I recently read the following article.
It all sounds very dramatic and raises doubts about whether one should use an external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) with Styrofoam insulation.
Fire hazard, mold, hazardous waste. The list of dangers posed by the most commonly used material, polystyrene foam, is long. Property owners warn.
Hamburg. Simon Seider is hanging at a considerable height on a rope. With a saw, he is working on the facade of an apartment building. A woodpecker has pecked a hole almost ten centimeters (4 inches) wide into the thermal insulation. The 25-year-old from the company Ropeworx fills mineral wool into the hole, places a block of Styrofoam in front of it, attaches a brick slip with silicone, and fills the joint mortar. The facade is closed again.
“We receive 300 to 400 orders per year to fill woodpecker holes,” says Ropeworx CEO Torsten Nitzsche. Eight years ago, his company received its first assignment. Initially it was a side business, but now it accounts for a significant part of their revenue. “When there is damage to thermal insulation composite systems, that’s when we come in.” Nitzsche’s company will likely continue to be in demand. After all, thermal insulation is popular.
The environment should be protected and energy saved. This is politically desired. Buildings account for 40 percent of the country’s total energy consumption for heating, hot water, and lighting, and emit nearly 20 percent of total carbon dioxide (CO2). “It is obvious that savings can and must be made here,” says the federal government. Since many houses are poorly insulated, up to 80 percent of energy demand could be saved. “People have the right to have the existing housing stock energetically renovated, and the environment even more so,” says Hartmut Schönell, Executive Director of the Rigid Foam Industry Association.
But is thermal insulation really worthwhile? The Abendblatt spoke with experts. Conclusion: The potential savings are often overestimated. Renovation is expensive and not cost-effective for many owners. And above all: there are significant risks such as fire hazard, mold growth—and in a few years, a disposal problem.
Heinrich Stüven is Chairman of the Hamburg Property Owners Association. He has no objection to the goal of saving energy, but objects to the current methods used for thermal insulation. “We have endless problems here,” says Stüven. About 80 percent of Germans rely on polystyrene, better known as Styrofoam, because it is the cheapest solution. In the future, however, high follow-up costs threaten because the service life is limited and the material must be replaced. “If we put Styrofoam on houses, we will have to dispose of it as hazardous waste in 20 years at the latest,” says Stüven. The reason: “Polystyrene is foamed with flame retardants that are highly toxic.” Volker Halbach, head of the Hamburg Architects’ Association, also warns: “Ultimately, we are insulating with a non-biodegradable material similar to plastic. In 30 to 50 years at the latest, this material will have to be disposed of as hazardous waste.” The situation is paradoxical: “We buy environmentally conscious clothing, organic fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets, and will live in houses wrapped in plastic sheathing.”
In insulated houses, indoor and outdoor air is often almost hermetically sealed. The unpleasant consequence: moisture released during breathing, cooking, and showering remains in the house, leading to mold growth. To prevent this, expensive ventilation systems are increasingly being installed. Danger also arises from small cracks or gaps in the wall—such as woodpecker holes. Water can penetrate and cause mold. While Halbach advocates rethinking and using natural materials like stone wool, Stüven calls for more funding for research to develop new materials: “We simply don’t know what happens behind the facade.”
The Frankfurt fire department experienced this in May 2012. They were called to a small fire at a construction site. Five minutes later, the freshly plastered facade of the high-rise was on fire. The heat was brutal, says Fire Chief Reinhard Ries. Generally, polystyrene can be extinguished with water or foam water mixtures, but firefighters need to reach the source of the fire—which was enclosed. “When the fire is inside the facade, it rises through the Styrofoam panels like a shaft, the panels act as a fire accelerator,” says Ries. Within 300 seconds, 24 apartments burned. Ries: “If the building had been occupied, there probably would have been fatalities.” Although the approval authority classifies the insulation system as fire-retardant, once polystyrene catches fire, “it burns like gasoline.” Fire barriers made of mineral wool are meant to prevent this—but they didn’t help in Frankfurt. Ries: “The flames quickly jumped over them.”
Another problem is the runoff of toxic substances into water bodies. Because the insulated facade quickly becomes the coolest point in the vicinity, it becomes damp at night. Mold and algae can form. To prevent this, the exterior coating is mixed with biocides in paints or plasters. To take effect, these substances must be water-soluble—and thus vulnerable to rain. “The pesticides are washed out within five years,” says Stüven. A study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Water Protection supports this theory. The institute found toxic residues from the facade in streams and rivers in Switzerland. The German Environment Agency then started its own research projects last year. Some biocides have been banned in agriculture for environmental protection for 15 years. One of these chemicals is Terbutryn, which can cause diarrhea, respiratory problems, and central nervous system disorders. In the EU, facade protection agents such as paints and masonry protection products are now being evaluated. This assessment alone had consequences: since the beginning of the year, two-thirds of products containing these active substances are no longer on the market. Either companies waived registration or the substances were banned. Stüven is also annoyed that “the amount of energy required to produce Styrofoam and the energy saved from house insulation has never been investigated.”
