Insulation Institute

What Insulation Institute does

Insulation Institute is the consumer- and professional-facing educational brand of the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1975. The institute, launched in 2013 and headquartered in Leland, North Carolina, provides free research, installation guidance, building code resources, and specification tools for fiberglass and mineral wool insulation across residential, commercial, air handling, piping, and industrial applications. Its audience spans homeowners seeking to reduce energy costs, as well as residential builders, architects, HERS raters, commercial specifiers, engineers, mechanical contractors, plant/facility operators, and code officials across all 50 U.S. states. The platform is funded indirectly through NAIMA membership dues from 11 leading North American insulation manufacturers, including Owens Corning, Johns Manville, Knauf, Rockwool International, Certainteed/Saint Gobain, American Rockwool, Armstrong World Industries, Hollingsworth & Vose, Rolan, Thermafiber, and USG.

The institute's core offerings are content and tooling assets rather than manufactured products. The 3E Plus® software (hosted at 3eplus.org) calculates appropriate insulation thickness for specific applications; the Grade 1 Insulation Certification Training program certifies installer quality; the Resource Library aggregates building science guides, code documentation, health and safety materials, and case studies; and state-by-state residential building code pages serve as a compliance reference. The organization operates a content-led, community-focused go-to-market model: a regularly updated blog, contractor/architect email newsletter, YouTube channel, Twitter/X (@knowinsulation), Facebook community, and LinkedIn page drive top-of-funnel awareness, while downloadable guides, the 3E Plus tool, and certification training occupy mid- and bottom-funnel stages. The institute maintains deep working relationships with the U.S. Department of Energy, EPA/ENERGY STAR, RESNET, and the International Code Council, and was instrumental in NAIMA's role shaping EPA MACT emissions standards for fiberglass and mineral wool manufacturing.

The business model is non-commercial: no products or services are sold, no advertising is monetized, and no fees are charged for content or tools. The institute generates no direct revenue and operates as a category-development platform for its manufacturing members, funded through NAIMA membership dues. Strategic intent centers on expanding fiberglass and mineral wool specification across new construction, retrofit, and decarbonization conversations, with a 2025–2026 content cadence that includes affordability guides, carbon-claim fact sheets contesting competing insulation technologies, retrofit and unvented-roof technical guides, and reflective insulation performance disclosures.

Name

Insulation Institute

Legal name

North American Insulation Manufacturers Association

Website

https://insulationinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The consumer- and professional-facing educational brand of NAIMA, providing free research, the 3E Plus® specification tool, Grade 1 installer certification, and 50-state building code resources on fiberglass and mineral wool insulation for homeowners, builders, architects, HERS raters, and contractors across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Insulation Education and Resources

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Drywall, Plastering & Insulation (EDAOAAAE)

Keywords

• Fiberglass insulation education
• Mineral wool insulation
• Building insulation resources
• Energy code compliance
• Insulation installation certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Leland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Trade Association / Membership Supported: Insulation Institute is an informational resource operated by NAIMA, funded by membership dues from insulation manufacturers (American Rockwool, Armstrong, Certainteed, Hollingsworth & Vose, Johns Manville, Knauf, Owens Corning, Rockwool, Rolan, Thermafiber, USG). The institute generates no direct revenue; it serves as a platform to promote the use and proper specification of fiberglass and mineral wool insulation across residential, commercial, and industrial applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Insulation Institute is the educational and informational brand of NAIMA (North American Insulation Manufacturers Association), providing free research, tools, training, and resources on fiberglass and mineral wool insulation for residential, commercial, industrial, air handling, and piping applications. Its substantive offerings include the 3E Plus® insulation thickness calculation software, Grade 1 Insulation Certification Training, NAIMA R-Value Certification, state residential building energy code resources, and a comprehensive digital resource library for homeowners and building professionals.

Product overview

Insulation Institute is an educational and informational resource platform for fiberglass and mineral wool insulation, operated by NAIMA (North American Insulation Manufacturers Association). The organization does not manufacture insulation products but provides resources for homeowners and building professionals. Its core offerings include the 3E Plus® insulation thickness calculation software, Grade 1 Insulation Certification Training, comprehensive Resource Library, state building codes resources, and educational guides covering building science. The platform serves both residential and commercial segments through specialized content paths for homeowners, builders, architects, HERS raters, contractors, and engineers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3E Plus® Free software tool that calculates appropriate insulation thickness for any application, supporting specification decisions for building professionals across residential, commercial, industrial, air handling, and piping uses.
• Grade 1 Insulation Certification Training Training program that certifies insulation installers to Grade 1 installation quality, recognized by builders and contractors seeking quality-assured insulation work.
• NAIMA R-Value Certification Program Certification program for verifying and certifying R-values of fiberglass and mineral wool insulation products to confirm thermal performance compliance.
• State Residential Building Energy Codes Resources State-by-state resource documenting residential building energy codes and insulation requirements across all 50 U.S. states, supporting code compliance for building professionals and code officials.
• Resource Library Comprehensive digital library of free downloadable insulation resources covering building science, installation, code compliance, sustainability, health and safety, and product performance for both homeowners and building professionals.
• Building Science 101 Guide Free educational guide that introduces building science fundamentals — moisture management, heat flow, and air flow — for homeowners and professionals seeking to understand how insulation and the building envelope work together.

