43 %
Heating energy saving
Versus an uninsulated reference house, measured on identically built houses
Thin-film, spray-applied thermal insulation coating
GWR NANO INSULATION® is a liquid, site-tintable thermal insulation coating. Its thermal performance is delivered by hollow glass-ceramic microspheres uniformly dispersed within a polymer binder. In comparative field testing, energy consumption was 43% lower than in an uninsulated reference house.
Renovation of the building stock is lagging behind what the climate targets require
37%Share of global energy-related CO₂ emissions produced by the built environment (IEA, 2023)
75%Share of EU buildings rated energy-inefficient (European Commission)
< 1%Annual energy renovation rate across the EU building stock
Buildings are responsible for approximately 37% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions (IEA, 2023), covering both operational and embodied carbon. Embodied carbon covers the total CO₂-equivalent released across the manufacture, transport, installation, maintenance and end-of-life disposal of building materials – a category that operational energy efficiency programmes, and most building energy certificates, do not address. As building energy standards tighten and operational carbon falls, the embodied share rises proportionally: for new buildings, half of future CO₂ emissions will come from embodied carbon, half from operations (Dodge World Green Building Trends Report, 2021). The share is highest precisely where operational demand has already been minimised.
The regulatory framework has formalised this relationship. The EU Taxonomy and the green financing programme of the Magyar Nemzeti Bank, Hungary’s central bank, treat Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Global Warming Potential (GWP) calculation as mandatory requirements; Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)-based embodied carbon data is increasingly a condition of project financing. The most pressing embodied carbon challenge lies in the existing stock: roughly 85% of the 2050 European building stock has already been built, and the annual renovation rate remains below 1%. The EU Renovation Wave programme aims to double that rate – but a technological and economic gap persists between policy ambition and deliverable solutions.
GWR NANO INSULATION® is a building insulation solution designed for the energy retrofit and renovation constraints of the existing building stock. Its liquid application, 1 mm dry-film working thickness and typically scaffold-free delivery involve significantly less material input than conventional EPS-based insulation systems. The 43% reduction measured in the Dunabogdány comparative field test directly lowers the building’s operational energy demand – recorded on identically built reference houses, at the same indoor temperature, with calibrated instruments. Against a 10 cm EPS-insulated reference house the same testing recorded a heating saving of 9.5%.
Insulation without structural intervention
- 01
No structural intervention
No structural modification, mechanical anchoring system or additional structural load is required; the 1 mm dry-film coating is applied directly onto the existing substrate, without demolition, surface restoration or long construction downtime on site.
- 02
Short installation time
Applied by airless spray, typically without scaffolding or specialist access equipment on low and medium-height buildings; the complete facade of an average-sized, single-storey family home can be coated within 3 working days by a 3-person crew.
- 03
20-year installer warranty
The contracting applicator gives every client the same 20-year warranty on the work carried out, recorded in the works contract. Its scope does not vary with the size of the project or with the identity of the client – every client is entitled to it on identical terms.
Comparative field measurement under TÜV SÜD external monitoring
9.5 %
Saving versus EPS
Versus a 10 cm EPS-insulated reference house, at the same indoor temperature
20 days
Measurement period
15–26 January and 1–8 February 2021, each house held at 24 °C
Measured mean power input (2021)
| Test house | 15–26 January | 1–8 February |
|---|---|---|
| GWR NANO INSULATION® (1.0–1.1 mm) | 322.1 W | 189.6 W |
| EPS, 10 cm | 356.2 W | 208.9 W |
| Uninsulated | 577.1 W | 333.1 W |
Three identically built test houses at Dunabogdány, each held at an indoor temperature of 24 °C. Temperatures were logged by calibrated Testo Saveris 2 T2 data loggers and a separate weather station, and electricity consumption by MID-certified meters; the table gives the mean power input derived from it. The measurements were taken by the testing and calibration laboratory of MEOLIT Kft. under external monitoring by TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH, report 3229268.
Material and application properties
Adhesion without primer
Bonds to metal, concrete, brick, wood, plastic, glass and plasterboard without a primer coat – broad substrate compatibility across complex building assemblies. Pull-off adhesion to the substrate measures 0.2–0.8 MPa under DIN EN ISO 4624.
Flexibility and durability
The coating flexibly follows substrate thermal and mechanical deformation without cracking – it takes up movement from substrate thermal expansion. Impact resistance is 2 Nm (DIN EN ISO 6272-1), elastic modulus 17 MPa (ISO 527-3).
Continuous layer at junctions
At window and door frame junctions, reveals and structural connections it forms a continuous, joint-free layer – including where board insulation is awkward to fit. At 1 mm the dry film does not restrict the operation of the opening.