The insulation industry rejects these allegations. Wolfgang Setzler, Managing Director of the Association for Thermal Insulation Composite Systems, says: “Today’s systems can be recycled tomorrow and do not have to be disposed of as hazardous waste.” Hartmut Schönell from the Rigid Foam Association emphasizes that properly installed thermal insulation composite systems are fire-resistant, while wooden houses or roof structures are classified as normally combustible. Algae grow on insulated facades no more often than on other facades. Furthermore, he says, “I am not aware of fungicides and pesticides from insulated facades occurring more frequently in groundwater than from facade coatings without thermal insulation—unfortunately.”
Despite the discussions about mold growth, fire hazards, and environmental damage, the federal government declares energetic building refurbishment a “core” part of its energy-saving measures. The CO2 building renovation program is worth 1.5 billion euros annually from 2012 to 2014. Through the state bank KfW, it grants subsidies of 7.5 percent of eligible costs or loans up to 50,000 euros at a 1 percent effective annual interest rate. However, costs are often higher for homeowners, says Eva Reinhold-Postina from the Association of Private Builders: “An unrenovated single-family house with single-glazed windows to be insulated costs at least 70,000 euros.” For multi-family homes, the cost of insulating one square meter with 10 to 12 centimeters (4 to 5 inches) thick Styrofoam panels is 100 to 120 euros. Adding brick slips costs 160 to 180 euros. Insulation with mineral wool costs 120 to 150 euros.
It is a lucrative market. According to the building report of the German Energy Agency, 70 percent of residential buildings in Germany were built before the late 1970s. Simply put, these are considered poorly insulated because the first thermal insulation regulations, which mandated construction measures to reduce energy consumption, only took effect then. In Hamburg, the figure is even higher at 84.4 percent. In 2010, according to the microcensus, there were 757,000 apartments in the Hanseatic city. In the same year, Germans spent 16.2 billion euros on insulating building envelopes. By 2020, revenues in this sector are expected to nearly double, according to a study by management consultancy Roland Berger. The Hamburg Housing Finance Institution supported thermal protection measures for 9,986 rental and 11,640 owner-occupied apartments in the city area over the past three years.
But does this reduce energy costs? “One kilogram of polystyrene on the facade saves more than 200 liters of heating oil over 50 years,” says Schönell from the rigid foam association. But the energy calculation is complicated because it is based on energy demand. Residents’ habits and building location are not considered. “Energy demand is therefore overestimated; actual energy consumption is about half,” says Professor Harald Simons, chairman of the Berlin research institute Empirica. Most houses are not heated around the clock to 19 or 20 degrees Celsius (66 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit) as assumed in the energy demand calculation, but often only specific rooms for a few hours per day. According to the German Tenants’ Association, tenants paid an average of 1.09 euros per square meter for heating and hot water. If energetic renovation reduces costs by 60 percent, savings would amount to 117.72 euros per square meter over 15 years. Simons: “But full renovation costs many times more.” Furthermore, the condition of single and two-family homes built before 1978 in Germany is better than its reputation suggests. His institute found that 81 percent of heating systems are highly or very highly efficient, 96 percent of all windows are at least double-glazed, and 69 percent of houses are insulated up to the roof or the upper floor ceiling. “There is no backlog of renovation,” says Simons. The Association of Private Builders recommends only pursuing energetic renovation when necessary. “It makes sense if something is broken or a major, long-term renovation is planned,” says Eva Reinhold-Postina, spokesperson for the Association of Private Builders. Often the installation of a more efficient heating system, new windows, or roof insulation is enough to reduce energy costs, agree the Association of Private Builders and the Property Owners Association. Stüven gives clear advice to owners: “Stay away from external facade insulation.”
It all sounds very dramatic and raises doubts about whether one should use an external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) with Styrofoam insulation.
Fire hazard, mold, hazardous waste. The list of dangers posed by the most commonly used material, polystyrene foam, is long. Property owners warn.
Hamburg. Simon Seider is hanging at a considerable height on a rope. With a saw, he is working on the facade of an apartment building. A woodpecker has pecked a hole almost ten centimeters (4 inches) wide into the thermal insulation. The 25-year-old from the company Ropeworx fills mineral wool into the hole, places a block of Styrofoam in front of it, attaches a brick slip with silicone, and fills the joint mortar. The facade is closed again.
