Overview
ISO 8144-1:2026 specifies the properties and tolerances for bonded man-made mineral wool thermal insulating mats (batts and rolls) used in ventilated spaces of buildings, especially where restricted ventilation may occur. This standard ensures that insulation materials used in such applications meet stringent criteria for quality, performance, and dimensional stability. It establishes the requirements that manufacturers must declare at the time of delivery, including guidance for properties testing and marking. The document does not cover facings, load-bearing applications, or mats designed to support applied loads.
Key Topics
- Product Types: The standard applies to mineral wool mats supplied as flat batts, folded, or in roll form.
- Dimensional and Physical Properties:
- Requirements for nominal length, width, thickness, and squareness measured according to referenced ISO methods.
- Strict dimensional tolerances to ensure reliable installation and performance.
- Thermal Performance:
- Thermal resistance (R-value) and thermal conductivity (λ-value) must be declared, based on specific ISO measurement methods and under specified temperatures.
- Limiting values are provided for specification and conformity purposes.
- Fire Behaviour:
- Manufacturers must declare the fire behaviour of the insulation, compliant with local regulations.
- Handling Properties:
- Products must have adequate strength for transport, handling, and installation as tested via defined procedures.
- General Product Quality:
- Mats must be free from coarse materials, not promote mould growth, not emit odours, and must not accelerate corrosion or release dangerous substances during use.
- Marking and Traceability:
- Insulation products must be clearly marked with key identifiers such as manufacturer, designation, dimensions, declared thermal values, and reference to ISO 8144-1:2026.
Applications
ISO 8144-1:2026 is highly relevant for manufacturers, designers, and builders involved in the construction and renovation of buildings requiring robust thermal insulation within ventilated or semi-ventilated cavities, such as:
- Attics, crawl spaces, and ventilated roof spaces where air movement may be restricted.
- Installations where maintaining dimensional stability and appropriate thickness recovery is critical to ensuring both insulation performance and necessary ventilation.
- Building projects subject to local or international compliance requirements for thermal insulation materials.
- Quality assurance programs and factory production control for mineral wool products used in building envelopes.
By adhering to ISO 8144-1:2026, stakeholders ensure they are using and specifying mineral wool insulation products that meet internationally recognized standards for thermal performance, durability, and safety.
Related Standards
For best results, ISO 8144-1:2026 should be applied with awareness of other relevant standards in thermal insulation and testing, including:
- ISO 9774:2004: Guidelines for selecting thermal insulation properties for building applications.
- ISO 7345: Definitions for physical quantities related to thermal performance of buildings.
- ISO 8301 & ISO 8302: Test methods for determining steady-state thermal resistance and related properties.
- ISO 9229: Vocabulary for thermal insulation.
- ISO 12491: Statistical methods for quality control of building materials and components.
- ISO 12576-1: Conformity control systems for factory-made insulation products.
- ISO 29465, ISO 29466, and ISO 29467: Methods for determining the length, width, thickness, and squareness of insulating products.
- ISO 10456: Procedures for determining and converting declared and design hygrothermal values.
Aligning with ISO 8144-1:2026 ensures that mineral wool insulation for ventilated spaces is consistent, high-quality, and suitable for modern building performance requirements.
Open preview (PDF)Thermal insulation — Mineral wool mats for ventilated spaces — Part 1: Specification for applications with restricted ventilation
