“Insulate, insulate, insulate,” says Ian Claydon, technical manager at glass wool manufacturers URSA UK. He may sound like a crazed Dalek reprogrammed to promote caring for the environment, but Claydon has a valid point. “Increasing energy prices have brought the role of insulation products into sharp focus – insulation is the most cost effective means of improving the energy efficiency of buildings,” Claydon explains. “The sustainability and environmental impact of construction materials is high on everyone’s agenda at the moment. <br><br>Unlike most construction materials, insulation actually repays the energy used in its manufacture in energy savings in use.” Chris King, marketing and business development director at Celotex agrees. “With environmental considerations playing an ever greater role in the design and build of our homes and buildings, the requirement for sustainable products will become increasingly important,” he says. “Increasing insulation levels using an environmentally sound solution such as durable PIR boards remains one of the simplest and most cost effective methods of improving the thermal rating of a property.”<br><br>Many will remember a time however, when insulation was completely ignored or installed to such a poor degree as to barely make any difference at all. The 1950s and 60s saw some of …