Glass wool is a mineral fiber made from millions of glass filaments held together with a binder. The free air space between the fibers increases resistance to heat transmission.

It begins by melting a mixture of natural sand, additives and recycled glass at a temperature of 1450 °C. The glass thus obtained is converted into fibers. To do this, a high-speed method similar to that used to make cotton candy is used, forcing it through a fine grid using centrifugal force, cooling when it comes into contact with air. The cohesion and mechanical resistance of the product is obtained by spraying the millions of filaments with a binder solution that adheres the fibers to each other. The mass of fibers embedded in the binder is heated to a temperature of about 200 °C to polymerize the resin and is cured to give it strength and stability. The final stage includes cutting the wool and packaging it in rolls or panels under high pressure prior to palletizing the finished product, to facilitate its transportation and storage.

Applications in residential building:.

• - Vertical enclosures.

• - Sloped roof.

• - Interior dividers and ceilings.

• - Air conditioning ducts.

• - Acoustic insulation for floors.

• - Acoustic insulation for false ceilings.

Applications in industrial building:.

• - Double metal sheet roofs and facades.

• - Interior divisions.

• - Roof insulation.

• - Air conditioning ducts.

• - Insulation of air conditioning ducts.

Glass wool is a highly efficient and easy-to-handle thermal and acoustic insulating material. The material has a very good thermal resistance/price ratio, being a very appropriate material for acoustic insulation.

There are a number of important details that predefine the acoustic insulation of a system:

• - The insulating material must be selected for its structure, which is essential for the performance of the acoustic insulation. Suitable materials have an elastic structure.

• - The ability of insulation to completely fill a cavity has a positive impact on system performance. The correct adjustment of the insulation in places where acoustic bridges usually appear.

Glass mineral wool presents the best environmental balance (with respect to CO emissions). Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a process of evaluating the effects that a product has on the environment throughout its useful life, increasing efficiency in the use of resources and reducing liabilities. It can be used to study the environmental impact of a product or the function the product is intended to perform. LCA is commonly referred to as a "cradle to grave" analysis.