New CEN Standard on VIPs in buildings to boost vacuum insulation industry in Europe

VIPA Intl welcomes the publication of the CEN Standard on Thermal insulation products for buildings – Factory made Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP) – Specification (EN 17140:2020) today. For more than 7 years, VIPA Intl has been advocating for standardisation in Europe and this standard can be a key tool for accelerating market acceptance of VIPs and create a level playing field for the industry.

Sebastian Baars, President of VIPA Intl, said: “As an association, we have been working for a very long time to get to where we are today. Our members have been active in the standardisation process and have worked hard to get this standard approved. We are very pleased to see it finally being published as it will provide a significant benefit for the industry as a whole.”

The new standard will:

The publication of this standard, which was formally approved in July, arrives just in time for the EU’s Renovation Wave, one of the flagship policies of the European Green Deal, which promises to make buildings less wasteful, less expensive and more sustainable, improving the energy efficiency of existing and future building stock.

As an innovative technology with an extremely low thermal conductivity, which results in the thinnest insulation layer possible, VIPs are perfectly suited to this task and can enable “the distinct aesthetics to match style with sustainability” that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for in her recent State of the Union address.

VIPA Intl is also closely following progress on the ISO standard on Thermal insulation products, components and systems (ISO/DIS 16478), which is expected to be put to a vote later this year. This should provide a further boost to the industry and enable the benefits of VIPs to reach bigger markets and accelerate decarbonisation around the world.

Find out more about VIPs in building applications here.