Structural solutions for low-energy and passive houses
SPU insulation boards possess superior characteristics for low-energy and passive energy construction. The thermal insulation capacity of SPU insulation boards is better than that of any other insulation material. For instance, compared with a traditional wool-insulated solution, the same thermal insulation capacity can be achieved using SPU insulation boards at half the structure thickness, and no separate vapour or air barrier layers are necessary.
Low-energy and passive energy structures are not necessarily thicker than normal house structures, which means significant savings in both material and labour costs. If the walls are 200 mm thicker, this generates large additional costs for frame materials, the plinth, the exterior cladding and roof materials. The architecture of a passive house does not suffer from bunker-like appearances of walls and roof, either – slimmer structures leave more opportunities for architectural planning. After all, the appearance of the house is important in energy-efficient construction, too.
Because SPU insulation boards are rigid and their seams are sealed with sealing foam, airtightness is an intrinsic quality of the SPU structure. Using sealing foam, lead-ins can also easily be sealed to be airtight. The airtightness required by low-energy and passive houses (N50 value below 0.6) is extremely difficult to achieve in practice using soft insulation materials and plastic membranes, because air leakages are formed in the connecting seams between the plastic membranes, around lead-ins and in nail and screw holes. By using SPU insulation boards, the airtightness is retained over the years because the structure does not have, for instance, any taped plastic seams.
Using SPU insulation boards, low-energy and passive structures will reliably exclude moisture. Article on the effectiveness of moisture exclusion in SPU low-energy and passive structures (PDF)
SPU insulation boards are high-quality products produced in Finland, and have been safely used as insulation solutions for the most demanding applications, such as freezer warehouses and ice stadiums for over 30 years.