What is Low Carbon Insulation?

by Lisa Downey | Oct 11, 2022
Forklift transporting KORE Low Carbon Insulation

KORE Insulation launched low carbon EPS insulation on the Irish market in September – and was the first EPS manufacturer in Ireland to do so. This low-carbon alternative offers the same high performance and technical properties of standard KORE EPS material, with a lower carbon footprint and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

What’s the difference in the production of low carbon insulation?

Produced using the Neopor & Styropor Biomass Balance Approach, this method replaces fossil resources as the main source of raw material with renewable feedstock such as plant-based materials and organic waste matter. 

Since renewable and fossil raw materials are mixed in production and cannot be distinguished from each other, the renewable portion is allocated to Styropor® or Neopor® BMB using a mass balance approach. Both the allocation process and the product itself, have been certified by an independent auditor, REDcert2.

The same high-quality production system is in place, with a drastic reduction in the use of fossil fuels, reducing the CO2 equivalent emitted during raw material production by approximately 90% *

*according to BASF calculations. 

Why should I choose KORE’s Low Carbon EPS?

As mentioned previously, our low carbon insulation offers the same high performance and technical characteristics of KORE’s standard EPS. The physical characteristics of the product do not change. Additional benefits of low carbon insulation include:

  • Reduction in CO2 equivalent emitted during production by 90%, and around a 60% reduction during the manufacturing of insulation boards
  • Independent certification by REDcert², providing verification that fossil fuels have been replaced by renewable feedstock
  • It can be used for additional credits in Building Sustainable Assessment schemes like the Home Performance Index, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method).
  • Available in multiple applications – from foundation, floor insulation, external wall insulation and roof insulation. It’s also available for civil engineering applications like void formers, void fillers and geofoam
  • Significantly aids the protection of the planet, with zero compromise on quality

How does KORE’s low carbon insulation translate to real-world performance?

Using KORE’s low carbon insulation product range will save 2.223kg CO2 equivalent for the production of 1kg of EPS versus standard KORE EPS.

What does this look like?

KORE Low Carbon Insulation chart showing CO2 savings

A typical two-story family home of 100m2 using KORE’s Low Carbon EPS (example from BASF is calculated only for external wall insulation) throughout can save 800kg CO2 equivalent, which equates to three years worth of heating in a passive house!

House graphic showing the typical savings using KORE Low Carbon as external wall insulation

According to BASF,  If packaging materials for 1,000 washing machines were made of low carbon EPS, the amount of CO2 reductions would be enough to fuel a car driving 10,000 km, compared to standard EPS.

*all calculations provided by BASF

What low carbon products are currently available?

KORE’s Low Carbon EPS launched with a number of product solutions for a range of applications including:

KORE is a proud member of Circuléire, a national platform for circular manufacturing where products are manufactured to have a long life span with little to zero waste, and upon the end of its life usage, can be recycled and used in another form. KORE’s Low Carbon EPS is proud to be part of the circular economy, committed to protecting the environment and climate. 

Choose the next generation of EPS for your next project, contact us for more information.