W/m²K (watts per square metre kelvin)
This unit describes how many watts of heat pass through one square metre of a structure for every 1-degree temperature difference between the inside and outside environments.
Example of a U-Value: A wall panel with a U-Value of 0.15 W/m²K means that 0.15 watts of heat will transfer through each square metre of the wall for every 1°C difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures.
Factors That Affect U-Values
Several factors influence the U-Value of a building element, including:
- Type of insulation material
- Thickness of insulation layers
- Density and thermal conductivity of materials
- Air gaps or cavities within the construction
- Thermal bridges caused by structural elements
- Surface resistances and material finishes
Optimising these factors helps reduce heat loss and improve overall building performance.
Sustainability
EPS insulation can contribute to sustainable building design by significantly reducing Off-cuts from the trimming and cutting process are re-used in the block moulding of Unilin’s EPS insulation which helps to improve the environmental impact of the product.