Building Thermal Insulation Material Based on Sheep Wool

Abstract

The number of the research has confirmed that sheep wool is an ideal material for insulation in buildings. In BiH, there are facilities for wool washing and processing. Often times, well developed stations for purchasing wool through repurchasing stations can through extra investment revitalize the system. Production of thermal insulation panels from sheep wool in BiH, with the current infrastructure and qualified work force available, could provide a product which is of good quality and competitive price in view of the demanding EU or US markets. In addition, the production could easily be tailored to fit the existing facilities. Only the last step of the production process of the wool thermal insulation panels is different from the current one and requires specialised machines for panels. The feasibility study identified that investment into the project of production of thermal insulation panels made out of sheep wool would be cost-effective for the investors, since the earning would be sufficient to cover the future expenditures and that such project would be profitable. As was identified and elaborated in the Financial Analysis section, for the purpose of this study it is not necessary to present additional arguments in favour of the economic and financial cost-effectiveness of launching the project by expressing (monetising) significant non-financial social benefits of this project in terms of money. The indicators of Financial Net Present Value (cost-effectiveness of the investment) and Financial Internal Return Rate (FNPV and FIRR) show that net revenues can cover overall investment and obtain the planned profit. Among other things, the study identified several social benefits that would follow the launch of the project of production of sheep wool thermal insulation panels: (1) Sheep wool as building insulation material uses little primary energy and CO 2 for production, installation, usage and recycling; (2) Sheep wool waste can be used as natural fertiliser; (3) Launching production of sheep wool insulation materials would revive infrastructure of sheep breeding, shearing and wool buying. The sheep wool is made out of biodegradable proteins and after being used in building construction the material can be turned into natural fertiliser. Adequate support to sheep farming sector would bring about preservation of the autochthonous sheep breed Pramenka in BiH. It is important to stress that sheep wool can be easily recycled and reused.