Thermal insulation
Buildings can save over 80% of air-conditioning or heating expenses.
About EPS technology
The EPS-panel building system
Polystyrene sandwich panels with welded steel mesh, finished on site with concrete — a proven system used worldwide for buildings from single homes to high-rise towers.
What is EPS?
95% air, 5% plastic — and remarkably rigid
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) has been used for more than 50 years in products from packaging to car bumpers. Although it is made of 95% air and 5% plastic, EPS is rigid, a great shock absorber and an excellent insulator of both heat and sound.
EPS is odourless and non-toxic, a safe and inexpensive alternative to other materials — and, like most plastics, it can be recycled.
The system
Panels, mesh and concrete
The EPS-panel system is composed of panels made of a polystyrene sheet assembled with two electro-welded wire meshes, linked to each other by connectors.
The panels are finished on site by pouring concrete (double panels, floors, stairs) or spraying concrete (single panels) to create the different structural elements.
Installation process
Seven steps from foundation to finish
- 01
Rebar anchors
Anchor bars are inserted before the foundation is poured, or drilled into place once it has set.
- 02
Panel placement
Thanks to their light weight, a single operator can lift and place the panels where required.
- 03
Alignment
Immediately after placement, the linearity and verticality of the walls is checked and ensured.
- 04
Floor panels
Floor panels are placed and propped, additional reinforcement is installed and the concrete is poured.
- 05
Electrical & plumbing
A hot-air gun creates channels in the polystyrene for switch boxes, conduits, cables and pipes.
- 06
Shotcrete
Both sides of single-panel walls are sprayed with 25–40 mm of structural shotcrete, manually or by machine.
- 07
Finishes
The system accepts any finish — and allows non-traditional designs with curves and large overhangs.
Performance tests
Tested in Italy and the USA
Centered and eccentric compression tests on single panels of different thicknesses were performed at the Laboratory of the Polytechnic University of Marche in Ancona, Italy. The maximum compression load reached 70 tons; with a safety factor of 3 that gives 23 tons — an axial capacity equal to the weight of a six-storey building.
Mechanical tests were carried out at the Structural Engineering Testing Hall (SETH), University of California, Irvine, and fire tests at Western Fire Center Inc. in Kelso, Washington, USA.
Advantages
Why build with EPS panels
Rapid installation
Construction time reduced by approximately 50% compared with traditional methods.
Cost effectiveness
Up to 10–15% lower cost than conventional construction, through shorter schedules and less manpower.
Energy efficiency
60% lower carbon emissions than traditional buildings; non-toxic and recyclable.
Earthquake resistance
Lightweight panels have a low seismic mass while remaining rigid.
Cyclone resistance
Able to withstand the most destructive cyclones and storms.
Fire resistance
Built from fire-retardant expanded polystyrene.
Blast resistance
Withstands explosions with horizontal forces of over 29.5 tons per square metre.
Load resistance
Compression tests on finished panels showed loads of up to 1530 kN/m — 156 tons.
Versatility
Walls, floors and stairs can be shaped to any geometry, flat or curved, by cutting on site.
Integration
Compatible with conventional reinforced-concrete and steel structures.
Wide choice of finishes
Any exterior or interior finish can be applied.
Advantages of prefabrication
Cost
Savings at every level of the construction supply chain, together with proper time control.
Time control
Prefabrication relieves site congestion and prevents delays from trades waiting on one another.
Site management
Less labour and material handling on site, with fewer concurrent works.
Quality control
Assembly happens in factory conditions, giving consistent, higher-quality workmanship.
Planning a building project?
Talk to our engineers about delivering housing, schools, health facilities or commercial buildings faster — and greener — with EPS-panel technology.