BuildBlock News, White Papers & Research

EPS Foam Significantly More Energy Efficient Than XPS

There are many reasons BuildBlock ICFs are the premiere ICFs on the market, our use of EPS foam is one of those reasons.

EPSvXPS_SidebySide_2_tcm45-2113028      EPSvXPS_Stork - Sample Excavation3_tcm45-2113030

As reported by Concrete Construction, “what makes EPS and XPS different is their manufacturing processes. EPS uses steam and the blowing agent pentane to expand polystyrene resin beads and subsequently mold them into blocks, which can later be cut to size. XPS, on the other hand, processes melted polystyrene resin through an extruder and expands it, using blowing agents. There are key differences between EPS and XPS—most importantly, moisture resistance, environmental impact, long-term R-value, compressive strength, panel sizes, and cost per R-value.”

EPSvXPS_water asborpotion comparison chart EPS and XPS - Web4_tcm45-2113032

You can read the full article here.