New particle-foam beads to provide thermal insulation to double-wall masonry

12-Nov-08

Particle-foam beads made of Neopor®, BASF's innovative insulating material, have now been approved for retrofitting double-wall masonry with core insulation. As RigiBead® 035, sold by Saint-Gobain Rigips, Germany the expandable polystyrene granules (EPS) demonstrate their superior insulating capacity in comparison to conventional EPS when installed as so-called blow-in thermal insulation to increase energy-efficiency. So, the consumption of heating energy and the CO2 emissions of old buildings are considerably reduced. The expandable polystyrene Neopor is an innovative refinement of the classic insulating material, Styropor®. Insulation made of Neopor is silver-gray because it contains graphite, which considerably enhances the insulating capacity. Particle-foam beads made of Neopor entail several advantages over mineral insulating materials: they have a better thermal-insulation effect (thermal conductance WLG 035), are water-repellant and exhibit a low settling behavior. They are light, weighing around 18 kg/m³ and have a highly uniform particle distribution. This ensures that rainwater cannot be conducted to the interior of the masonry via the insulating layer. This technique also allows the layer of air that exists between the two masonry walls to be completely filled with insulating material. The high insulating capacity, Neopor beads efficiently meet the stipulations of the German Energy Saving Regulations (EnEV) for the renovation of outside walls. Double-wall masonry structures provide adequate protection against rain, even in case of heavy downpours. These structures are one of the traditional construction techniques in numerous regions of Europe. During the process of retrofitting with core insulation, compressed air is employed to blow the loose Neopor beads through a hose into the layer of air between the two masonry walls. The beads settle permanently without creating any hollow spaces. For a single-family home, this simple, clean and economical insulating procedure takes one day.