Quantifiable outcome

• Proper insulation can reduce heating and cooling bills by up to 15%
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NAIMA (North American Insulation Manufacturers Association)coreOthersInsulation Institute is operated by and serves as the public-facing brand of NAIMA, the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association. NAIMA represents the major fiberglass and mineral wool insulation manufacturers and funds the institute's educational resources, research, tools, and training programs. The institute is the official knowledge platform of NAIMA.
• NAIMA Member CompaniescoreOthers11 major insulation manufacturers are represented as NAIMA members and featured on the Insulation Institute: American Rockwool, Armstrong World Industries, Certainteed (Saint Gobain), Hollingsworth & Vose, Johns Manville, Knauf, Owens Corning, Rockwool, Rolan, Thermafiber (Owens Corning), and USG. These companies fund NAIMA and benefit from the institute's industry education and promotion of fiberglass and mineral wool insulation.
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAIMA and the Insulation Institute work closely with the DOE on energy codes, Zero Energy Ready Home program, building science research, and energy efficiency standards. DOE data and programs (IECC, RESNET, building energy codes) are frequently cited and referenced throughout the institute's resources.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) / ENERGY STARmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsulation Institute promotes and supports the EPA's ENERGY STAR program, including the 'Rule Your Attic' campaign and ENERGY STAR for Homes certification. The institute provides resources helping builders and homeowners meet ENERGY STAR requirements through proper insulation and air sealing.
• Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRESNET administers the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) index — a key metric referenced extensively by the institute. RESNET's HERS-rated home database and annual reports are cited as evidence of market transformation toward energy-efficient homes.
• National Association of Realtors (NAR)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe institute leverages NAR's annual Residential Sustainability Report and builder/realtor surveys to demonstrate market demand for energy-efficient features including above-code insulation. 42% of REALTORS have worked with green-certified properties.
• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNAHB's 'What Home Buyers Really Want Survey' data is cited to show that 72% of buyers rank above-code insulation as a priority. The institute collaborates with NAHB to promote energy-efficient building practices.
• Insulate AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of the 'America's Best Insulation Installer' competition, which the institute covers and promotes as a way to encourage installer excellence and quality installation standards.
• International Code Council (ICC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe institute references and distributes information on the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — the model building code for the United States — providing state-specific IECC compliance resources across all 50 states.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP): National certification body for solar and renewable energy professionals that increasingly extends into building energy efficiency and heat pump installation — comparable as a credentialing and continuing-education organization for the energy efficiency workforce.
• ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA): EPA program setting energy performance benchmarks for homes and products, including insulation requirements for ENERGY STAR certification — directly comparable as a partner/overlapping educator referenced constantly in Insulation Institute content.
• Building America Solution Center (U.S. DOE): U.S. Department of Energy building science resource covering best practices for residential energy efficiency, including insulation — comparable as the public-sector counterpart for technical content and building science education.

Direct peers

• Building Performance Institute (BPI): Certification body for building performance and weatherization professionals, offering credentialing and training for insulation, air sealing, and energy efficiency — comparable as a building-science certification and education organization targeting an overlapping professional audience.
• Insulation Contractors Association of America (ICAA): National trade association for insulation contractors, providing technical resources, training, and advocacy for the contractor community — comparable as a trade body serving insulation installer audiences across material types.
• Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET): Standards body for the HERS Index and rater certification, providing energy-rating education, technical standards, and HERS rater training — directly comparable as the principal certification and education partner referenced throughout Insulation Institute content.
• Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA): Trade association promoting cellulose insulation products through technical resources, training, and energy code advocacy — directly comparable as a competing insulation material trade association operating educational outreach to builders and homeowners.
• Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA): Trade association representing spray polyurethane foam manufacturers, providing professional certification, training, and educational content for the spray foam insulation category — directly comparable as a competing insulation-material trade association focused on installer certification and code advocacy.

Regional players

• NAIMA Canada (Canadian counterpart): Canadian sister association of NAIMA providing insulation education, code advocacy, and manufacturer representation in Canada — directly comparable as the regional parallel body under the same NAIMA umbrella.

Emerging players

• Energy Vanguard: Building science consulting and content platform producing education, training, and webinars on insulation, air sealing, and HVAC for builders and homeowners — comparable as an emerging private content/training competitor in the same educational niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/knowinsulation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NAIMAVideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/insulationinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/insulation-institute

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Insulation Institute