INNOVIP · Project

Cheaper, Thinner Building Insulation Panels That Cut Heat Loss by 25%

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innovip-h2020.eu

Imagine wrapping your house in a super-thin thermos flask instead of thick foam boards. That's essentially what vacuum insulation panels do — they trap heat far better than regular insulation but have always been expensive and hard to work with. The INNOVIP team figured out how to make these panels 20% cheaper, 25% better at keeping heat in, and for the first time, you can actually cut and mount them on site like normal building materials. They even added bonus features like coatings that clean indoor air and materials that absorb summer heat to keep rooms cool.

By the numbers

25%

Improvement in thermal performance over entire lifetime

20%

Lower price compared to current VIPs

25%

Reduction in embodied energy

EUR 4,982,505

EU contribution to project

Consortium partners across 8 countries

Demonstration prototypes built and tested

The business problem

What needed solving

Building insulation is a painful trade-off: conventional materials are cheap but thick, eating up valuable floor space. Existing vacuum insulation panels are thin and high-performing but too expensive, fragile, and impossible to cut or adapt on site. Nobody has combined thin, high-performance insulation with practical workability and affordable pricing — until now.

The solution

What was built

The project produced large-scale demonstration prototypes of next-generation vacuum insulation panels that are machineable (can be cut on site), 25% more thermally efficient, 20% cheaper, and available with multi-functional cover layers including VOC-removing coatings, anti-mould layers, moisture buffers, and phase change materials for summer cooling. These were validated by three independent testing laboratories.

Audience

Who needs this

Insulation material manufacturers looking to add premium VIP products to their rangeConstruction companies specializing in energy-efficient building renovationPrefabricated wall and facade element producersProperty developers building to near-zero energy standardsHVAC and building envelope consultants advising on high-performance retrofits

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Building renovation & retrofit

SME

Target: Construction companies specializing in energy-efficient renovation of existing buildings

If you are a renovation contractor struggling with thick insulation eating up interior space in older buildings — this project developed vacuum insulation panels that are far thinner than conventional materials while delivering 25% better thermal performance. They can be cut and mounted on site, unlike previous VIPs, and come at a 20% lower price point. This means you can insulate heritage facades and tight interiors where standard foam simply won't fit.

Prefabricated construction

mid-size

Target: Manufacturers of modular or prefabricated building elements

If you are a prefab manufacturer looking to offer premium energy-performance walls without adding bulk — these next-generation VIPs can be integrated into wall panels during factory production. The panels have 25% lower embodied energy than standard VIPs, which helps with lifecycle assessments and green building certifications. With add-on cover layers like moisture buffering or phase change materials for summer cooling, you can differentiate your product line.

Commercial real estate

enterprise

Target: Property developers and facility managers of office or retail buildings

If you are a property developer trying to meet near-zero energy building codes without losing rentable floor area — these ultra-thin insulation panels deliver top performance at minimal thickness. The multi-functional options include photocatalytic coatings that remove VOCs from indoor air and anti-mould layers, reducing maintenance costs. With EU contribution of EUR 4,982,505 behind the R&D, the technology has been validated with large-scale demonstration prototypes.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much cheaper are these panels compared to current vacuum insulation?

The project targeted a price reduction of more than 20% compared to existing VIPs, achieved by using lower-density or alternative core materials and less expensive gas-barrier envelopes. This addresses the main barrier to VIP adoption in mainstream construction.

Can these panels be produced at industrial scale?

The consortium produced large-scale specimens for demonstration purposes and included 7 industry partners (50% of the consortium). As a Horizon 2020 Innovation Action, the project was specifically designed to bring this closer to market, though full commercial production lines would still need setup by a manufacturer.

What is the intellectual property situation — can I license this technology?

IP generated under Horizon 2020 is owned by the consortium partners who created it. With 14 partners across 8 countries including 4 SMEs and major research institutes, licensing discussions would need to go through the coordinator (Forschungsinstitut für Wärmeschutz, Munich). SciTransfer can facilitate introductions.

Does this meet current building energy regulations?

The panels were designed specifically for the building sector to help meet near-zero energy building requirements. With 25% better thermal performance than current VIPs, they exceed what standard insulation materials deliver, supporting compliance with tightening EU energy performance standards.

How long do these panels last — is the performance stable?

A key innovation was improving thermal performance over the entire lifetime by at least 25%. This directly addresses a known weakness of standard VIPs, where vacuum degradation reduces insulation value over time. Long-term validation data would be available from the three participating testing laboratories.

Can the panels be cut and fitted on a construction site?

Yes — making VIPs adjustable, mountable, and machineable was one of the core project goals. Traditional VIPs lose their vacuum seal when cut, making them rigid in application. INNOVIP solved this, which is a significant practical advantage for construction crews.

What extra functions do the panels offer beyond insulation?

Different cover layers can be attached for photocatalytic VOC removal from indoor and outdoor air, anti-mould coating, moisture buffering using aluminium compounds, or summer heat absorption via phase change materials. These functions are selected based on the specific application.

Consortium

Who built it

The INNOVIP consortium is well-balanced for bringing insulation technology to market: 14 partners across 8 countries with a 50% industry ratio (7 industrial partners). The presence of 4 SMEs alongside 5 research organizations and 1 university suggests a deliberate mix of manufacturing capability and scientific depth. The coordinator is a dedicated thermal protection research institute in Munich (Germany), which is a strong signal — Germany leads the European insulation market. Partners span from Western Europe (DE, FR, DK, UK) to Southern (ES, PT) and Eastern (PL) markets, plus Israel, giving broad geographic coverage for different climate zones and building traditions.

FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUER WAERMESCHUTZ EINGETRAGENER VEREIN MUENCHENCoordinator · DE
TECNOLOGIA NAVARRA DE NANOPRODUCTOS SLparticipant · ES
L'UREDERRA, FUNDACION PARA EL DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO Y SOCIALparticipant · ES
OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITYparticipant · UK
VA-Q-TEC AGparticipant · DE
MOSTOSTAL WARSZAWA SAparticipant · PL
LABORATOIRE NATIONAL DE METROLOGIE ET D'ESSAISparticipant · FR
BAYERISCHE FORSCHUNGSALLIANZ BAVARIAN RESEARCH ALLIANCE GMBHparticipant · DE
SOPREMAparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

Forschungsinstitut für Wärmeschutz e.V., Munich, Germany — SciTransfer can help establish contact with the project coordinator and relevant consortium partners.

Order a report on this consortium See FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FUER WAERMESCHUTZ EINGETRAGENER VEREIN MUENCHEN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing, partnership, or integration of INNOVIP panels into your product line? SciTransfer connects businesses with EU research teams — contact us for a tailored introduction.

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