Summer comfort: ACTIS insulation solutions

Insulate to combat the main causes of thermal discomfort in summer

• The orientation and exposure of the dwelling,
• The walls of the house, when they are directly exposed to solar radiation, such as roofs and walls facing south or west.
• Hot air which takes on moisture (approximately 14 g of water/kg dry air) and generates 1 to 2 liters of water per m².
• The difference in temperature between the air inside the house and the air outside which creates a flow of warm and humid air from the outside to the inside, reversed compared to winter. During heat waves, this inversion of the hygrothermal flow also aggravates the risk of condensation, particularly at the level of the roof.
• The absence of indoor air cooling systems, such as double flow ventilation.

Properly insulating your home reduces heat transmission through the walls, reduces thermal bridges and ensures tightness. The insulation of the roof is therefore essential since it is the part most exposed to solar radiation in summer. It is estimated that it thus receives in solar contribution the equivalent of a thermal flux of more than 1000 Watts/m2 several hours a day, at least 3 months a year. The roof surface can then reach a temperature of 65°C (tiles) to 80°C (slates), depending on the roofing material used. Translated into energy, a roof is thus subject to an energy flow 50 to 100% greater in summer than in winter.

The insulation of the walls is also to be taken into account because it is through them that nearly 25% of heat loss takes place. For the latter, it is necessary to opt for an insulator whose thermal resistance is greater than 3.7 m².K/W. While most insulation today is efficient in winter to protect against the cold, not all of them have the same efficiency in summer to fight against the risk of overheating of the habitat.

While most insulation today is efficient in winter to protect against the cold, not all of them have the same efficiency in summer to fight against the risk of overheating of the habitat.

Summer comfort: the many advantages of active honeycomb reflective insulation

Designed to deal effectively with all modes of heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation, moisture transfer), Actis alveolar reflective insulation is as effective in summer as in winter, whether for thermal insulation. outside (roof) or inside (attic and walls).

During summer periods, they fight against the entry of hot air throughout the home, even in rooms located in the attic where temperatures can quickly rise.

Apart from their high and long-lasting intrinsic thermal performance, they provide perfect air and water vapor tightness, eliminating all risks of condensation. Fitted on both sides with an integrated vapor barrier membrane, they also consist of cells separated by metallised reflective films with low emissions. Summer or winter, the vapor barrier of the insulation is therefore never found on the wrong side, even when the heat flow is reversed.

Depending on the applications, Actis offers, with its HYBRIS and TRISO-TOITURE ranges, an insulation solution for guaranteed summer comfort in all rooms of the home. Each reflective film making up these products reflects 95% of infrared radiation, limiting heat penetration inside buildings as much as possible and thus making it possible to keep housing more comfortable in summer.

HYBRIS, for finished attics and walls

The reflective technology of HYBRIS makes it possible to reflect up to 94% of the heat in the form of thermal radiation, to guarantee great comfort even in hot weather. Thermal studies* indicate up to 2°C of cooling gain in summer (depending on building configurations) compared to insulation without this technology. This performance is obtained by the very low emissivity of the reflective films, which is a specific know-how of ACTIS.

HYBRIS offers, in summer conditions, a gain of 50% in thermal resistance through its solar factor, compared to insulation that does not benefit from its technology (CSTB report no. AFF 21-53). During summer periods, they fight against the entry of hot air throughout the home, even in rooms located in the attic where temperatures can quickly rise.

Installed by crawling in the attic or on a masonry wall, HYBRIS rigid cellular insulation offers high performance (R = 3,75 m2.K/W in 125 mm thickness) using a minimum of interior space. Benefiting from the patented technology of alveolar reflective insulation, it exploits the thermal qualities of the air. Equipped with an integrated vapor barrier, it provides in addition to thermal insulation (certified ACERMI), sound insulation and airtightness of the building.

It is made from healthy components, without irritating fibers, durable and respectful of indoor air quality. Cradle to Cradle certified, it is 100% infinitely recyclable.

TRISO-TOITURE, for exterior roof insulation

Presented in the form of a pack combining Triso-Hybrid', flexible reflective insulation with integrated vapor barrier, and Boost'R Hybrid', breathable reflective insulation with integrated HPV screen, TRISO-TOITURE provides both summer/winter thermal insulation with high thermal performance (R> 6,25 m² K/W), sound insulation and water and air tightness. It is NF EN 16012 certified.