113 Architectural questions - What alternatives are there to conventional ETICS façades with EPS insulation boards?
What alternatives are there to the conventional ETICS façade with EPS insulation boards?
Nowadays, the construction industry mainly uses synthetic and non-sustainable insulation materials for façade insulation. The main reason for this is cost. In addition, synthetic insulation materials, which include products such as PUR, EPS and XPS, are particularly durable and easy to process. There are now a large number of ecological alternatives on the market that are not based on mineral oil and whose production does not consume large amounts of energy. The advantage of these insulation materials is that they do not have to be disposed of as hazardous waste at the end of the building's service life and can be composted or reused, which significantly reduces follow-up costs.
The following list provides an overview of the three groups of insulation materials and their most common representatives:
Synthetic insulation materials
e.g. extruded polystyrene (XPS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyurethane (PUR), polyisocyanurate rigid foam (PIR)
Mineral insulation materials
e.g. rock wool, glass wool, cellular glass, expanded clay, perlite, calcium silicate, aerogel
Organic insulating materials
e.g. hemp, sheep's wool, cellulose, straw, seaweed, cork, flax, wood fibre, wood wool, jute, reed, coconut fibre
As a further alternative to the classic external thermal insulation composite system, a multi-layer structure with intermediate insulation or an insulated brick can also be used. Single-shell lightweight concrete constructions are currently being trialled and could soon come onto the market. These can be produced in a single operation and are therefore cost-effective. Another disadvantage is that the ecological insulation materials do not achieve the same insulation values with the same thickness as synthetic materials and would therefore have an impact on the usable floor space to be achieved. It will therefore probably be some time before the switch to sustainable insulation materials takes place in multi-storey residential buildings. Particularly in view of rising construction and material costs, it is important that every centimetre is used. Lean and cost-effective components and structures play an important role in the efficiency of a building.
