According to the US Department of Energy, embodied carbon is “the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of building materials and products over the entire life cycle of a building, not including the operations or use phase” (Embodied Carbon Reduction in New Construction).
Neopor® Biomass Balance (BMB) is graphite polystyrene (GPS) insulation with a raw material product carbon footprint of zero (cradle to gate) – so it offsets the carbon in the product stage (A1-A3) of the building lifecycle, including the raw materials supply, the transport and the manufacturing of the Neopor® resin beads. It offers the same features as BASF’s standard Neopor®, but with added sustainability benefits.
The raw material of Neopor® BMB has a product carbon footprint of zero, which is the result of replacing up to 100% of the fossil resources required towards its production with renewable raw materials, reducing the need for virgin fossil feedstock. This allows more fossil fuels to stay in the ground, as renewable feedstocks take their place. BASF’s biomass balance approach helps protect the environment by reducing CO2 emissions, while still delivering the proven product quality and performance properties you expect from Neopor®.
Bottom line: Standard Neopor® GPS insulation promotes energy efficiency within the building envelope, helping to reduce operational carbon emissions. Neopor® GPS BMB delivers the same high-performance benefits, while offering a lower embodied carbon solution (a raw material carbon footprint of zero)—optimizing sustainability and maximizing building footprint efficiency. Both standard Neopor® and Neopor® BMB can earn points under the LEED® Energy Performance Process. (Neopor Residential Brochure).