ETICS is amazing! This is what EUMEPS and its members are very sure about and the message we keep sharing.
ETICS — External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems – was the main topic at recent conferences that took place in Łochów (Poland) and Prague (Czechia). EUMEPS was very happy to be at both conferences and even a premium sponsor of the conference in Prague.
EPS ETICS have been used successfully, without issue, for more than 50 years, as they offer the most sustainable and durable performance, with thermal performance unchanged over the lifetime of the building. EUMEPS members are keen to keep the quality standards in ETICS high and ensure that systems remain safe. That is why we decided to share, during the conferences in Łochów and Prague, the following reports, which had been commissioned by EUMEPS:
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Study on State of the Art of ETICS - Forschungsinstitut für Wärmeschutz e.V. München FIW.
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Scientific Studies on Structural Integrity of ETICS – Ingeniergesellschaft Bauforschung Kessler & Oberhaus GmbH
These reports highlight that current knowledge on ETICS is based almost exclusively on experience and practice, primarily with EPS. They also show that the structural integrity of some non-EPS- systems could be a real concern, particularly with the increasing thickness of insulation, and the change in characteristics by this. It is obvious that insulation products that are relatively new cannot show enough secured data on performance, so there is only a little knowledge on the overall sustainability of the systems.
One of the topics discussed during the recent conferences was the proposed draft standard EN 17237.
The reports referenced here clearly show that in its current form this draft standard is not fit for purpose, as it does not allow proper overall assessment of the structural stability and it provides only an incomplete assessment of several insulation types. The need for more scientific studies and for a validated calculation and analysis model might help to avoid arbitrary (additional) regulations and application rules like extra safety factors. Deep know-how is required for planners and regulators to set the right safety factors, to ensure that all applied systems are as safe as those of EPS.
We were pleased to see the renowned ETICS expert, Eric Las from Noviocon, able to summarise all these complex technical topics during his presentation in the ETICS conference of the Polish Association SSO in Łochów, Poland.