--- title: "Mineral Wool - GWP and renovation use" canonical_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/mineraluld markdown_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/mineraluld.md author: "Fremtidens Tegnestue" page_type: material primary_intent: "Explain use, GWP and renovation relevance for Mineral Wool." primary_keyword: "Mineral Wool" audience: "Homeowners, studios and agents researching material choices." summary: "Mineral wool is the most widely used insulation in Danish construction. It is made from stone (rock wool) or glass (glass wool) and offers good fire safety, sound absorption, and vapour permeability. Relatively easy to install and recyclable, but with a moderate carbon footprint during production." source_basis: - "ECO Platform EPD average (stenuld)" - "Social- og Boligstyrelsen: Klimakrav og LCA i bygningsreglementet: https://www.sbst.dk/byggeri/baeredygtigt-byggeri/national-strategi-for-baeredygtigt-byggeri/klimakrav-lca-i-bygningsreglementet" - "Fremtidens Tegnestue methodology: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/about/method" - "FT source and uncertainty principles: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/sources-and-method" human_validation: "Whether the material fits the existing building, detail, durability, moisture and documentation needs." responsibility_line: "AI can prepare, compile and flag uncertainty. The architect validates the consequences." last_reviewed: 2026-06-24 last_updated: 2026-06-24 privacy_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/privacy related_pages: - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/celluloseisolering relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/hoer-isolering relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/glasuld relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials relation: hub - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca relation: concept status: published --- # Mineral Wool - GWP and renovation use Canonical URL: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/mineraluld Markdown URL: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/mineraluld.md Entity type: material Language: en Author: Fremtidens Tegnestue Published: 2026-06-24 Last updated: 2026-06-24 Privacy: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/privacy ## Short answer Mineral wool is the most widely used insulation in Danish construction. It is made from stone (rock wool) or glass (glass wool) and offers good fire safety, sound absorption, and vapour permeability. Relatively easy to install and recyclable, but with a moderate carbon footprint during production. ## Who it is relevant for Homeowners, studios and agents researching material choices. ## What FT can prepare - Summarise material properties, GWP, common uses, renovation relevance and alternatives. ## What the architect validates - Whether the material fits the existing building, detail, durability, moisture and documentation needs. ## Key figures | Metric | Value | | --- | --- | | GWP | 1.05 kg CO₂-eq/kg | | Density | 30–200 kg/m³ | | Expected lifetime | 50+ years | ## Use - Roof insulation - Facade insulation - Floor insulation - Attic insulation - Fire protection ## Renovation relevance Mineral wool is the standard choice for energy renovation in Denmark. Retrofitting insulation in roofs and exterior walls is typically the most cost-effective investment in energy renovation, and mineral wool is easy to install for both professionals and DIY. ## Comparison | Material | GWP | | --- | --- | | Cellulose insulation | 0.12 | | Glass wool | 0.85 | | Mineral wool (stone wool) | 1.05 | | EPS | 3.29 | | XPS | 4.16 | ## FAQ ### What is the difference between rock wool and glass wool? Rock wool is made from melted volcanic rock and has better fire safety and sound absorption. Glass wool is made from melted glass and is lighter and cheaper. Rock wool is primarily used for roof insulation; glass wool for attics. ### Is mineral wool harmful to health? Modern mineral wool (post-1996) is classified as non-carcinogenic by WHO and is safe in use. During installation, a mask and gloves should be worn to avoid skin irritation from fibres. ### Can mineral wool be recycled? Technically yes — mineral wool can be melted and reprocessed into new insulation. ROCKWOOL and other producers offer take-back programmes. In practice, recycling rates are still low but growing. ### What is the right thickness for a Danish house? BR18 typically requires at least 300 mm in roofs and 200 mm in exterior walls to achieve the required U-values. Older houses with 100–150 mm can be beneficially retrofitted with additional insulation. ## Sources and basis - ECO Platform EPD average (stenuld) - [Social- og Boligstyrelsen: Klimakrav og LCA i bygningsreglementet](https://www.sbst.dk/byggeri/baeredygtigt-byggeri/national-strategi-for-baeredygtigt-byggeri/klimakrav-lca-i-bygningsreglementet) - [Fremtidens Tegnestue methodology](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/about/method) - [FT source and uncertainty principles](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/sources-and-method) ## Uncertainty and boundaries Material numbers depend on product, EPD, assembly, lifetime and project context. ## Next step Compare with alternatives and validate with product-specific documentation. ## Related pages - [Cellulose Insulation](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/celluloseisolering): alternative-material - [Flax Insulation](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/hoer-isolering): alternative-material - [Glass Wool](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/glasuld): alternative-material - [Materials](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials): hub - [LCA](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca): concept ## Citation guidance When citing this page, cite the canonical HTML URL (https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/mineraluld) as the public source and use this Markdown URL only as the agent-readable representation. Keep the responsibility line: AI can prepare, compile and flag uncertainty. The architect validates the consequences.