When it comes to unused potential for saving energy, buildings can’t be beat: they are responsible for 28 percent of the world’s energy consumption, a figure that rises to 45 percent when only the West is taken into consideration. In order to lower these figures, the EU tightened its overall efficiency policies: beginning in 2021, all new buildings will need to meet nearly the same standards as zero-energy homes—buildings, in other words, that produce an amount of electricity and/or energy numerically equivalent to the amount they consume.

Efficient thermal insulation plays an important role in achieving that aim. The bar is high: the insulation has to be thin, since the available space is often small, especially in urban centers. To help architects meet this challenge, Evonik has developed an insulation panel for building exteriors that saves a considerable amount of energy. Buildings equipped with the panels, which are made of CALOSTAT^® and PLEXIGLAS^®, require 90 percent less heating than traditional buildings. The Evonik panel is also just 12 centimeters thick, making it substantially thinner than other insulating materials.

And another plus: in addition to its super-insulating properties, CALOSTAT^® is also a Class A building material, which means that it is nonflammable—an unbeatable combination for keeping buildings safe and warm.