Vapour permeability (sd = 0.40 m)
A medium vapour-permeability coating that does not close off the moisture behaviour of the existing wall assembly, classified V2 under EN 1062-1. Water vapour transmission is 40 g/m²/day, an Sd of 0.40 m (ISO 7783, 0.84 mm film).
Weather resistance, cleanability
A surface resistant to UV radiation, precipitation and extreme thermal cycling. At the 720-hour interim assessment of the artificial weathering programme, specified at up to 3,000 hours, no colour change was observed (ISO 11341, ISO 16474-3).
Corrosion protection
In a two-year immersion field study the coated metal surfaces stayed free of corrosion, while uncoated reference surfaces held alongside them corroded severely - immersed throughout, with four brief interruptions.
Antibacterial activity (ISO 22196)
In accredited laboratory testing the surface colony count fell by more than 5.1 log against E. coli; against S. aureus the reduction stayed below 1 log, so the coating does not qualify as an antibacterial surface (ISO 22196, Fraunhofer IPA).
Fire classification (EN 13501-1)
Accredited fire testing verifies limited flame spread and minimal smoke development: D-s2, d0 to MSZ EN 13501-1 (ÉMI O-34/2021), and Class A under ASTM E84. The two classifications are separate systems and do not map onto one another.
On-site tinting
Compatible with acrylic pigment systems – the target colour blends directly into the coating mix. No separate decorative layer required. At 1 mm dry film the coating leaves ornamental elements and profiled surfaces visually unchanged.
Operating principle
GWR NANO INSULATION®’s nanotechnology-based structure reduces conductive, convective and radiative heat transfer simultaneously – through a combined microsphere system and a functional polymer binder. Heat loss measured on real building assemblies is almost never purely conductive: most conventional bulk insulation materials are optimised solely for the thermal conductivity of the solid phase, while a material share of the convective and radiative component remains unaddressed. The coating’s structure – closed-cell, hollow microspheres embedded in a polymer matrix – combines the reduction of all three heat transfer mechanisms within a single, continuous 1 mm layer.
- 01Reduced conduction
Hollow glass-ceramic and gas-filled polymer microspheres jointly reduce the thermal conductivity of the solid phase. The hollow interior interrupts the conduction pathway, since the trapped gas conducts orders of magnitude less than the solid material it displaces from the layer.
- 02Reduced convection
The closed shell structure of the microspheres and polymer binder prevents convective air movement within the coating. There is no interconnected air channel, since the continuous binder matrix individually encapsulates every microsphere without gaps, each cell far too small to sustain convection.
- 03Reduced radiative transfer
The glass-ceramic and high-refractive-index titanium dioxide content reflects and scatters infrared radiation, reducing radiative heat flux. The particles reflect incident radiation via Mie scattering before it can be absorbed and converted to heat within the coating or the wall surface behind it.
Technical data
- Density (liquid state, 20 °C)
- 0.645 g/cm³
- MSZ ISO 2811-1:2011 · ÉMI-TÜV SÜD R-804152
- Viscosity
- 1,225 mPa·s
- DIN EN ISO 2884-2:2003
- Non-volatile content (105 °C, 1 h)
- 47.5% (m/m)
- MSZ EN ISO 3251:2009 · ÉMI-TÜV SÜD R-804152
- Ignition residue (600 °C)
- 20.4% (m/m)
- MSZ EN ISO 14680-2:2006 · ÉMI-TÜV SÜD R-804152
- Nominal dry density
- 0.55 g/cm³
- Efectis FTST24823 test report
- Tensile strength
- 0.135 MPa
- DIN EN ISO 527-3:2018
- Elongation at break
- 7.4%
- DIN EN ISO 527-3:2018
- Modulus of elasticity (Young’s modulus)
- 17 MPa
- DIN EN ISO 527-3:2018
- Adhesion strength (pull-off test)
- 0.2–0.8 MPa
- DIN EN ISO 4624:2016
- Impact resistance
- 2 Nm
- DIN EN ISO 6272-1:2011
- Reaction to fire classification – European system (EN 13501-1)
- D-s2, d0 – up to 1 mm layer thickness and 620 g/m² mass per area
- MSZ EN 13501-1:2019 · MSZ EN ISO 11925-2:2020 · MSZ EN 13823:2020 · MSZ EN 13238:2010 – ÉMI classification report O-34/2021, 12 July 2021
- Flame spread class – North American system (ASTM E84)
- Class A – FSI: 20 · SDI: 10
- ASTM E84-23d – Efectis Era Avrasya FTST24823 (TÜRKAK AB-0556-T, ISO/IEC 17025:2017), 6 August 2024; on type X (fire-resistant) gypsum board, at 1 mm applied thickness
- VOC content measured in the material
- Formaldehyde 1 · trimethylsilanol 5.6 · trichloromethane 2.1 · N-butyl ether 3 · butyl butanoate 2.7 mg/kg(14.4 mg/kg in total – none of the components is hazardous at these quantities, each stays below its hazard classification threshold, and their combined quantity is orders of magnitude below the VOC content permitted in interior wall paints.)
