Figure 1. Properties and adoption of conventional and alternative insulation materials. Costs and emissions will vary from the values here depending on the insulation form (board, blanket, loose-fill, etc.).
| Category | Material | High-GWP F-gases used? | Median manufacturing and installation emissions* | Mean product and installation cost** | Estimated market share (% by mass) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional materials | Stone wool | No | 0.31 | 623 | 20 |
| Glass wool (fiberglass) | No | 0.29 | 508 | 34 | |
| EPS | No | 0.38 | 678 | 22 | |
| XPS | Yes, sometimes | 9.44 | 702 | 7 | |
| PUR/PIR | Yes, sometimes | 6.14 | 1,000 | 11 | |
| Alternative materials | Cellulose | No | 0.05 | 441 | 2–13 |
| Cork | No | 0.30 | 1,520 | Commercially available, not widely used | |
| Wood fiber | No | 0.13 | 814 | Commercially available, not widely used | |
| Plant fibers (kenaf, hemp, jute) | No | 0.18 | 467 | Commercially available, not widely used | |
| Sheep’s wool | No | 0.14 | 800 | Commercially available, not widely used | |
| Recycled PET plastic | No | 0.12 | 2,950 | Commercially available, not widely used |
*t CO₂‑eq (100-yr) to insulate 100m² to 1m²·K/W
**2023 US$ to insulate 100m² to 1m²·K/W. We use mean values for cost analysis to better capture the limited data and wide range of reported costs.