Links to the products and companies of the Rockwool Group's six business areas: Insulation - Acoustic Ceilings - Façade panels - Horticultural Substrates - Engineered fibres - Noise and Vibration Control
Share info, financial key figures, investor presentations, annual reports, shareholder magazine and much more
Information about vacant positions, personnel policy, carreer options and much more
View the latest news releases from the Rockwool Group. Media kit for journalists. Contact to the Communications department.
Read about the importance of fire safety of buildings and materials. Order video about the EU's new fire norms
Information about the environmental profile of Rockwool products and production. Environmental Reports.Sustainable building.
General information abot the Rockwool Group - history, corporate video, reference projects, and much more
See the RSS feeds that Rockwool International provides

Does your cooling bill make you sweat?
Energy efficiency of buildings has been on the political agenda for decades in most countries where a cold climate means expensive heating costs. Many countries in hot climates are only just starting to realise the heavy burden that cooling of poorly constructed buildings implies. The use of air conditioning is sky rocketing. And so is the strain on the electrical grid and on the pockets of private individuals and public finances.

Poor insulation in hot countries
Today Southern European countries have the poorest insulation standards in Europe. In the developing countries, where growing prosperity and air conditioning go hand in hand, the problem is even more acute. In Malaysia, for instance, energy is heavily subsidised by the state. High air conditioning growth rates can thus undermine public budgets. So far no thermal insulation requirements have been made in the building regulations.

Sweat box
On sunny days, a roof temperature of 70ºC is not unusual. Without insulation the scolding heat can penetrate the building and transform it into a sweatbox where people find it uncomfortably difficult to work, live – or sleep. The annual energy consumption in typical new office buildings in Malaysia and the Asian region is 200-300 kWh of electricity per sq.m. This is equal to approx. 60-90 litre oil equivalents of primary energy, which is much more than is used in colder Northern Europe.

Quick pay back
This energy waste can be reduced by nearly 50% with just a small amount of insulation in the roof and the façade combined with solar protection. Instead of a large expensive air conditioning, a smaller model with a corresponding lower energy bill can be used. The investment is often paid back in less than 2 years.

Preventing uncool cooling bills
The cooling demand of a terraced house in Southern Europe can be reduced by about 85% with an optimal insulation strategy: roof and façade insulation, good windows and energy efficient appliances radiating a minimum of heat. The hours of discomfort (more than 26 °C) will be halved. If the house is used for 100 years, more than 150,000 kWh, 29 tonnes of CO2 and 49,000 hours of discomfort will be saved. Today Southern Europe has the poorest insulation standards in Europe.


Source: Ecofys, Mitigation of CO2 Emissions from the Building Stock, 2004.