Field Study of Modified Atmosphere Insulation Technology for Vinyl Siding Retrofit

A major portion of the U.S. housing stock has poorly insulated walls, while also needing exterior cladding replacement. Thinner insulation systems using advanced installation technologies are needed to reduce the cost of envelope retrofits and make them more affordable. The team members have successfully developed modified atmosphere insulation (MAI) systems achieving up to R12/inch. The project team will develop and field test technologies to reduce costs of building envelope retrofits by 50% compared to the state-of-the-art, focusing on high-performance vacuum insulation systems. Research will include evaluation of retrofit technologies, barriers and costs, and means to reduce costs with installation professionals. Automated manufacturing capability will also be investigated and tested.

The project team will continue development and field testing MAI technologies and composite siding systems comprised of MAI panels mated with vinyl and/or large-scale composite siding to verify performance, installation feasibility and automated manufacturing capabilities.