INJECT-STYRENE TECHNOLOGY
Technology
INJECT-STYRENE TECHNOLOGY
The injection process
The Inject-Styrene process consists of injecting polystyrene microbeads with superior insulating properties and a binder into the cavity of walls ranging from 3 to 40 cm thick, then setting to form a rigid agglomerate.
To accomplish this technology, all you need is a 25-mm hole drilled in the wall lining to insert the injection gun and fill the wall with Ecobill MD/® or ISOBILL MD/® insulation. Injection sprays polystyrene microbeads agglomerated with binder into wall voids, ensuring highly effective filling even in wall gaps of 2 to 3 mm. Injected under a powerful jet of air, combined with the lightness of polystyrene microbeads (98% air and only 2%), it provides all the fluidity inside the walls to create a perfect molding that encapsulates everything in the lining to perfection.
Where air circulates, so do microbeads.
For renovation work, this process requires NO DEMOLITION if the situation permits. Among other things, the process makes it easy to increase the insulation of basements and above-ground walls without demolishing them.
BUILDING APPLICATIONS
Injection options
Ecobill MD/® insulation is produced by injecting agglomerated polystyrene microbeads to fill air gaps of 1 inch (2.5 cm) minimum and 16 inches (40 cm) maximum. In addition to its high thermal value, Injected Microbead Insulation provides excellent control over air movement.
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- Interior wall
- Cathedral roof
- Floor, Ceiling
- Edge joist
- Interior foundation wall
MICROBEAD INJECTION
Sequence of work
The Inject-Styrene process stands out for its simplicity, originality and technical features, its energy efficiency comparable to the best insulating materials on the market, and its superior ecological and environmental performance.
Discover the sequence of works for the injection of recycled microbeads.
Preparing for injection
25 mm diameter holes are drilled in your wall or partition to inject the polystyrene insulation.
Insulation injection
Recycled polystyrene microbeads are injected into the wall or partition, insulating it without demolition.
Closing after injection
Wood or plaster, the wall can be resealed immediately after injection. This makes it possible to achieve complete, effective insulation in a short space of time, without having to demolish the walls.
An ecological and economical solution.
Finalizing the work
Older buildings generally lack an effective vapour barrier to combat moisture migration inside the walls.
This moisture migration, which is bound to cause a great deal of damage over time, can be stopped by applying a vapour-barrier paint. A simple and highly effective method, when applied as recommended. Ask your professional for more information.
Competitive advantages
Several advantages make our technology an essential choice for renovation.
- No demolition, no dust (asbestos.)
- No demobilization of occupants
- Revitalizing the energy efficiency of existing buildings
- High thermal value
- Recyclable
- Energy savings and profitability
- Short- and medium-term return on investment.
Technical aspects
- Blown-in insulation offers the highest thermal performance, up to 30% better than mineral fiber and natural fiber insulation.
- High water vapour diffusion rate (does not retain water)6
- Superior moisture resistance
- Does not encourage vermin
- Resists settling.
- A+ international rating from Bureau Véritas for air quality quality7
- Water-washable binder, with no toxic odors or fumes.
- Does not contaminate materials in contact,
- Recoverable
- Recyclable
Efficient technology
Microbead injection is one of the most effective technologies available, enabling us to fill and fit everything in the partition.
Pushed by a powerful jet of air through small 25 mm holes, the polystyrene – 98% air and only 2% material, and therefore extremely light – effectively bypasses everything in the partition. It forms a perfect mold even in 3-millimeter gaps.
No other product can so effectively inject insulation into spaces of less than 10 centimetres (or 4 inches).
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Environmental aspects
Raw material
Polystyrene (EPS) is 98% air and only 2% material. EPS polystyrene is also a low-deterioration material. Its useful life is estimated at over 80 years. What’s more, blown-in insulation doesn’t give off toxic vapors; it’s inert and harmless to health and the environment.
Manufacturing process
The low plastic content of EPS polystyrene (2%, the rest is air) makes the recovery and conversion process costly and polluting. This is equivalent to transporting and melting 100 coffee glasses to make 2 plastic ones. IST uses mechanically ground polystyrene (EPS), which retains all its insulating properties. At the same time, crushing 100 coffee glasses produces as much recycled material as before packaging.
Currently, 25% to 50% of our blown-in insulation is recycled.
Reused polystyrene
Injecting ECOBILL MD® and ISOBILL MD® insulation products into a home with 1800 square feet of living space recovers and recycles over 4.5 cubic meters of polystyrene (EPS).
Recycling
Blown polystyrene insulation is 100% recyclable. Once recovered, they can be reconverted into another premium quality blown insulation. What’s more, our insulations don’t contaminate other materials with which they come into contact during the injection process, making them easier to reuse at the end of their useful life.
Construction waste
Demolition during renovation generates tons of construction waste, mainly gypsum, which is sent to sorting centers and landfills. Research has shown that millions of tons of gypsum board waste are generated every year by renovation and demolition work. Depending on the type of construction, the vast majority of gypsum wallboard used for interior finishing represents between 5% and 25% of the total volume of Construction, Renovation and Demolition (CRD) waste generated3. The decomposition of gypsum board produces tons of gases that are harmful to health and the environment. In fact, the authorities are strongly considering banning the landfilling of these residues4. With Inject-Styrene insulation technology, insulation work on a complete home produces a maximum of 20 liters of waste – the equivalent of a small hand-held vacuum cleaner. Our non-demolition insulation service is therefore perfectly in line with the CRD5 best practice guide for residual waste management, by systematically promoting the reduction of this renovation waste. Not to mention the possibility of having to deal with residual plaster materials potentially containing traces of asbestos.
ENVIRONMENT
Sustainable development
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a sustainable petrochemical product and a material with excellent thermal properties; residential insulation, coolers, coffee cups, etc. Despite this fact, recycling is costly and limited. And for good reason: this material is made up of 98% air and only 2% matter, so there’s very little plastic to recover. As a result, nearly 40,000 tonnes of polystyrene (all types) are landfilled every year in Quebec, a high percentage of which is EPS.
