ADEME is right.
That's why R'BULL is prescribed differently.
The ADEME's 2012 opinion on thin reflective products is not an obstacle. It provides a useful framework: thin reflective insulation must be assessed in a precise installation configuration, with controlled air gaps, documented values and clearly indicated limits of use.
The ADEME opinion does not condemn thin reflective insulation. It points out that they must be prescribed with rigour, in controlled configurations.
As ADEME points out and what R'BULL documents
R'BULL is not based on a general promise. Each performance is linked to a precise configuration, a measured value and a clearly identified installation condition.
The right positioning
Thin reflective products can be used to complement insulation, particularly in renovation projects where space is limited.
The R'BULL range is positioned as a thin reflective solution designed to improve a wall, particularly when the available thickness, ceiling height or site configuration make thick insulation difficult to integrate.
The systems approach
The thermal contribution of a thin reflective product depends both on the product itself and the adjacent air spaces in the wall.
We make a clear distinction between the value of the product alone and the value of the system. For R'BULL Pro 13, the core value is R = 0.29 m².K/W. The system value reaches R = 1.60 m².K/W only in the validated configuration with two 20 mm non-ventilated air gaps.
A documented technical framework
The performance of a thin reflective product must be determined within a recognised technical framework, in particular technical opinion or European technical approval.
R'BULL is based on ETA 22/0178 and test reports to EN ISO 22097:2023. The values are presented per installation configuration, without extrapolation outside the documented conditions.
Quality of installation
Performance is highly dependent on installation. Direct contact with a solid material can degrade the expected reflective effect.
Ceilingo provides precise installation configurations, values per complex and limits of use. Where air gaps cannot be guaranteed, only the core value should be used.
Summer comfort and exposed roofs
In certain roof configurations, a thin reflective product can contribute to thermal comfort in summer, in conjunction with other measures on the building envelope.
R'BULL Pro 13 has documented solar factor values. In C3 roof configuration with false ceiling, the solar factor reaches S = 0.018, which meets the thresholds applicable in Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion Island and Mayotte.
Responding with transparency
Reservations about thin reflective insulation are legitimate when a product is presented without a clear technical framework. R'BULL responds with documented values, precise configurations and accepted limits of use.
ADEME says that thin insulation alone is not enough.
Exactly. That's why we're not presenting R'BULL as a universal replacement for thick traditional insulation. We present it as a thin reflective solution to be used in defined configurations, with test-proven values.
Performance depends too much on installation.
Exactly. This is why each R'BULL value is linked to a specific configuration. When air gaps are not guaranteed, we recommend using only the core value of the product.
Why not rely solely on ACERMI ?
ACERMI remains a recognised benchmark for thermal insulation in France. However, ADEME also mentions European technical frameworks. R'BULL is based on ETA 22/0178 and tests to EN ISO 22097:2023, with values presented by installation configuration.
How does R'BULL Pro 13 improve summer comfort ?
R'BULL Pro 13 has documented solar factor values. In C3 roof configuration with false ceiling, the solar factor reaches S = 0.018, which meets the thresholds applicable in Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion Island and Mayotte.