Sustainable insulation. Efficient cavity wall insulation 

Proeftuin Erasmusveld is unlike anything else. It is a sustainable, climate-proof and ecological new residential area in The Hague. The 136 apartments and 125 single-family houses in De Velden, one of the phases of the extensive new construction project, are insulated with 100 mm Eurowall PIR boards from Recticel Insulation. A conscious choice, according to Sales Engineer Michel Meijs.

Sustainability and climate resilience are central to the homes in De Velden, and of course that includes a "warm coat. "Eurowall is suitable for the thermal insulation of a traditional cavity wall," says Meijs. The PIR insulation board consists of a gas-tight multi-layer structure with a durable PEFC-labeled coating. The board can be mounted against all substrates: brick, sand-lime brick, concrete, aerated concrete or timber frame construction. "Major advantage of the PIR board is its limited thickness compared to other insulation materials. For the required insulation value, we can get by with a PIR board only 100 mm thick here. In glass or rock wool you would soon have to go to 300 mm for the same value."

Continuous insulation shell

Eurowall has been delivered through Verdouw Bouwmaterialen at the Hague location. The PIR sheets are produced at the factory in Wevelgem, Belgium. "We produce Eurowall in one size (1,200 x 600 mm), but in different thicknesses ranging from 30 to as much as 180 mm. The most common thickness is 90 mm and meets BENG requirements (for a traditional cavity wall construction). But for this project, therefore, a better insulation envelope was clearly chosen. Better insulation means less heat loss, requiring fewer renewable sources of energy. A good choice. The tongue and groove connection, standard with our boards, ensures quick and easy installation and, not unimportantly, a continuous insulation shell." For De Velden in The Hague, Recticel Nederland, operating out of Andelst, was able to switch at reasonably short notice. "In May 2023, two full trucks of PIR boards were delivered via Verdouw. That amounts to a total of some 5,000 m2 of Eurowall insulation boards. Indeed, that's quite a lot of square meters. We are therefore proud to have been able to supply this project."

Greatest impact

In addition to the facade, Recticel Insulation also produces high-quality insulation solutions for the roof and floor. "As a company we are very progressive and constantly working on new developments," says Meijs. "For example, in the middle of last year we launched the Impact product line. A bio-circular PIR board consisting of 25% biological raw materials (according to the mass balance principle) that are, nota bene, circular, or a biological raw material that gets a second life: how sustainable do you want it to be! This way we ensure a great impact in the short and long term and contribute with this product to making construction climate neutral. The developments regarding the sustainability of our material are going fast. Keep an eye on Recticel."