Building insulation materials weak and brittle. Before its risks were recognized, it was used because it was a cheap, effective insulator with a high R-value and its open-cell structure was a good acoustic insulator. Though it absorbed moisture easily, it regained effectiveness as an insulator when dried. Asbestos once found common use as an insulation material in homes and buildings because it is fireproof, a good thermal and electrical insulator, and resistant to chemical attack and wear. It has been found that asbestos can cause cancer when in friable form (that is, when likely to release fibers into the air - when broken,
Building insulation materials hour fire rating according to DIN (German) standards. An additional source of insulation derived from hemp is hempcrete, which consists of hemp hurds (shives) mixed with a lime binder. It has little structural strength but can provide racking strength and insulation with comparable or superior R-values depending on the ratio of hemp to binder. Sheep's wool insulation is a very efficient thermal insulator with a higher performance than glass fibre and no reduction in performance even when condensation is present. It is made from the waste wool that the carpet and textile industries reject, it is available in both rolls