Environmental Footprint of External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems with Different Insulation Types

In terms of upcoming energy directive for Nearly Zero Energy Houses (nZEB), we are very much focused on building skin and its properties. Not only thermal characteristics and design, but also durability and environmental aspects should play a role, when deciding on which system will be implemented. External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems or ETICS are generally made of adhesive, insulation, render with mesh reinforcement, primer and finish coat. In the following case study we have presented a life cycle assessment (LCA) study of three ETICS with different types of insulation: expanded polystyrene (EPS), mineral wool and wood fiber board insulation. The study complies to the standard EN 15804:2012. It was conducted in the program Gabi using the Gabi Professional 2012 Database. The scope of the study is covering the production phase (raw material supply, transport to the factory, manufacturing). We have compared the functional unit of 1 sqm of the ETICS system with U-value 0.27 W/m2K taking into account different environmental impact categories. In the calculation the characterization factors proposed by Centre of Environmental Science (CML) at Leiden University were used. The comparison of ETICS shows the important impact of the insulation type used. Also there are some differences in the amount of other ETICS components applied, since changing the type of insulation affects the environmental footprint of the ETICS.