Plant-Based vs. Synthetic Insulation in Model Homes

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to find a cheap, effective, and natural alternative source of insulation. Using plant products or waste can be a more affordable option than standard artificial insulation. Fiberglass insulation is known to produce emissions of toxic air pollutants. This could give a large number of people a whole new and improved way of life. The model consisted of a large rectangular plywood box with 1 cm thick walls to represent the outside of a home. Inside was another box with dimensions that gave exactly 3 cm on every side of the box that was filled with the testing insulation materials. A Vernier Temperature Probe was put inside the inner box, and the entire box setup was put inside a refrigerator. The temperature was recorded over 24 hours, for a total of three trials per insulation group. In total there were nine trials run including the control group of no insulation. The hypothesis was that If powdered hemp hulls were used for insulation in a model Peruvian home using a GE Refrigerator measuring differences in temperature with a Vernier Temperature Probe, then it will perform better than using no insulation. Results from the study, examining the effect of natural plant-based waste products, such as powdered hemp hulls, on insulating homes during colder months, revealed no statistical difference between the groups. A single-factor ANOVA displayed no statistical difference between groups, with a p-value of .234, compared to the alpha of .05.