The cost per square meter of initial investment of XPS foam is generally higher than EPS foam. However, if calculating the economic efficiency for the entire period of use according to the life of the project from 10-50 years, Remak® XPS brings economic efficiency 3-10 times more than EPS, just as the saying goes. “You get what you pay for!”.
Currently, XPS has become the preeminent choice for cyclical and sustainable construction and architecture projects (ease of transport, simple – quick construction, resource consumption reduction, waste reduction, energy-saving, longevity of the building, etc.) all over the world as well as in Vietnam. At the same time, the green material Remak® XPS foam contributes to creating a healthy and harmonious living space for everyone.
However, there are still many customers who are hesitant about the higher price of XPS foam and using EPS foam for insulation instead of XPS extruded foam sheets. Below, Remak Construction & Interior Joint Stock Company will provide tested and experimental information comparing these two materials in 13 criteria (including extended comparison with PUR and PIR).
In fact, with an overall assessment of durability, performance and cost over the entire lifespan of the project from 10-50 years, Remak® XPS brings economic efficiency 3-10 times more than EPS, just as the saying goes “You get what you pay for”.
| PRODUCT NAME | EXTRUDED POLYSTYRENE REMAK® XPS FOAM | EXPANDABLE POLYSTYRENE EPS FOAM |
| Raw material ingredients & Production process | During the extrusion process, molten Polystyrene plastic molecules are mixed with CO₂ gas and then extruded through a mold to create a foam sheet with high durability, stable size and uniformity. | Polystyrene plastic beads are expanded in the mold by steam at high temperature. They become compounds containing Pentane gas (C₅H₁₂) in the form of closed-circuit honeycomb beads, called EPS foam beads. 1m³ of EPS contains about 10 million particles. Each particle has about 3,000 cells that are closed cells and filled with air. |
|
Blooming aid |
Food grade CO₂ gas (pure CO₂): Non-toxic, environmental friendliness, which creating sustainable characteristics and values for XPS foam. |
Pentane or Carbon Dioxide. |
| Structure |
Closed cell structure. The closed cell density of XPS foam is 100% (absolutely enclosed). As a result, this foam can operate effectively in all weather and climate conditions. The air holes are super interconnected and completely enclosed, making neither air nor cold or heat able to pass through the foam sheet. Remak® XPS is gas-free and does not let air inside. |
Open structure (open cell). EPS is composed of 2% Polystyrene and 98% air. The expansion process causes the plastic particles to expand and bond together unevenly, creating gaps between the foam particles. Therefore, the heat insulation, waterproofing, sound insulation and noise reduction capabilities of EPS are all lower than XPS. When working in an environment with high humidity, water vapor easily penetrates the gaps between foam particles, causing loss of connection, causing the panels to rot and reducing thermal insulation effectiveness. |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient | 0.028-0.037 W/m.K | 0.035-0.042 W/m.K |
| Heat insulation ability |
XPS foam is one of the materials having the best thermal insulation ability with an average thermal conductivity coefficient lower 0.032 W/m.K – much better than EPS foam. Remak® XPS achieves high thermal insulation efficiency: heat resistance and cold insulation are both outstanding. They is guaranteed to maintain its physical properties and a minimum of 90% ‘R’ value for a period of 20 years, even when exposed to moisture or in the event of surface delamination. XPS has high mechanical strength and little deformation. XPS’s thermal insulation capacity is still over 80% compared to the initial stage even after 50 years being applied and used, helping to prolong the life of the entire project. |
The insulation ability of EPS is much worse to XPS. And like PUR and PIR, they are best suited for cold insulation purposes. When used to prevent heat, EPS absorbs and rapidly heats up, transferring heat across the surface area. Consequently, It not only wastes cooling energy, but also costs money for electrical equipment, etc. EPS deteriorate rapidly, especially the low density type. After a few years of use, the foam particles lose their cohesion, and crumbling, affecting the quality of the building, reducing insulation effectiveness and increasing maintenance and repair costs. |
| Moisture absorption ability | The moisture absorption rate is less than 1% of the surface volume. The moisture absorption ability of XPS is only 1/10 of that of EPS or PUR foam. | The moisture absorption ability of EPS is 10 times greater than XPS, so it will rot or decompose over time due to water penetration. |
| Resistance to water vapor diffusion |
