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Featuring Neopor in WGN’s tekR Structural Thermal Envelope.

Highlights the many benefits of Neopor® insulation in a new home build, including energy efficiency, savings and comfort.

Neopor News will be regularly updated with carefully curated stories of projects, applications and products incorporating Neopor.

A homeowner puts his building science profession into personal practice

There is no better time to add insulation to the walls of an existing home than when new siding is installed.

Sure, we could simply tell you all the reasons why Logix is an industry-leader, but it’s another thing to get insight

The residential construction industry likes to stick with what it knows when it comes to rigid foam insulation. For BASF’s Justin DeMarco, that’s a mindset that needs to change.

BASF Neopor can contribute to lower both Operational and Embodied Carbon in Construction.

BASF supports sustainable construction as pilot partner for Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool

A quick video explaination of the Brunk district in Ludwigshafen Germany that is the subject of the case study Justin will be presenting.

BASF and USG on a Sustainable Minds Webinar

The project demonstrated both a roof and attic retrofit solution that used nail-base insulated panels for existing homes.

The building industry has long overlooked embodied carbon emissions. Learn more in this article.

BASF supports the U.S. Department of Energy by providing an energy efficient solution to re-side residential homes

An update on the Re-Side Right collaboration between BASF, NJIT and The United Way to introduce the building science that is supporting the project.

Building Transparency provides the open access data and tools necessary to enable broad and swift action across the building industry in addressing embodied carbon's role in climate change.

The future of sustainability starts with Neopor® BMB.

Helping Habitat for humanity reach net zero

Taking a stance on sustainable solutions!

Neopor® Graphite Polystyrene (GPS) Foam Sheathing Insulation is a type of expanded polystyrene (EPS) that incorporates graphite particles. This insulation features a closed-cell structure, where countless tiny air pockets are embedded within a polymer matrix. The graphite particles are integrated into the cell walls, allowing the material to absorb and reflect radiant heat – much like a mirror. This reflective property significantly enhances the insulation’s thermal resistance, resulting in a higher R-value.

Thus, the graphite in GPS provides a functional benefit compared to standard white EPS insulation without graphite, by radiating a higher amount of infrared heat energy back and slowing heat loss through walls.

For example, Neopor® GPS uses up to 30% less material than other conventional rigid foam insulation (like EPS and XPS) to achieve the same R-value, saving on building material cost and installation labor (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.

GPS rigid foam insulation like standard Neopor® and Neopor® BMB provides maximum efficiency, cost-effectiveness and sustainability on construction projects.

1. Stability and Durability: Neopor® graphite polystyrene (GPS) is adaptable in size, thickness, shape and density, providing maximum flexibility and durability. Compared to polymer-based foams like extruded polystyrene (XPS) that use fluorocarbons as an expansion agent and insulating gas, Neopor® uses air. This means Neopor® maintains its R-value performance at its original level and does not deteriorate over time, a phenomenon called “Thermal Drift”.
2. Fire Resistivity: Neopor® has been tested as part of NFPA 285 and NFPA 286 compliant assemblies with a wide range of weather barriers, air barriers, and claddings (NFPA 285 Wall Assemblies, Neopor Commercial Brochure).
3. Moisture Management: Neopor® is a breathable and semi-permeable high-performance insulation that helps reduce the risk of mold, rot and structural damage associated with moisture condensation and long-term water retention. As an assembly component or stand-alone application, it provides an opportunity for moisture to ‘dry out’.
4. Adaptable to all climate zones: Insulating external walls with Neopor® increases the temperature of their inside surfaces which helps create a better indoor climate. Neopor® also powers up when it gets cold outside, meaning it increases in R-value as the temperature outside drops (Neopor KF2000 Brochure).
5. Resource Efficient: Neopor® 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 is achieved with less material.
6. Third-party validated and certified: As demonstrated in the EC3 Tool, bot standard Neopor® and Neopor® BMB have lower carbon footprints than any rigid insulation available in North America, and are GREENGUARD Gold certified for indoor air quality. Neopor® GPS has achieved GREENGUARD Gold Certification by UL Environment for products with low chemical emissions based on UL2818, GREENGUARD Certification Program for Chemical Emissions for Building Materials.

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).

Source: Neopor Residential Brochure and Neopor Commercial Brochure

Other types of foam sheathing, also called rigid foam board or “foam plastic insulating sheathing” (FPIS), include:

• Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) – this includes both standard white EPS, and graphite polystyrene (GPS). - ASTM C578
• Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) - ASTM C578
• Polyisocyanurate (Polyiso) - ASTM C1289

Source: Foam Sheathing Committee (FSC) - American Chemistry Council

Neopor® and Neopor® BMB insulation can be used in commercial, residential, institutional and industrial construction projects, for both retrofit projects and new builds.

