Masonry Magazine September 1975 Page. 21
Masonry's "M" Factor
2. Methods and materials for insulation
a. Materials normally used prior to the enforcement of 51b and the U-factor obtained by the use of these materials
b. The materials required to comply with the 51b prescription of U = 0.10.
c. Materials proposed for acceptance under the LAS
3. Cost comparisons between the construction required for 51b and that proposed
4. Comparison of energy consumption for the typical home constructed with the various methods studied
5. Unit cost for available fuels in the area
6. Comparison of monthly operating costs, monthly mortgage payments for typical homes in the area built as described
7. The opinion of the HUD office regarding marketability of homes using proposed insulation methods and amounts.
As stated previously, the HUD regional office can make a decision on the application without the advice and consent of the national office. However, it is likely that the national office will be asked to review the material and pass on their recommendations. In the latter case, the masonry industry committee can work with the national HUD office to speed up the application process and help resolve any problems that may occur.
Masonry's "M" Factor
The Masonry Industry Committee deemed it necessary to have experts in the field of heating, ventilation and air conditioning help in presentations on the benefits of masonry in energy conservation and the firm of Hankins & Anderson, Inc. from Richmond, Virginia was engaged by the Committee for this purpose. Representatives of the firm have appeared with representatives of the Masonry Industry Committee when making position papers to HUD, the Federal Energy Administration, and House and Senate subcommittees responsible for drafting legislation on energy conservation. Further, the firm with Mr. H. C. Yu, acting as project coordinator, has been engaged on a contractual basis to develop a thermal mass or "M" factor concept for masonry wall construction. The purpose of developing this modifier or "M" factor is to create a practical and useful tool for engineers, architects, contractors, manufacturers and others to use in the general application of heat-loss and heat-gain calculations for buildings. This project is regarded to be a short range approach to a long term goal in order that we might realize and have available a useful tool within a three month period. The firm has been directed to provide the "M" factor tool as soon as practical so as to make an early impact on the design of heating and cooling plants for buildings and to introduce the conservation aspect of the "M" factor.
The new method will include retention of the presently used standard heat-loss, heat-gain equation in its traditional simple form with the only addition being the new "M" factor. The equation will then include the beneficial effects of the mass of masonry walls and also disclose the energy losses caused by the lesser mass of a lighter wall. The "M" factor will not be single value but a series of values that
Perlite Filled Cavities Conserve Energy.
Heat transmission can be reduced by 50% or more when silicone treated perlite loose fill insulation is poured into the hollow cores of concrete block or cavity type masonry walls. In fact, cavity walls of face brick and tile show a 63% reduction! But that's not all. Silicone treated perlite loose fill insulation is water repellent-indefinitely.
Specs call for a concrete block wall? Perlite loose fill insulation can help too! By filling the core holes with perlite loose fill insulatlon your fire rating will be doubled to 4 hours and your "U" factor improved by 54%. And you don't have to worry about permanence. Silicone treated perlite is inorganic and rot, vermin and termite proof. And it's non-combustible with its fusion point of 2300°F.
Even a veneer wall of brick and concrete block can show a 52% improvement in insulating value when filled with loose fill perlite. Don't worry about settling -silicone treated perlite supports its own weight in the wall without settling - and it's easy to handle too! Thanks to its countless glass-like cells it's light-weight and easily poured. It's quick-it's inexpensive and it's permanent-the perfect material for insulating masonry walls.
Perlite Institute, Inc.
45 West 45th Street
New York, N.Y. 10036 212-265-2145