“We receive 300 to 400 orders per year to fill woodpecker holes,” says Ropeworx CEO Torsten Nitzsche. Eight years ago, his company received its first assignment. Initially it was a side business, but now it accounts for a significant part of their revenue. “When there is damage to thermal insulation composite systems, that’s when we come in.” Nitzsche’s company will likely continue to be in demand. After all, thermal insulation is popular.
The environment should be protected and energy saved. This is politically desired. Buildings account for 40 percent of the country’s total energy consumption for heating, hot water, and lighting, and emit nearly 20 percent of total carbon dioxide (CO2). “It is obvious that savings can and must be made here,” says the federal government. Since many houses are poorly insulated, up to 80 percent of energy demand could be saved. “People have the right to have the existing housing stock energetically renovated, and the environment even more so,” says Hartmut Schönell, Executive Director of the Rigid Foam Industry Association.
But is thermal insulation really worthwhile? The Abendblatt spoke with experts. Conclusion: The potential savings are often overestimated. Renovation is expensive and not cost-effective for many owners. And above all: there are significant risks such as fire hazard, mold growth—and in a few years, a disposal problem.
Heinrich Stüven is Chairman of the Hamburg Property Owners Association. He has no objection to the goal of saving energy, but objects to the current methods used for thermal insulation. “We have endless problems here,” says Stüven. About 80 percent of Germans rely on polystyrene, better known as Styrofoam, because it is the cheapest solution. In the future, however, high follow-up costs threaten because the service life is limited and the material must be replaced. “If we put Styrofoam on houses, we will have to dispose of it as hazardous waste in 20 years at the latest,” says Stüven. The reason: “Polystyrene is foamed with flame retardants that are highly toxic.” Volker Halbach, head of the Hamburg Architects’ Association, also warns: “Ultimately, we are insulating with a non-biodegradable material similar to plastic. In 30 to 50 years at the latest, this material will have to be disposed of as hazardous waste.” The situation is paradoxical: “We buy environmentally conscious clothing, organic fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets, and will live in houses wrapped in plastic sheathing.”
In insulated houses, indoor and outdoor air is often almost hermetically sealed. The unpleasant consequence: moisture released during breathing, cooking, and showering remains in the house, leading to mold growth. To prevent this, expensive ventilation systems are increasingly being installed. Danger also arises from small cracks or gaps in the wall—such as woodpecker holes. Water can penetrate and cause mold. While Halbach advocates rethinking and using natural materials like stone wool, Stüven calls for more funding for research to develop new materials: “We simply don’t know what happens behind the facade.”
The Frankfurt fire department experienced this in May 2012. They were called to a small fire at a construction site. Five minutes later, the freshly plastered facade of the high-rise was on fire. The heat was brutal, says Fire Chief Reinhard Ries. Generally, polystyrene can be extinguished with water or foam water mixtures, but firefighters need to reach the source of the fire—which was enclosed. “When the fire is inside the facade, it rises through the Styrofoam panels like a shaft, the panels act as a fire accelerator,” says Ries. Within 300 seconds, 24 apartments burned. Ries: “If the building had been occupied, there probably would have been fatalities.” Although the approval authority classifies the insulation system as fire-retardant, once polystyrene catches fire, “it burns like gasoline.” Fire barriers made of mineral wool are meant to prevent this—but they didn’t help in Frankfurt. Ries: “The flames quickly jumped over them.”
Another problem is the runoff of toxic substances into water bodies. Because the insulated facade quickly becomes the coolest point in the vicinity, it becomes damp at night. Mold and algae can form. To prevent this, the exterior coating is mixed with biocides in paints or plasters. To take effect, these substances must be water-soluble—and thus vulnerable to rain. “The pesticides are washed out within five years,” says Stüven. A study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Water Protection supports this theory. The institute found toxic residues from the facade in streams and rivers in Switzerland. The German Environment Agency then started its own research projects last year. Some biocides have been banned in agriculture for environmental protection for 15 years. One of these chemicals is Terbutryn, which can cause diarrhea, respiratory problems, and central nervous system disorders. In the EU, facade protection agents such as paints and masonry protection products are now being evaluated. This assessment alone had consequences: since the beginning of the year, two-thirds of products containing these active substances are no longer on the market. Either companies waived registration or the substances were banned. Stüven is also annoyed that “the amount of energy required to produce Styrofoam and the energy saved from house insulation has never been investigated.”
