Bottlecap Insulation, IARC 102

Product Proposal from the
L2 Design Team
Troy Link and Sarah Ladd

The L2 Design Team proposes using bottle caps to insulate walls in residential and commercial buildings. The product addresses two problems: the need to reduce landfill waste, and the need to conserve energy resources.

BENEFITS
1. Getting bottlecaps out of landfills.
2. Reducing use of fossil fuels and other resources by adding insulation to buildings and by manufacturing an insulating material from the waste stream (rather than from new materials requiring heavy manufacturing processes).
3. Reusing the caps in a way that avoids any further human consumption of hormone disrupters and other harmful chemicals that are in the plastic.

THE PRODUCT
Bottle Cap Insulation (BCI) is a sheet consisting of 3 staggered layers of bottle caps attached to a vapor barrier. It is manufactured in sheets measuring 16" and 24" (the widths between studs in most construction). The vapor barrier is made from recycled plastic. Adhesives are biodegradable, such as Aquabond.

USES
BCI is a substitute for insulation such as cellulose, fiberglass, and expanded polystyrene materials that limit air flow. These materials reduce heat loss, thus decreasing energy use for heating and cooling and increasing comfort by reducing drafts. BCI is best for applications requiring R-values of around R 11 to R 13. (R-values are measures of resistance to heat flow.) These applications include basements, walls, and floors. BCI can be used in conjunction with other insulation materials to achieve higher R-values (19+) for attics.

MANUFACTURE
Terracycle can manufacture BCI directly or, because it is a relatively low-tech process, it may be an excellent project for a small business cooperative to help a local community.