Why choose PIR vs EPS Insulation in Sandwich Panels - ProfHolod

Author: Elva

Jun. 23, 2025

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Why choose PIR vs EPS Insulation in Sandwich Panels - ProfHolod

You can build fast and energy efficient production facilities or warehouses, and even residential buildings with many types insulation, but how do you know which fits your project best?

Wiskind New Materials supply professional and honest service.

This article is about PIR vs EPS.

Both PIR and EPS are rigid insulation materials used as the insulation cores of sandwich panels. It may seem that the two materials share a number of similarities but both have their own characteristics and are actually very different.

Technology

Polyisocyanurate or PIR is a fireproof insulation material, derived from polyurethane. The PIR sandwich panels are manufactured on the continuous lines and the space between the metal sheets is filled with fireproof polyisocyanurate foam. This process makes the insulating layer of sandwich panels homogeneous and improves PIR panels’ strength and thermal properties in comparison with EPS-core panels.

Expanded polystyrene or EPS is a rigid insulation, manufactured by expanding a polystyrene polymer. The polystyrene beads are expanded into foam with steam, then dried, stabilized and formed into EPS blocks. In the production of EPS insulated panels expanded polystyrene is cut in the form of lamellas and glued to the metal facings, which negatively affects the strength and thermal insulation characteristics of the panels.

Thermal Conductivity

The first thing you look at in insulation is its energy efficiency. PIR panels have a thermal conductivity of 0.022 W/mK — lower than any other insulation in the world. The thermal conductivity of EPS is around 0.037 W/mK.

The lower the value, the better it insulates! So under the same weather conditions a building made with sandwich panels with polyisocyanurate foam will save heat and cold by 68% better than a building made with EPS panels. And when you choose PIR sandwich panels you can save on heating or cooling.

Thickness

Due to the low thermal conductivity, a 100 mm thick PIR Premier sandwich panel will save the cold or heat just as well as a 160 mm thick EPS panel. This means that sandwich panels with PIR will save you 60 mm of usable area.

Reaction to Fire

Fire resistance values of wall and roof PIR sandwich panels 100 mm thick are EI30 и RE30. EPS panels have EI 15 and RE15 fire resistance values for any thickness of insulation. This means that in case of fire, PIR sandwich panel will stay intact to maintain its load-bearing capacity and integrity for 30 minutes. Panels with polystyrene will lose these properties after 15 minutes.

Moisture resistance

Both PIR and EPS provide same level of resistance. They are made of closed cells, so they do not absorb water.

Resistance to Rodents

PIR is a solid closed cell material with rigid structure, so rodents do not eat it. EPS is formed of spherical beads that are fused together using steam — it's softer and not as dense as PIR, so rats and mice are tempted to nibble them.

Want more information on PIR Core Panels? Feel free to contact us.

If you have more questions about PIR and EPS, you can consult our engineers. Just send us an – and we will get back to you the same day. We have been on the market since , so we know everything about choosing the right insulation and saving the costs of your project.

PUR/PIR Sandwich Panels Differences - Blog Synthesia Technology

The production of polyurethane rigid foam sandwich panels has become a fundamental tool for high performance building systems.

Although the processability between PIR and PUR panels is similar but with certain differentiating nuances, such as processing temperatures, higher in the case of PIR panels, or the use of adhesives to improve the adhesion between the sheet and the foam, in the case of PIR panels, although more and more PUR panels producers are also using an adhesive in certain panels to guarantee the adhesion between the sheet and the foam, the field of application of PUR/ PIR sandwich panels is very similar, and they can be used for:

External enclosure: facades and roofs.
Compartmentalisation of interior spaces: fire sectors, partitions, food processing rooms, clean rooms, cold rooms, etc...

Advantages of PUR/PIR sandwich panels

The advantages of PUR / PIR sandwich panels is what makes these insulation panels even more attractive for health, safety and environment:

Thermal insulation: It is one of the thermal insulation products with the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient. It guarantees the absence of thermal bridges thanks to the homogeneity of the insulation at all points of the panel. The assembly also minimises thermal bridges thanks to the joints, normally tongue and groove, between panels. Reduced insulation thickness thanks to the low thermal conductivity coefficient of the polyurethane foam.
Optimisation of usable space, since a minimum thickness is required to achieve a maximum thermal insulation level.
Virtually no water absorption due to the closed cell structure of the polymer, which makes them waterproof.
Mechanical properties that give the panels great rigidity and low weight, which facilitates and economises transport, handling, installation and structural sizing. Ease of machining and cutting.
Reaction to fire performance which makes PUR/PIR sandwich panels fire safe.
PUR/PIR sandwich panels are a prefabricated product, sustainable in their manufacture and very light for transport to the construction site. The construction of a building, both residential and industrial, with polyurethane sandwich panels generates very little waste which makes the building process more sustainable. It is recyclable: the metal sheet is melted and the polyurethane is recycled using three techniques; mechanical recycling, chemical recycling or incineration with energy recovery. The insulating capacity of polyurethane sandwich panels helps to reduce energy consumption.

Properties of PUR/PIR sandwich panels

In terms of properties, the main difference between PUR/PIR sandwich panels lies in their composition. The foam obtained with PIR (Polyisocyanurate) systems contains a high degree of aromaticity due to the formation of the polyisocyanurate structure, providing a higher thermal stability compared to urethane (PUR) groups, thus improving its fire resistance.

The PIR foam reacts safely to fire by forming a carbonised surface layer that protects and prevents the penetration of fire into the inner layers. In the composition of PIR panels, as a general rule, there is a lower concentration of flame retardants than in PUR panels, thus generating less smoke during combustion. There are even PIR panels on the market that are free of halogen flame retardants.

Even so, the products must be tested to determine their fire behaviour with the reaction and fire resistance test methods according to current regulations depending on the location.

In terms of thermal properties, PIR remains stable in a higher temperature range than PUR.

Renewable and Recyclable Sourced Product Management

At Synthesia Technology we reaffirm our commitment to sustainability by promoting the circularity of materials and improving the environmental performance of our products, all to reduce our impact on the planet.

Since , Synthesia Technology has been using BIO-based raw materials from renewable resources and recycled PET in the production of polyols, a key raw material used in the manufacture of high-performance core insulation sandwich panels with PIR technology, demonstrating that it is possible to use plastic responsibly, recycling it into a new product that helps to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, to the benefit of all.

For more Insulated Cold Room Doorsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

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