool especially for the lighter density products.

Q: Why is ECOSE Technology not yet used on the entire mineral wool product range of Knauf Insulation?
A: It will be! The technology has been applied successfully to glass and rock mineral wool and will be gradually introduced throughout our entire range, in line with our customer demand.