Environmental burdens of External Thermal Insulation Systems. Expanded Polystyrene vs. Mineral Wool: Case Study from Poland

Jacek Michalak, Sebastian Czernik, Marta Marcinek and Bartosz Michałowski
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Jacek Michalak: Research and Development Center, Atlas sp. z o.o., 2, Kilinskiego St., 91–421 Lodz, Poland
Sebastian Czernik: Research and Development Center, Atlas sp. z o.o., 2, Kilinskiego St., 91–421 Lodz, Poland
Marta Marcinek: Research and Development Center, Atlas sp. z o.o., 2, Kilinskiego St., 91–421 Lodz, Poland
Bartosz Michałowski: Research and Development Center, Atlas sp. z o.o., 2, Kilinskiego St., 91–421 Lodz, Poland

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: The external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) improves the energy efficiency of buildings, and nowadays, this method is the most popular to insulate buildings in many European Union (EU) countries. The article presents the impact of producing ETICS with expanded polystyrene (EPS) or mineral wool (MW) on the natural environment using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The data used in the calculations, related to 2017 real production, were obtained from the externally verified inventory from five manufacturing plants located in different regions of Poland. The LCA of the examined products covered modules from A1 to A3 (cradle-to-gate), according to EN 15804 standard. The study determines and analyses the values of basic indicators related to environmental impacts and environmental aspects of resource use. It comprises indicators calculated for 1 m 2 ETICS for five thicknesses of the mentioned thermal insulation materials. Results show that for all environmental indicators, MW systems are characterized by a more negative environmental impact than the equivalent systems with EPS. The study aims to highlight knowledge about ETICS sustainability. The data presented in work are essential for assessment in terms of the sustainable development of ETICS. Such an evaluation is not just a need for the future but a necessity for the present.

Keywords: environmental impact; environmental product declaration (EPD); life cycle assessment (LCA); external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS); global warming potential (GWP) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4532-:d:366551

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