[CCMC 12420-R] CCMC Canadian code compliance evaluation

It is the opinion of the Canadian Construction Materials Centre that the evaluated product, when used as a system to install thermal insulation in accordance with the conditions and limitations stated in this evaluation, complies with the following code:

National Building Code of Canada 2015

Ontario Building Code

Ruling No. 03-02-91 (12420-R) authorizing the use of this product in Ontario, subject to the terms and conditions contained in the Ruling, was made by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on 2003-03-18 (revised 2010-06-22) pursuant to s.29 of the Building Code Act, 1992 (see Ruling for terms and conditions). This Ruling is subject to periodic revisions and updates.

The above opinion is based on the evaluation by the CCMC of technical evidence provided by the evaluation holder, and is bound by the stated conditions and limitations. For the benefit of the user, a summary of the technical information that forms the basis of this evaluation has been included.

Product name

Product description

The “Enviro-Shield” system is manufactured on the job site. The system comprises three components:

• the thermal insulating product,
• the frame wall construction, and
• the installation method.

The insulating product is loose-fill cellulose insulation produced using the advanced fibre technology system and must bear a CCMC Evaluation Listing number.

The framing consists of conventional 38 mm × 140 mm or 38 mm × 89 mm wood studs or galvanized steel studs spaced at either 400 mm or 600 mm. The insulation is installed behind either a 6 mil CGSB-certified vapour barrier or a woven polypropylene mesh to permit product inspection before closing the wall/ceiling with drywall.

Installing the product in walls consists of piercing the vapour barrier or the mesh near the top of the cavity and lowering the blowing hose into the cavity (see Figure 1). By carefully controlling the filling time and filling pressure with conventional or modified conventional blowing equipment, the cavity can be completely filled to a specified design density of 48 kg/m³ within a tolerance of 10%. Installation for the product in cathedral ceilings is the same as for walls, except that:

• cavities are filled to a minimum specified density of 40.5 kg/m³ ,
• a ventilation system is included (see Figure 2), and
• cavities longer than 3 m must be blown in stages

Site-manufactured product

This is a site-manufactured product; it is finished on site following the pouring or pneumatic installation of raw materials produced at the manufacturing plant(s) below.

Manufacturing plant

This evaluation is valid only for products produced at the following plant:

Product evaluated by the CCMC Indicates that the product from this manufacturing facility has been evaluated by the CCMC

The CCMC’s compliance opinion is bound by this product being used in accordance with the conditions and limitations set out below.

Walls

Below-grade walls

Installation of the loose-fill cellulose insulation system must be limited to basement walls that:

• have an explicit drainage layer on the exterior of the basement wall from ground level to the footing (e.g., semi-rigid dimpled polyethylene products, exterior insulations); or
• have waterproofing on the exterior face of the concrete; or
• have dampproofing on the exterior face, where the concrete is free of defects (any cracks must be sealed to prevent future water entry, whether or not there is evidence of past or current water entry); or
• are not subject to flooding and not situated in areas with a high water table (< 2.5 m from ground surface) or that are susceptible to sewer backup.

Installations on cast-in-place concrete basement walls must not occur until 45 days after casting of the concrete.

Above-grade walls

The following limitations apply when the system is used with steel studs:

• 25% of the insulating value must be on the outside of the steel studs (i.e., insulative sheathing); and
• the density of the galvanizing coating on the steel studs must be 275 g/m² or greater.

Cathedral ceilings

The system can only be installed in cathedral ceilings that incorporate a ventilation system in accordance with Subsection 9.19.1., Venting, of Division B of the NBC 2015.

General

• The thermal insulating product must be cellulose insulation produced using the advanced fibre technology and bearing a valid CCMC Evaluation Listing number.
• The blowing equipment used must be any commercially available machine modified according to Thermo-Cell’s instructions.
• The insulation must be kept away from heat-emitting devices such as recessed light fixtures, chimneys, and propane or natural gas sources, at a distance of at least 75 mm or the distance required by the local authority having jurisdiction.
• Pierced vapour barriers must be repaired in accordance with current best trade practice.
• Installation of the “Enviro-Shield” system must be carried out by a manufacturer-certified installer in accordance with the conditions and limitations of this Report and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

This evaluation is based on demonstrated conformance with the following criteria:

Performance requirements

Density

The measured densities ranged from 45 kg/m³ to 52 kg/m³ in walls and from 43 kg/m³ to 44 kg/m³ in ceilings. The density of the applied product in walls was determined on wall sections using 89-mm-deep and 140-mm-deep studs spaced at 400 mm and 600 mm. Ceiling densities were determined on roof sections containing 254-mm-deep rafters and 355-mm-deep trusses spaced at 600 mm.

Thermal resistance

The thermal resistance was measured on samples with densities ranging from 48.0 to 51.24 kg/m³ and the respective thermal resistance per unit thickness ranged from 25.4 (m²·K/W)/m to 25.9 (m²·K/W)/m. Using 25.4 (m²·K/W)/m for design calculations, the thermal resistance of the insulation is 3.56 m²·K/W for a 140-mm-thick wall and 2.26 m²·K/W for an 89-mm-thick wall.