EU tests put thermal insulating materials under the spotlight

Efficient and reliable insulation products are essential for improving the energy performance of Europe’s buildings, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy bills. Laboratory testing of 6 types of insulation materials sampled in 14 countries revealed that one third did not meet their declared performance. 

The results of this EU-funded campaign underline the value of market surveillance and the need for end users to verify performance information before selecting insulation products.

The project was carried out with the participation of market surveillance authorities (MSAs) from 14 countries.

A total of 106 samples from 6 commonly used insulation materials were selected: expanded (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS), mineral wool, cellular glass, wood wool and wood fibre. The samples were purchased in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Sweden, either from physical shops, online or directly from manufacturers.

The tests checked how well the materials slow down heat loss, whether their thickness matched the declared specification and how they react to fire. 

For thermal resistance, 31 of 97 samples tested (32%) did not meet the requirements.

For reaction to fire, 11 of the 81 samples tested (14%) did not meet the declared class.

Markings and documentation were also checked. A total of 68 samples (64%) failed to meet the requirements, mainly due to an incomplete or missing Declaration of Performance (DoP) or CE marking.

Thermal resistance tests assessed whether insulation products deliver the level of heat retention their manufacturers claim. These tests measured the products’ thermal conductivity and thickness, both of which influence how effectively a building stays warm in winter and cool in summer.