If you’ve been following our blog over the last few months, you’d know that EPS is a sustainable material perfect for cavity wall insulation, external insulation, floor insulation, insulated foundation systems, attic and loft insulation, pipe insulation and so on. In other words, expanded polystyrene (now known as airpop®) is a great insulating material manufactured for both new buildings and retrofit applications. While manufacturing high quality insulation is one of our top priorities, there are a range of applications suitable for expanded polystyrene in which we also specialise.
Let’s take a look at 5 things you may not know about KORE’s expanded polystyrene.
1. KORE EPS is the perfect solution for void formers and piles foundations
KORE’s EPS void formers are used extensively in civil engineering applications. Examples include motorways, overpasses, shopping centres, foundations and even embankments. Expanded polystyrene is used to reduce the volume of concrete in these applications without reducing the overall strength. KORE EPS can be found in civil engineering projects across Ireland, including:
- Luas lines in and around Dublin (Dublin’s light rail tram system)
- The Spire of Dublin
- Floor Insulation for a Tesco in Clare Hall Shopping Centre, Dublin 17
- Void Formers for a Waste Management Facility (Incinerator with Energy Recovery) in Duleek, Co. Meath
- One Service Centre along the M1 Motorway and Two Along the M4
- Floor Insulation and Void Formers for Farrans Construction for Luton Airport in the United Kingdom
- Void Formers for N22 Ballincollig Bypass
- Void Formers for M3 Navan Flyover Bridge
- Void Formers at Dublin Airport installed by Laragan Construction Ltd.
KORE’s expanded polystyrene is also used for deep foundations (piles foundations). These foundations can be found under buildings and structures that have been built on unstable soil or ground that has been saturated with water. EPS void formers can also be found in road bridges and precast concrete beams. The use of expanded polystyrene can significantly reduce the amount of concrete needed while providing a strong foundation and reduced construction costs for both labour and materials.
KORE void formers are also used during road embankment. The use of EPS reduces the pressure on soil without causing settlement, making it perfect for use with landscaping projects, as well.
2. KORE expanded polystyrene can be used for packaging
Just like our insulation, EPS designed for packaging products is made from 98% air. Packaging made from expanded polystyrene is not limited to just one industry. You’ll find electronics, pharmaceuticals, food packaging and packaging for just about every consumer product you can imagine. The best part? EPS packaging is 100% recyclable through a wide network of partners.
EPS is light-weight and versatile, meaning it will protect products without adding any unnecessary weight. It’s also water resistant and can be cut to just about any shape you can imagine. It’s manufactured using no CFCs or HCFCs, which means it won’t cause any damage to the ozone layer or the health of those that handle the product during manufacturing.
EPS makes up less than .1% of all municipal solid waste. As the product is chemically inert and stable, any EPS that does end up in landfills will not pollute the air or water – although we still prefer recycling whenever possible.
3. EPS is used to keep people safe
Expanded polystyrene is a strong material – part of the reason why it’s used for building foundations and void formers. It’s so strong, in fact, that EPS is found in many safety products available on the market today. These safety products include:
- Children’s car seats
- Safety helmets (think bicycles and sporting equipment)
In addition to its strength, KORE’s expanded polystyrene is an incredibly shock resistant material, making it perfect for various safety products and for the protection of valuable and fragile goods during transport.
4. You’ve probably seen it in a film or on television
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, EPS is a versatile product! Not only is is a great for insulation, packaging and safety equipment, EPS is perfect for the creative mind. As it’s lightweight, durable and easy to cut, EPS is perfect for prop (poly sculpting from polystyrene blocks, or poly blocks) and set design for films, television shows, theatre and trade shows. In fact, KORE EPS has been featured on the set of Penny Dreadful – and it looks so real you wouldn’t even know it’s EPS.
KORE’s expanded polystyrene blocks can be cut to any shape or design required, and since it’s white, you can add whatever colour paint you’d like on top. How about that for an inexpensive way to design props with nothing more than 98% air?
5. It can even be used for furniture
If you’ve ever sat in a bean bag chair, it may have been made out of KORE expanded polystyrene beads. Manufacturers are always looking for ways to reduce cost and provide a superior product, and KORE EPS bean bag filler is the ideal solution. In bean bag chairs and furniture KORE EPS is utilised in bead form, ranging any where from 3mm to 5mm per bead. The bead is lightweight, shockproof, resistant to moisture and heat and will hold its original shape for years.
If you have a project that requires expanded polystyrene reach out to us for a free, no obligation quotation today. We don’t just specialise in insulation, we specialise in EPS!
Request a Quote