Realising this, Knauf Insulation Ukraine organised a number of seminars on 23 and 24 January emphasising the professional approach toward the tackling thermal insulation issues. Specialists believe that the professional approach is not possible without the clear realisation of the need for the thermal insulation as such, the physical nature of thermal insulation processes, the knowledge of the diverse existing solutions and the areas of their most efficient application.

These issues were presented by a number of specialists, including Sergey Merzliakov, technical specialist of Knauf Insulation from Russia, and Vadym Tereshchenko, Head of the Sales Department of Knauf Insulation Ukraine.

"The need for the thermal insulation today should be beyond doubts. This is one of the simplest solutions for keeping our houses warm, reducing harmful impact on the environment and saving funds on heating under the circumstances of the growing energy prices. In addition, the utilisation of thermal and acoustic insulation materials makes it possible to reduce the mass of building structures and, accordingly, reduce the cost of construction substantially", Vadym Tereshchenko explains. For instance, Knauf Insulation materials provide an opportunity for the efficient solution of any thermal and acoustic insulation tasks in the field of the civil, commercial or industrial construction. However, the lack of the modern qualified approach toward the application of these materials for construction purposes reduces the expected effect.

To this end, the most important theoretical and practical aspects of the thermal insulation were considered at the seminars; specialists must keep on expanding their knowledge of these aspects in order to avoid the most typical and widespread mistakes while dealing with such materials.
Sergey Merzliakov shared his observations on this issue: "The focus on thermal conductivity features alone is currently the most widespread mistake in selecting a thermal insulation material in both Russia and Ukraine. Instead, a comprehensive approach paying attention to the combination of several mandatory parameters is needed for the selection of the material: they include thermal conductivity, elasticity, sorption humidity, compressive strength, etc."

 In addition, one has to take account of specific features of the application of a construction material as a part of the building structures. "For instance, the thermal insulation effect is the highest in case of the outside application on the structure; it makes it possible to maintain a higher temperature within the wall and to prevent it from the destruction", Sergey Merzliakov states.

According to Vadym Tereshchenko, there are lots of nuances in the application of thermal insulation materials: "Only the profound understanding of the heat transmission principles and the specific features of materials applied in the building structure make it possible to find the most efficient solution for each specific case".

The importance of the information presented at the seminars was confirmed by the sincere interest of their participants and a number of clarifying questions on the contemporary approaches toward the categorisation of thermal insulation materials, the distinguishing features of the glass and basalt-fibre based mineral wool insulation materials, and the specific features of their application in building structures.

While making an overview, it would be appropriate to note the practical value of such seminars not only in terms of the obtainment of the useful practical and theoretical knowledge, but also in terms of the realisation of the need for the thrifty use of energy resources and the prudent attitude to the environment and the provision of the most comfortable microclimate in houses by every specialist.
"The issue of the provision of the timely and comprehensive information to specialists in the field of the thermal insulation becomes even more important. This is the duty of every company manufacturing such products", Vadym Tereshchenko believes.