Insulation GWP ranges from strongly negative (bio-based natural fibres) to moderately high (XPS with legacy blowing agents). DPPs make these differences visible at product specification time — not just in marketing materials.
GWP benchmarks
Values expressed as kg CO2e per m2 at 100mm thickness (functional unit) and per kg. Negative values indicate net biogenic carbon uptake exceeds process GWP. Ranges are indicative — actual values depend on product density, binder type, and production energy mix.
Produced from recycled glass cullet and sand. GWP strongly influenced by cullet content and furnace fuel mix. Recyclable at end of life.
Produced from basalt rock at high temperatures. Higher GWP than glass wool per kg but lower thermal conductivity, so thinner layers for equivalent R-value.
Petrochemical-based. Low density, low cost. GWP includes Pentane blowing agent. Post-consumer recycling pathways exist but limited at scale.
Higher GWP than EPS due to blowing agent (HFCs/HFOs historically). Transitioning to lower-GWP blowing agents. High moisture resistance — used in inverted roofs, below grade.
Petrochemical-based rigid foam. High thermal performance (lower lambda than EPS/XPS). Blowing agent selection significantly affects GWP. MDI and polyol feedstock from fossil sources.
Produced from recycled newspaper. Biogenic carbon uptake typically exceeds process GWP, giving net negative GWP. Under EN 15804+A2, biogenic and fossil GWP are reported separately.
Timber-based product with significant biogenic carbon storage. Often net negative GWP A1–A3 when biogenic carbon uptake is included. Growing use in timber-frame and PassivHaus construction.
Natural crop- and animal-based fibres. Variable GWP depending on agricultural processing, binder type, and biogenic carbon treatment. Rapidly growing niche market.
Ranges indicative only. Biogenic GWP reported separately under EN 15804+A2. Negative values include biogenic carbon uptake. Source: published EN 15804+A2 EPD data.
Biogenic carbon
Under EN 15804+A2, biogenic carbon flows are reported separately from fossil GWP. When a plant grows, it absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and stores it as biomass. This uptake is recorded as a negative biogenic GWP in module A1.
For wood fibre or cellulose insulation, the biogenic carbon uptake during forest growth or crop cultivation is significantly larger than the fossil CO2 from processing, drying, and transport. The result is a net negative GWP A1–A3.
Importantly, this is a temporary carbon store — if the product is landfilled at end of life, the biogenic carbon is eventually released (typically over decades to centuries). DPPs should declare module C4 (end-of-life waste processing) biogenic carbon release where material.
Insulation FAQ
Insulation products achieve their function at a specified thickness — a thinner product with lower thermal conductivity (lambda) achieves the same thermal resistance (R-value) as a thicker product. Declaring GWP per kg favours light materials; declaring per m2 at a standard thickness (e.g. 100mm) favours thin materials. EN 15804+A2 requires the declared unit to be stated clearly, and comparisons between products should use the same functional unit. Many EPDs declare both per kg and per m2 at 100mm for flexibility.
Yes, for bio-based insulation products. Under EN 15804+A2, biogenic carbon uptake (CO2 absorbed by the plant during growth) is reported as a negative emission in A1–A3, separate from fossil GWP. For cellulose and wood fibre insulation, the biogenic carbon uptake often exceeds the process GWP (drying, processing, binding), resulting in a net negative total GWP A1–A3. This does not account for what happens at end of life — if the material is landfilled, the biogenic carbon is eventually released.
Insulation products have product-type-specific hENs: EN 13162 (mineral wool), EN 13163 (EPS), EN 13164 (XPS), EN 13165 (PUR/PIR), EN 13166 (phenolic foam), EN 13167 (cellular glass), EN 13168 (wood wool), EN 13169 (perlite), EN 13170 (cork), EN 13171 (wood fibre), and others. The CPR/ESPR DPP delegated act for insulation is estimated Q1 2027, giving mandatory compliance approximately Q3 2028.
Yes. XPS historically used HFC blowing agents (e.g. HFC-134a, HFC-152a) with very high global warming potentials in addition to the embodied GWP of the polystyrene. The industry is transitioning to HFO blowing agents (e.g. HFO-1234ze) with dramatically lower GWP. However, the transition is not complete across all manufacturers, and blowing agent GWP contribution is captured in DPP data. Specifiers and procurement teams should compare DPP values, not assume all XPS is equivalent.
ESPR DPPs will include both environmental performance (GWP, other EN 15804+A2 indicators) and product technical characteristics (declared thermal conductivity lambda, thickness, reaction to fire classification, compressive strength). The integration of environmental and technical data in a single DPP is one of the key advantages over PDF EPDs, which are separate from the product datasheet.
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