Technical Insights. (Circulars intended for broad distribution)
Insulation Performance Papers. (Detailed technical papers for industry professionals)
Feature Articles. (Recent trade media coverage)
Canadien français
Perspectives techniques
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Technical Insights
“Aging of XPS Insulation in Relation to a 15-Year Thermal Resistance Design Life”
ID: LTTR Tech Brief
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“The Truth about Water Absorption”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-14
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“The Effects of Open Porosity on the Strength and Water Absorption of RCPS Foam Board Insulations”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-13
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“Making Sense of the ASTM C578 Types of Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Insulations”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-12
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“Basics of Thermal Resistance in Specifying Rigid, Cellular”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-11
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“Demystifying Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Insulations”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-10
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“The Key Question: Exterior or Interior Insulation?”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-09
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“Habitable Basement Thermal Control Challenges”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-08
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“Getting Practical about R-Values in the Design of Habitable Basements”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-07
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“R-Values Explained”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-06
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“Avoiding Moisture in Habitable Basement Design”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-05
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“Guide to Specifying XPSA for Protected Membrane Roof Assemblies”
Technical Insights, Protected Membrane Series ID: PMRA-04
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“XPS Is the Proven Choice for Protected Membrane Roof Assemblies”
Technical Insights, Protected Membrane Series ID: PMRA-03
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“The Versatility of Protected Membrane Roof Assemblies”
Technical Insights, Protected Membrane Series ID: PMRA-02
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“Protected Membrane Roofing Assemblies Gain Widespread Acceptance for Sustainability”
Technical Insights, Protected Membrane Series ID: PMRA-01
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“Simple Experiments Demonstrate How Water Moves More Freely through EPS than XPS”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-04
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“Moisture Absorption Mechanisms in Polystyrene Foams Are Keys to Predicting Long-term Performance: XPS and EPS Behave Differently in Moist Below-Grade Applications”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-03
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“Limitations of Short-term Testing of XPS and EPS Polystyrene Foam Insulation: An Overview of Moisture Absorption in Polystyrene Foam Insulations”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-02
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“New Data Confirms Superior Performance of XPS versus EPS in Cold Regions, Below Grade Applications”
Technical Insights, Below Grade Series ID: TI-BG-01
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Perspectives techniques
PT-TMP-01
Les assemblages de toiture à membrane protégée de plus en plus largement acceptés en raison de leur durabilité
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PT-TMP-02
Polyvalence des assemblages de toiture à membrane protégée
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PT-TMP-03
PSX : le choix éprouvé pour les assemblages de toiture à membrane protégée
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PT-TMP-04
Guide de spécification du PSX pour les assemblages de toiture à membrane protégée
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Insulation Performance Papers
Demystifying Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Insulations: Separating Fact from Fiction on Real World Construction Projects
XPS Insulation Performance, Below Grade Series ID: IP-BG-04
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Addendum to Demystifying Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Insulations
“Aging of XPS Insulation in Relation to a 15-Year Thermal Resistance Design Life“
XPS Insulation Performance, Below Grade Series ID: IP-BG-04-Addendum
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The Role of Insulation for Habitable Basements
XPS Insulation Performance, Below Grade Series ID: IP-BG-03
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Extruded Polystyrene in Protected Membrane Roof Assemblies
XPS Insulation Performance, Protected Membrane Roof Assembly Series ID: IP-PMRA-01
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Effects of Moisture Absorption Mechanisms on In-Service Design R-Values of Polystyrene Insulation
XPS Insulation Performance, Below Grade Series ID: IP-BG-02
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Extruded Polystyrene Delivers Higher R-Values than Expanded Polystyrene in Below-Grade Applications, According to New University of Alaska Fairbanks Study
XPS Insulation Performance, Below Grade Series ID: IP-BG-01
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EPS-Reported Long Term Below-Grade Insulation Performance Study is Debunked
The long term below-grade insulation performance study published by the EPS Industry Alliance (EPS-IA) is not well-supported and is inconsistent with previous significant research in this field. Please read more in XPSA’s comprehensive rebuttal to this study.
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Comparison of XPS and EPS Foam Insulation Board Products
Extruded polystyrene foam insulation (XPS) and expanded polystyrene insulation (EPS) are similar, but have many important differences. XPS is the superior product when considering R-Value, moisture resistance, thermal performance, and compressive strength.
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To read more about selecting polystyrene foam in situations where moisture exposure occurs, please read the following article from The Construction Specifier.
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XPS Demonstrates Performance Superior to EPS under Extreme Environmental Cycling Conditions
The moisture absorption data published in the EPS-IA Below-Grade Series 104 Technical Bulletin, February 2014, demonstrates that EPS absorbs more moisture than XPS products in multiple lab procedures. Read more in XPSA’s response about how moisture absorption will directly reduce an insulation’s in-service effective R-value.
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XPS Tech Talk Documents:
Walls:
XPS Sheathing Franklin/APC Life Cycle (pdf)
How-To Design Guide for Installing Foam Sheathing (pdf)
Design Supplement for How-To Design Guide (pdf)
Roof Systems:
Direct to Steel Deck with XPS (pdf)
Sustainable R-Value with XPS Roof Systems (pdf)
Protecting Against Solar Heat Damage in XPS Roof Systems (pdf)
Livres blancs
Le polystyrène extrudé dans les assemblages de toiture à membrane protégée
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Feature Articles
“Considerations for Specifying Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Insulations in Various Applications”
By Rob Brooks, Tiffany Coppock, Matt Dillon, Mike Fischer; Meng Guo, Valentina Woodcraft
IIBEC Interface, February 2024
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Digital Edition
PDF
“Extruded Polystyrene in Protected Membrane Roof Assemblies”
By John Woestman, Director of Codes and Standards, XPSA
The Construction Specifier, February 2022
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Moisture Absorption in Polystyrene Insulation: Effects on In-Service Design R-Values
By John Woestman, Director of Codes and Standards, XPSA
IIBEC Interface, November 2020
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This article originally appeared in the November 2020 issue of IIBEC Interface. IIBEC Interface is the technical journal of the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC). The institute intends that IIBEC Interface educate and inform, establish common ground for discussion, and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and technical knowledge. Visit IIBEC online at iibec.org to learn more.
XPS Delivers High R-Values in Below-grade Applications
By John Woestman, Director of Codes and Standards, XPSA
The Construction Specifier, August 2020
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Articles de fond
John Woestman, Absorption d’humidité dans les isolants de polystyrene, FORMES, Vol. 18, N1.
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