The Knauf group’s EPS activity in the construction sector

Knauf Bâtiment has been processing polystyrene for over 30 years in France and has outstanding expertise in this material, particularly via its dedicated Research and Development Centre in Ungersheim (68 – France). With 7 regional EPS processing sites, Knauf supplies its customers closer to their worksites.

 

Its offering is comprehensive, high-performance and economical, and is the gold standard in terms of building envelope insulation solutions, with two expanded polystyrene ranges: Knauf Therm, a white EPS, and Knauf XTherm, a grey EPS with superior insulating properties.

In 2021, Knauf innovates and launches NexTherm®, a new generation of very low carbon EPS from renewable resources.

Offering all the benefits of cutting-edge EPS, such as:

  • outstanding thermal properties with a lambda of 30 to 38 mW/m.K;
  • mechanical strength values capable of withstanding standard operating loads in buildings, ranging from private dwellings to cold stores;
  • a lightweight material for less harsh working conditions on-site and easier use, and also lighter building structures;
  • the Knauf Therm and Knauf XTherm product solutions can be incorporated in the most commonly recommended systems.

As such, whatever the design choice, Knauf offers a tailored and certified EPS solution for building envelope insulation:

  • in flat or inclined terraces,
  • in sloping roofing (with the Quickciel by Knauf brand),
  • in high, intermediate and low flooring,
  • in internal walls,
  • in frontings and bases,
  • in built-in insulation in concrete walls

and as lightweight backfill material for both landscaping features and engineering structures, with the Geofoam TP brand.

Isobox Isolation, the specialiste xpanded polystyrene thermal insulation brand for over 50 years, joined the Knauf group in 2014.
Affiliated with Knauf Industries, it is supported by a national network served by 19 plants in France for its production.
ISOBOX Isolation provides solutions to ensure easier construction, improve comfort and promote energy savings.

Its experience makes it a preferential partner, capable of handling bespoke projects for industrial firms in the construction sector and designing in conjunction with its clients, technical parts or insulation material offering a combination of quality, thermal performance and easy use.
It is particularly involved in the flooring, swimming pool, construction, and underfloor heating sectors.

ISOBOX Isolation also makes use of expert industrial know-how to develop standard expanded polystyrene insulating materials, intended for various applications in both new and renovation projects:

Floor insulation
Thermal insulation of facades
Insulation of lost roof spaces
Waterproofing of flat roofs and buried walls
Public works
Insulating shuttering blocks for swimming pool construction

ISOBOX Isolation is also characterised by its capacity for innovation, through the technological know-how and performance of its research and development departments.

An ID Lab, dedicated to innovation, works in the following areas:

  • Design
  • Prototyping, to come up parts or systems within a short time-frame.
  • Testing to validate the performance of our solutions with tests conducted in-house or by our specialised and certified partner laboratories.
  • Digital simulation (thermal, mechanical, acoustic).
  • Material innovation, with the development of new circular materials, like NEOPS®, a new material, certified from biomass resources (green waste)
  • Eco-innovation and eco-design to provide solutions contributing to the circular economy.

Isobox Isolation has joined the other members of the Knauf group: Knauf Bâtiment and Knauf Industries in the Knauf Circular® process, to make its eco-responsible action a reality and meet its customers’ needs.

Knauf’s commitments

In construction:

Knauf and Isobox Isolation are members of the French Association of Expanded Polystyrene Insulating Materials in the Construction Sector (AFIPEB), a network committed to construction waste recycling.

As early as 2012, fully aware of the challenges in respect of the circular economy, expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulating material manufacturers signed a waste management charter for their products. In 2019, they initiated an additional process to promote recycling, by signing a voluntary commitment with an ambitious goal: to recycle 2500 tonnes of EPS insulating materials in 2025.

To achieve this, the project hinges on two main areas:

  1. Developing the best practices and resources needed to collect and recycle new insulating material waste on worksites. This waste now represents clean, 100% recyclable materials in new EPS insulating materials in processing plants;
  2. Contributing to the European project, Life+ PolyStyreneLoop, by supplying the pilot recycling plant as of 2020 with EPS insulating material deconstruction waste and envisaging the installation of such a facility in France by 2027. EPS waste from deconstruction currently represents small volumes due to the recent use of EPS panels in building installation (1980s).

Our packaging activity

Find out more about Knauf Industries’ activity, the packaging division and technical parts from the Knauf group

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