XPS’s resistance to water vapor diffusion reaches 80-250. It has higher resistance to water absorption and water vapour permeability than other types of foam. XPS foam insulation has a consistent long-term thermal resistance even in wet conditions and at low temperatures. XPS is prioritized and indicated for use in the harshest environments: icy, wet, conditions, such as highway foundations, frost- susceptible roads, swimming pool foundations, cold storage, and freezing tunnels. … |
EPS is less resistant to water vapor than XPS and it will decompose after a period of contact with water. Both EPS and PUR and PIR easily absorb water, leading to a reduction in longevity and insulation properties. |
| Compressive and flexural strength | XPS has the highest compressive and bending strength compared to all other insulation foams: from 250 to 800kPa. Therefore, Remak® XPS is often used for projects that must bear heavy loads such as foundations, basements, cellars, floors, warehouses, cold storages, airport runways, highways… | Due to its structure of expanded foam particles linked together by plastic glue, the compressive strength and bending strength of EPS foam depends on the density of the foam as well as the adhesion between the foam particles. In general, the durability of EPS foam is the lowest. Styrofoam particles easily lose their bond, leading to breakage and separation, especially in high humidity or severe weather conditions. |
| Fireproof properties | The fireproof product line has fire resistance levels B1, B2. | Able to prevent fire spread (combined with fire retardant additives). |
| Recyclability |
100% recyclable. Easily recycled. Because it is made from Polystyrene plastic, it is completely recyclable and does not harm the environment. At the same time, XPS foams also do not contain CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) that are harmful to the Ozone layer. |
Recyclable. |
| Product Durability and Lifespan | It offers high strength with little compressive deformation. Lifespan up to 50 years. Using XPS foam contributes to improving quality – safety, enhancing the brand for all projects. |
The durability and longevity of EPS foam is much less than that of XPS. EPS is very susceptible to foam particle disintegration, especially the low density type. After a few years of use, they all will rot or decompose. PUR and PIR foams also easily decomposed by environmental impacts, leading to higher repair and maintenance costs. |
| Applications | Only available in sheet/board form, rigid and durable, extruded Remak® XPS is especially suitable as a heat and sound insulation material for all construction projects. Remak® XPS is applied to many items: roofs, ceilings, floors, walls, partitions, swimming pools, basements, cellars, roadbeds, cold storage floors, freezers, refrigerated truck bodies, door cores, air ducts. In addition, they are also used in the agricultural industry: growing hydroponic vegetables, making wine cellars, mushroom farms – dairy farming, etc. | It is mistakenly thought to be an effective heat-insulating and heat-resistant material, but in reality this ability is very poor and it is not suitable for thermal insulation of construction projects. EPS is produced based on the expansion process in the mold, so it is only suitable cores for shaped cold insulation products such as cooler/cold boxes; used as dunnage material to protect machinery, equipment, etc. |
| Price and Economic Efficiency |
The cost per square metre of initial investment in Remak® XPS foam is generally higher than EPS but lower than PUR and PIR. However, Remak® XPS has a lifespan of up to 50 years, helping to reduce project maintenance costs, reduce operating costs, reduce the amount of chemicals used for cleaning, and reduce repair costs . Remak® XPS also has consistent thermal insulation performance that helps reduce cooling energy costs. Therefore, if evaluating the economic efficiency for the entire usage period according to the project’s lifespan of 10-50 years, Remak® XPS brings economic efficiency 3-10 times more than EPS. |
Because EPS foam can be produced very low density from 4-8kg/m³. And in the low density product range, EPS has the cheapest price per square metre. However, because of its poor durability, the performance of EPS foam decreases rapidly over time, leading to reduced insulation ability after only a few years of use. As a result, construction quality reduces, while energy costs and maintenance costs highly increase. Therefore, EPS foam should only be used for insulation for temporary projects with short-term purposes of less than 5 years. Not to mention, the roof using EPS foam is often very easy to attract rats, insects, mold, leak water, etc. |
| OVERVIEW | ||
| CRITERIA | REMAK® XPS FOAM | EPS FOAM |
| Durability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️ |
| Performance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️ |
| Price | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
Remak® XPS/ Remak