The insulation industry rejects these allegations. Wolfgang Setzler, Managing Director of the Association for Thermal Insulation Composite Systems, says: “Today’s systems can be recycled tomorrow and do not have to be disposed of as hazardous waste.” Hartmut Schönell from the Rigid Foam Association emphasizes that properly installed thermal insulation composite systems are fire-resistant, while wooden houses or roof structures are classified as normally combustible. Algae grow on insulated facades no more often than on other facades. Furthermore, he says, “I am not aware of fungicides and pesticides from insulated facades occurring more frequently in groundwater than from facade coatings without thermal insulation—unfortunately.”
Despite the discussions about mold growth, fire hazards, and environmental damage, the federal government declares energetic building refurbishment a “core” part of its energy-saving measures. The CO2 building renovation program is worth 1.5 billion euros annually from 2012 to 2014. Through the state bank KfW, it grants subsidies of 7.5 percent of eligible costs or loans up to 50,000 euros at a 1 percent effective annual interest rate. However, costs are often higher for homeowners, says Eva Reinhold-Postina from the Association of Private Builders: “An unrenovated single-family house with single-glazed windows to be insulated costs at least 70,000 euros.” For multi-family homes, the cost of insulating one square meter with 10 to 12 centimeters (4 to 5 inches) thick Styrofoam panels is 100 to 120 euros. Adding brick slips costs 160 to 180 euros. Insulation with mineral wool costs 120 to 150 euros.
It is a lucrative market. According to the building report of the German Energy Agency, 70 percent of residential buildings in Germany were built before the late 1970s. Simply put, these are considered poorly insulated because the first thermal insulation regulations, which mandated construction measures to reduce energy consumption, only took effect then. In Hamburg, the figure is even higher at 84.4 percent. In 2010, according to the microcensus, there were 757,000 apartments in the Hanseatic city. In the same year, Germans spent 16.2 billion euros on insulating building envelopes. By 2020, revenues in this sector are expected to nearly double, according to a study by management consultancy Roland Berger. The Hamburg Housing Finance Institution supported thermal protection measures for 9,986 rental and 11,640 owner-occupied apartments in the city area over the past three years.
But does this reduce energy costs? “One kilogram of polystyrene on the facade saves more than 200 liters of heating oil over 50 years,” says Schönell from the rigid foam association. But the energy calculation is complicated because it is based on energy demand. Residents’ habits and building location are not considered. “Energy demand is therefore overestimated; actual energy consumption is about half,” says Professor Harald Simons, chairman of the Berlin research institute Empirica. Most houses are not heated around the clock to 19 or 20 degrees Celsius (66 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit) as assumed in the energy demand calculation, but often only specific rooms for a few hours per day. According to the German Tenants’ Association, tenants paid an average of 1.09 euros per square meter for heating and hot water. If energetic renovation reduces costs by 60 percent, savings would amount to 117.72 euros per square meter over 15 years. Simons: “But full renovation costs many times more.” Furthermore, the condition of single and two-family homes built before 1978 in Germany is better than its reputation suggests. His institute found that 81 percent of heating systems are highly or very highly efficient, 96 percent of all windows are at least double-glazed, and 69 percent of houses are insulated up to the roof or the upper floor ceiling. “There is no backlog of renovation,” says Simons. The Association of Private Builders recommends only pursuing energetic renovation when necessary. “It makes sense if something is broken or a major, long-term renovation is planned,” says Eva Reinhold-Postina, spokesperson for the Association of Private Builders. Often the installation of a more efficient heating system, new windows, or roof insulation is enough to reduce energy costs, agree the Association of Private Builders and the Property Owners Association. Stüven gives clear advice to owners: “Stay away from external facade insulation.”
Good article, with which I can only agree. I insulated my house with mineral wool. Besides the ecological benefits, it also has the significant advantage of being somewhat vapor-permeable. From a fire safety perspective, mineral wool is also a safe choice due to its non-combustible properties.
The wool cost me almost twice as much as expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation in terms of material price, but I was able to offset this through doing the work myself.
In my opinion, it generally makes sense to insulate the windows first, then the roof, and, if there are still funds available, the walls.
The wool cost me almost twice as much as expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation in terms of material price, but I was able to offset this through doing the work myself.
In my opinion, it generally makes sense to insulate the windows first, then the roof, and, if there are still funds available, the walls.
I casually asked a building surveyor (civil engineer) this question, and he said he wouldn’t do that on his own house; he would use mineral wool instead.
When it comes to insulation, you should always think carefully and weigh the costs, benefits, and also the risks. The last part of the article already gives a good indication: facade insulation is often not worthwhile compared to other measures, even for older existing buildings.
When it comes to insulation, you should always think carefully and weigh the costs, benefits, and also the risks. The last part of the article already gives a good indication: facade insulation is often not worthwhile compared to other measures, even for older existing buildings.
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