BASF Expands Production of Energy-Efficient Building MaterialBASF Expands Production of Energy-Efficient Building Material

BASF is strengthening its styrene value chain at its Ludwigshafen, Germany, site by expanding the production capacity of Neopor by 50,000 metric tons per year. This increase is aimed at meeting the growing market demand for the grey insulation material. The start-up of the new production facilities is scheduled for early 2027.

Neopor is a graphite-containing, expandable polystyrene (EPS) granulate developed by BASF, primarily used as a raw material for the production of energy-efficient insulation materials for building envelopes. The graphite contained gives the material its grey color and enhances the insulation performance of the boards by up to 30% compared to white EPS. Insulation materials made from Neopor have set new standards in both new construction and renovation.

“Under BASF's sustainability evaluation method, TripleS (Sustainable Solution Steering), which BASF uses to evaluate all its products, Neopor is classified as a ‘Pioneer’ in the highest category and is part of BASF's ‘Sustainable-Future Solutions’,” said Stephan Kothrade, member of the Board of Executive Directors and chief technology officer of BASF SE.

BASF anticipates a significantly increasing demand for materials for energy-efficient building renovations in the coming years. The European Union aims to make the European building sector climate-neutral by 2050. To achieve this ambitious goal, implementing the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in all EU member states imposes high requirements for improving the energy efficiency of buildings.

BASF also offers Neopor BMB and Neopor Mcycled, two further optimized sustainability profiles. Neopor BMB has a significantly reduced CO2 footprint compared to classic Neopor. In its production at the beginning of the value chain, fossil raw materials are replaced with a corresponding amount of renewable raw materials. The allocation of the share of renewable raw materials to the product according to a mass balance approach is independently certified by REDcert.

In the production of Neopor F 5 Mcycled, mechanically recycled EPS waste is partially used as a raw material, thereby closing the recycling loop for EPS.