- ÉMI-TÜV SÜD test report R-804152 – with reference to ISO 16000-6:2004, HS-GC-MS; accreditation NAT-1-1351/2015
- Components not detected
- A further 12 VOCs below the limit of quantification(Limit of quantification 0.1 mg/kg – toluene, p- and o-xylene, 2-butoxyethanol, cyclohexanone, acetic acid and others)
- ÉMI-TÜV SÜD test report R-804152
- Antibacterial activity – E. coli
- > 5.1-log reduction
- ISO 22196:2011 · Fraunhofer IPA WI 2404-1514
- Antibacterial activity – S. aureus
- < 1-log reduction
- ISO 22196:2011 · Fraunhofer IPA WI 2404-1514
- Water vapour transmission rate (WVTR), 1 mm layer
- 40 g/m²/day
- DIN EN ISO 7783:2019-02
- Sd – equivalent air layer thickness (0.84 mm film)
- 0.40 m (V2 – medium)
- DIN EN ISO 7783:2019-02 / EN 1062-1:2004 – Dr. Robert Murjahn-Institut (ISO 17025:2018), TÜV SÜD 3229268
- Heating demand reduction – versus an uninsulated reference house
- 43%
- Measurement – testing and calibration laboratory of MEOLIT Kft., January–February 2021
- Heating demand reduction – versus a 10 cm EPS-insulated reference house
- 9.5%
- Measurement – testing and calibration laboratory of MEOLIT Kft., January–February 2021
- Application in the test
- 1.0–1.1 mm, airless spray
- Graco Ultra Max II, 80–120 bar operating pressure, onto existing render
- Service temperature range
- −60 °C – +260 °C
- Agrement Tehnic 001SC-03/403-2023 – INCD URBAN-INCERC, Cluj-Napoca
- Weathering resistance – Xenon arc
- No colour change and no surface defects on any of the three specimens
- ISO 11341:2004 – TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH, Institut für Kunststoffe, 3192550-md-Windt-09042020; 720-hour interim assessment of the 3,000-hour programme, on stainless steel, concrete brick and free film
- Weathering resistance – UV fluorescent lamp + condensation
- No colour change; small surface bubbles appeared on stainless steel and free film, none on concrete brick
- ISO 16474-3:2013 – TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH, Institut für Kunststoffe, 3192550-md-Windt-09042020; 720-hour interim assessment of a programme specified as up to 3,000 hours; the report attributes the bubbles to 50 °C and above 95% relative humidity
- Material property stability (2016–2021)
- No significant difference from the 2016 approval values
- TÜV SÜD report 3229268 – density, thermogravimetry, rotational viscometry and FT-IR (MUC-KSP-A 1037)
- Design life (applied film)
- Minimum 30 years
- Agrement Tehnic 001SC-03/403-2023 – INCD URBAN-INCERC, Cluj-Napoca
PropertyValueReference
Material properties
Mechanical properties
Fire performance
Hygiene, health and the environment
Water vapour properties
Thermal performance – field measurement, TÜV SÜD 3229268
Durability and conditions of use
Tests, registrations and management systems
TÜV SÜD
External monitoring report (3229268) – site acceptance and metering supervision for the comparative field measurement at Dunabogdány.
NATO NSN
NSN 8030-51-000-9542 – the product is listed in the NATO procurement catalogue. A stock number is a registration identifier, not a certificate.
ISO 9001:2015
Quality-management system covering product development, manufacturing and supply chain. Traceable and auditable quality assurance.
ISO 14001:2015
Environmental-management system governing material use, waste handling and emissions control throughout the manufacturing process.
Frequently asked questions
What operating temperature range does it cover?
GWR NANO INSULATION® can be applied across a service temperature range of −60 °C to +260 °C, on industrial pipework, roofs and facades alike. The range is recorded in Agrement Tehnic 001SC-03/403-2023, issued by the Cluj-Napoca branch of INCD URBAN-INCERC.
What dry film thickness is required?
