11 Oct Insulation in EU
The IAL Consultants has prepared a report on the use of materials for building insulation in the European market; AIPE, the Italian Association of Expanded Polystyrene, has also collaborated, sending data about the Italian market.
The European market has been divided into three areas, Western Europe, Central Europe and Eastern Europe, respectively with 58%, 18% and 24%.
The most used insulation materials are glass and rock wool due to their fireproof characteristics. White and gray EPS is a widely used material, with the prominence of white EPS. Its modest fireproof characteristics penalize EPS in Western Europe, while in Eastern Europe it’s more used because more economical materials are preferred.
The XPS, having a higher cost, is used in all those contexts where it is important to have low permeability and high compression strength. It’s often used in refrigerated transport and environments and in perimeter insulation.
The new insulating materials obtained from renewable sources now constitute 1.4% of the market, but their use is growing due to the greater attention paid to “friendly” products. There are several choices in this range: the most popular is cellulose, due to its ease of application and because it is more suitable for retrofitting.
The European market for Thermal Insulation Products (AIPE Informa source)