(This is the fourth in our series of reflections on real construction decisions for one of our local projects: The Bishop Passive House)
Progress at The Bishop Passive House has kept pace with the changing of the seasons. The foundation has been poured and the next step is insulation under the slab. A standard installation would make use of rigid foam under a vapor barrier, but we decided to take a different tack - which proved both cost-efficient and reduced use of a product that can be responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions.
This particular product is called Glavel, a recycled glass product infused with air to become a lightweight insulating aggregate. For a brief discussion of the material and a cost comparison, see this 3-minute video from the construction site. Andy Pease and Mike Horgan are our guides.
Video credit: Sean Jacobson