The dried coating is 1 mm thick, with a mass per unit area of up to 620 g/m² – the D-s2, d0 fire classification applies to this thickness. No primer coat or structural modification is required; the coating is applied by airless spray, without mechanical fixings or adhesive mortar.
In which markets is it available?
The product is currently available in 45 countries – across the European Union, the Middle East and Vietnam. Availability rests on a network of contracted distributors and applicators who also carry out the works on site, since the coating calls for airless spray equipment and a crew trained to use it. Procurement is further supported by the NATO Stock Number, which allows the product to be ordered through allied defence logistics channels.
What energy savings have been measured?
In comparative field testing under TÜV SÜD external monitoring (Dunabogdány, January–February 2021), the coated test house used 43% less heating energy than an uninsulated reference house and 9.5% less than a 10 cm EPS-insulated one. The measurements were taken by the testing and calibration laboratory of MEOLIT Kft., on three identically built houses, each held at an indoor temperature of 24 °C throughout.
Can GWR NANO INSULATION® be applied to heritage buildings?
At 1 mm dry film thickness the coating does not alter the building’s visible appearance, ornamental elements or profiled surfaces – which is often an advantage. Conventional board insulation, several centimetres thick, would obscure arched window frames and cornice profiles entirely. Work on a listed building nonetheless requires heritage consent, obtained separately for each project from the heritage authority. A documented reference installation exists on a heritage-protected building in Gödöllő, Hungary, documented with photographs on our References page.
Is regular maintenance required after application?
The manufacturer specifies no regular maintenance. The coating forms a washable surface resistant to UV radiation, precipitation and temperature swings; at the 720-hour interim assessment of the weathering programme, specified at up to 3,000 hours, no colour change was observed. It stays vapour-open – the measured Sd value is 0.40 m, class V2 (medium) to DIN EN ISO 7783 – so the wall goes on drying outwards and no moisture accumulates behind the coating. The surface is best checked as part of the building’s routine facade and roof inspections.
What surfaces can it be applied to?
The coating bonds without a primer to metal, concrete, brick, wood, plastic, glass and plasterboard – this broad substrate compatibility is what makes it viable across complex building assemblies using mixed materials, in new-build, retrofit and heritage projects alike.
What warranty covers the installation?
The contracting applicator gives every client the same 20-year warranty on the work carried out. It applies to every client on identical terms and its scope does not vary with the size of the project; its content is recorded in the works contract, which every client receives.
Where has it been applied at scale?
Among documented large-scale applications, 113,800 m² were applied across Lusail National Stadium and Al-Thumama Stadium for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where the 1 mm coating replaced a 15–30 cm conventional insulation layer. A Vietnam field test recorded 43.02% average cooling energy savings and a peak single-day saving of 53.56%. Reference projects on residential buildings, panel blocks and heritage-protected properties in Hungary are also documented on our References page.
Is scaffolding needed for application?
Typically yes, on low and medium-height buildings. Airless spray technology enables application without scaffolding or specialist access equipment on surfaces that are safely reachable from ground level or by ladder. Taller buildings or hard-to-reach facade sections may require scaffolding or an aerial work platform for safe access. The full exterior facade of a standard, low/medium-height family home can be coated within 3 working days by a trained 3-person applicator crew.
Which tests and registrations support its properties?
The product is covered by a TÜV SÜD external monitoring report (no. 3229268) and holds a NATO Stock Number (8030-51-000-9542), and is certified to ISO 9001:2015 quality management and ISO 14001:2015 environmental management. Its fire classification is D-s2, d0 to the relevant MSZ EN standards, classified in ÉMI report O-34/2021; ASTM E84-23d testing (Efectis FTST24823 report) confirms Class A flame spread (FSI 20, SDI 10). The VOC content of the material is documented in ÉMI-TÜV SÜD test report R-804152, measured with reference to ISO 16000-6:2004; the components detected total 14.4 mg/kg, orders of magnitude below the VOC content permitted in interior wall paints. Full test reports and certification documents are available on request from Summotive.
Is it suitable for energy retrofit projects?
Yes. The coating is engineered for the technological and economic constraints of retrofitting the existing building stock – applied without demolition or long construction downtime, typically without scaffolding on low and medium-height buildings, with a consumption reduction measured in comparative field testing under TÜV SÜD external monitoring. Because it requires no structural alteration, it can be used where conventional insulation systems are technically or economically unviable. The saving actually achieved depends on the building’s construction, orientation and condition, and is worth assessing case by case. Eligibility for any national or EU funding scheme should be verified against that programme’s own rules, in consultation with the contractor before the works begin.