Eco-Efficiency Analysis Shows: Insulation Pays Off

Efficient insulation protects the climate and your wallet. This was shown by a recent Eco-Efficiency Analysis comparing a floor and roof insulated single family home in Germany with and without wall insulation over a period of 40 years. The wall insulation was assumed to consist of an external thermal insulation composite system with either one of the two BASF polystyrene high-performance insulation materials, Styropor^® or Neopor^®.

The Eco-Efficiency Analysis meets the requirements of the new guidelines on accounting of and reporting on avoided greenhouse gas emissions, published in November 2013. The guidelines were developed by the chemical sector initiative "Reaching Full Potential" of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in collaboration with the International Council of Chemistry Associations (ICCA). The analysis serves as a case study for the new guidelines with respect to the environmental parameters and in particular to the environmental category greenhouse gases.

Eco-efficiency Labels for Heck Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems

Many homeowners ask themselves: does it pay off to install housing insulation? This eco-efficiency analysis considers five different options for refurbishment of a single-family detached house, built in the 60s in Germany without any insulating system.

For the customer benefit it is assumed that after refurbishment in 2008, the house is used for another 30 years. The analysis compares three different Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems (EIFS) with refurbishment without improvement of insulation. The results show that insulation pays off: costs are amortized after about ten years and there is a clear benefit for the environment.