Operational carbon can be defined as the “carbon impact associated with a building’s day-to-day operations, such as energy usage and water consumption” (Building Transparency). In contrast, embodied carbon is “the estimate of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with stages of a building’s life cycle not including operating the building” (Embodied Carbon Reduction in New Construction).
Houses mainly lose energy through their outer envelope. In the case of a single-family home, an uninsulated external wall without windows can account for between 20 and 30% of the total energy loss (Neopor Residential Brochure). Like all insulation, Neopor® GPS helps buildings achieve reductions in operational carbon by reducing the need to heat and cool the building (Neopor Commercial Brochure).
However, Neopor® GPS specifically is a graphite polystyrene insulation, meaning the graphite reflects radiant heat energy like a mirror, increasing the material's resistance to the flow of heat, or R-value, and providing a functional benefit compared to standard white EPS without graphite. Thus, Neopor® GPS uses up to 30% less material than other rigid foam insulation like standard white EPS and XPS to achieve the same R-value, saving on building materials and installation labor. Neopor® boards are thinner than other rigid foam insulations so the same effect can be achieved with less material, or a higher insulating effect for the same material. (Neopor Residential Brochure)
This improved insulation performance can keep homes warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, delivering energy savings and lowering the utility bills of a building. Thus, the chemistry that enables Neopor® GPS means that low operational carbon was designed as part of the product from the beginning.
Sources: Neopor Commercial Brochure and Neopor Residential Brochure