Neopor® and Neopor® BMB insulation can be used in the following applications:

• Interior insulation and exterior insulation;
• Above grade wall insulation;
• Roof and attic insulation (flat and pitched roofing insulation)
• Below-grade insulation (basement, underslab and perimeter)

Wall types where Neopor® and Neopor® BMB are used include:

• Continuous insulation
• Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
• Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems (EIFS)
• Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)

Sources: Neopor Commercial Brochure and Neopor Residential Brochure

Foam sheathing like Neopor® and Neopor® BMB can be installed as continuous insulation. Continuous insulation is “insulation that runs continuously over structural members ( thus significantly reducing the effects of thermal bridging) and is free of significant thermal bridging; such as rigid foam insulation above the ceiling deck. It is installed on the interior, exterior, or is integral to any opaque surface of the building envelope” (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy).

Did you know, depending on the type of studs used in framing between 15% - 50% of energy loss can be caused by the effects of Thermal bridging? (Fundamentals of Thermal Bridging)

According to the Foam Sheathing Committee of the American Chemistry Council, continuous insulation is “more effective than cavity insulation because it is not thermally bridged by framing members” (Foam Plastic Applications for Better Building). Recent energy codes, including the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE 90.1-2022, have prescriptive requirements for continuous insulation (ci) in essentially all of the climate zones in the United States (Building Thermal Envelope 101).

Learn more here: Thermal Bridging Prevention | Continuous Insulation with Foam Sheathing

All foams will melt and burn. Stringent testing standards like the NFPA 285 Fire Test look at the entire assembly to fireguard the building. When foam insulations are part of an effective building assembly, they are tested to be complaint with the building fire code. (EPS Industry Alliance)

However, the low mass density (~ 0.7-1 lbs./ft³) that GPS is able to achieve, enables a lower flame spread and smoke develop than higher mass density foams (Neopor Commercial Brochure).

Neopor® and Neopor® BMB are fire and code approved by UL and ICC for ASTM E84, NFPA 286 and NFPA 285 for use in commercial cavity wall with a wide range of cladding approvals (i.e. multiple masonry veneer finishes over steel stud frame) (Neopor Commercial Brochure). BASF Neopor® has passed several NFPA 285 tests resulting in third party approval for a wide range of product thicknesses, densities, and other wall component choices (NFPA 285 Wall Assemblies). The systems are approved for Neopor® GPS over steel stud or concrete base walls with an array of exterior claddings including brick, concrete, CMU, stone veneer, terra cotta and stucco.

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).

All insulation materials take energy to manufacture and transport. 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).

To begin with, the amount of embodied carbon depends to a great extent on the blowing agent in an insulation material. Designers, architects and builders aiming to minimize the global warming impacts of their buildings should choose non-HFC/HFO blended (hydrofluorocarbon) foam insulation. Neopor® Plus GPS is a non-HFC foam insulation and complies with the latest requirements published as part of the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP, 2015) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Neopor Residential Brochure).

Additionally, both standard Neopor® and Neopor® BMB GPS display lower embodied carbon than any other rigid insulation, using 30% less raw material than XPS for the same R-value. This lowers costs, saves resources (building materials and installation labor) and reduces the environmental effects of construction.

Source: Neopor Residential Brochure

According to the US Department of Energy, 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). On the other hand, operational carbon is the “carbon impact associated with a building’s day-to-day operations, such as energy usage and water consumption” (Building Transparency).

For a long time, the construction industry has been focused on operational carbon because energy used for building operations is most visible and measurable. Additionally, understanding of the carbon footprint of the entire supply chain for materials and construction has lagged. However, tools for modeling and comparing embodied carbon impacts have recently become more accessible and standardized, such as EC3 (Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator) and One Click LCA. Now, with growing awareness of climate change, net-zero goals, and the realization that embodied carbon can account for up to 50% of a building’s total emissions (Buildings & Cities), the industry is rapidly evolving. Governments, designers, and manufacturers are increasingly prioritizing low-carbon materials, circular design, and carbon accounting.

Both standard Neopor® and Neopor® BMB GPS display lower embodied carbon than any other rigid foam insulation, using 30% less raw material than XPS for the same R-value (Neopor Residential Brochure).

The EC3 tool is a free web platform that enables people in the building industry to evaluate the carbon emissions associated with the manufacture of building materials. The tool accesses an open-source database of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for thousands of building materials from suppliers across the industry. It allows users to search by material performance, location and carbon intensity. The EC3 tool relies on sophisticated, research-based methodologies to support the analysis and representation of the carbon footprint of common building materials and introduces a digital EPD to make it easy to accurately compare similar materials.

Architects can use the tool to understand how they can specify products to reduce embodied carbon, builders can identify low carbon suppliers, and design teams and owners can set embodied carbon reduction targets with the help of the tool. In short, the EC3 tool makes it easier for those in the building industry to select materials that will lower the carbon footprint of their projects.

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

Yes, at our authorized fabricators and distributors in North America. Contact us to get connected to a fabricator in the area of your project.

See how Laki Technologies with Neopor GPS lowers construction costs, raises efficiency, and increase the long-term maintainability.

The Laki Building System featuring Neopor graphite polystyrene provides an affordable, adaptable, and integrated structure.