A development that could change the insulation material market in the renovation sector: ISOVER (Saint-Gobain) has introduced a new mineral wool blow-in insulation that was specifically developed for energy-efficient renovation of existing buildings. With the products Topdec and Integra, the manufacturer addresses a central challenge in older buildings: the retrofitting of cavities in walls, roofs and floor slabs without extensive structural demolition.
Blow-in insulation materials made from mineral wool differ from classical panel or mat solutions through their processing method: the loose material is inserted into existing cavities using a blow-in machine and compresses into a seamless insulation layer. Compared to conventional insulation materials such as EPS (Styrofoam) or wood fiber insulation, mineral wool offers the advantage of non-flammability according to Euroclass A1 according to DIN EN 13501-1 – a decisive criterion for multi-family houses and public buildings.
For planners and contractors, renovation projects regularly raise the question of cost-effectiveness: blow-in insulation allows the omission of full-area demolition, which reduces costs and construction time. At the same time, the achievable lambda values (λ) and raw density after installation in practice must be observed, as these depend on the compression ratio. ISOVER does not provide detailed thermal characteristics for its new products, but typical blow-in mineral wools achieve λ-values in the range of 0.035 to 0.040 W/(m·K) – comparable to standard insulation boards.
The market context supports the new product line: the energy-efficient renovation of the building stock is central to achieving climate targets by 2045. Around 41 million residential units in Germany require energy-efficient upgrades, with the U-value of the building envelope often only able to be brought to the level required by GEG through retrofitted insulation measures. Blow-in insulation materials are a key technology for achieving compromises between historic preservation, building physics and cost-effectiveness.
With the market launch of Topdec and Integra, ISOVER positions itself against competitors such as ROCKWOOL, which also offer blow-in solutions. What will be decisive is how the new products perform in terms of processing speed, settling behavior and EPD data in the competition. Further information can be found on the ISOVER website and in the detailed product analysis.
