Thursday, May 7, 2026
| 11:30–12:00 | guest arrival + welcome coffee and refreshments |
| 12:00–12:05 | opening |
Jacek Michalak, Ph.D, Eng. Polish Association for ETICS (SSO) |
|
| 12:05–12:30 | Leverage to Better Homes and Energy Security: ETICS as Key Transformers in Europe |
Ralf Pasker, M.A. European Association for ETICS (EAE) |
|
| 12:30–12:55 | The Coming ETICS Waste Wave: Converging evidence from top-down allocation and bottom-up building-stock modeling |
Rafael Bischof, M.Sc., Eng. Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) In Germany, the widespread use of EPS-based ETICS since the 1970s is now creating a delayed end-of-life challenge, as facade deconstruction often generates mixed and contaminated waste streams, while current treatment in waste incineration plants remains largely linear, capacity-constrained, and poorly aligned with circular-economy goals. This presentation showcases two published studies that predict the upcoming ETICS waste wave in Germany and identify its timing and spatial distribution through two independent modeling perspectives: a top-down allocation model and a bottom-up building-stock model. The top-down approach allocates ETICS installation data across building types, construction age classes, and NUTS-3 regions, while the bottom-up approach reconstructs ETICS quantities directly from the German building stock, independent of industry data and with improved granularity. Taken together, both approaches point to the same core result for Germany: annual EPS waste from ETICS will rise sharply in the coming years and is expected to increase roughly fourfold by around 2050. They also show that this wave can be forecast with temporal and spatial precision, making visible when and where future waste pressures will emerge, including pronounced regional concentrations at the NUTS-3 level, thereby enabling more targeted waste-management planning. The core challenge now is to prepare and implement suitable circular end-of-life solutions in time; from dismantling and sorting to recycling capacity and alternative recovery pathways. |
|
| 12.55 - 13.20 | Specific Properties of Building Materials Revealed under Service Conditions and Their Impact on the Durability of Structures – Insights from in situ Diagnostics |
Magdalena Bardan, M.Sc., Eng. Department of Building Materials Engineering, Building Research Institute (ITB) The presentation will focus on conclusions drawn from expert in situ diagnostics and cause-and-effect analyses related to the degradation of building materials. The resistance of materials to environmental impacts constitutes one of the key factors determining the durability of a building structure. At the same time, the assessment of a product’s suitability for its intended use, according to existing standards, does not always account for all real operating hazards. The significance of certain properties for durability becomes apparent only under actual service conditions, indicating the need for a holistic approach to the issue of degradation of building materials and structures.
|
|
| 13:20–14:15 | lunch |
| 14:15-15:55 | ETICS – Poland – 2026 – Where are we now? |
Mariusz Garecki, Ph.D., Eng. (Atlas sp. z o.o/SSO),
|
|
| 14:55-15:25 | coffee break |
| 15:25-16:40 | panel discussion ETICS – Poland – 2026 – Where are we now? |
participants: Paweł Gaciek (Bolix/SSO), Marek Grzesiak (Knauf sp. z o.o./SSO), Anna Jarosik (Mapei/SSO), Marcin Kulesza (Atlas/SSO), Łukasz Kuriata (Baumit/SSO), Paweł Pogorzelec (Greinplast/SSO), Bartosz Polaczyk (Kreisel/SSO), Bożena Serwatka-Berbeć (Caparol/SSO), Wojciech Szczepański (Sto/SSO), Sławomir Zalewski (Piotrowice/SSO) moderators: Mariusz Garecki i Tomasz Zembrowski |
|
| 17:00–19:00 | outdoor meeting |
| 20:00 | gala dinner |
Friday, May 8, 2026
| UNTIL 9:30 | breakfast |
| 9:30–9:55 | Evaluation of Hail Resistance in External Thermal Insulation Systems with Varying Materials and Layer Thicknesses. |
Sara Gołębiowska, M.Sc., Eng. Łukasiewicz – Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials The frequency of extreme weather events, such as intense hailstorms, increases, the need to assess the durability of currently used External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) is also growing. Damage to façades caused by impacts of ice pellets leads not only to aesthetic losses but often also to serious and costly repairs. Within the conducted experimental studies, the influence of key ETICS components on resistance to hail with a diameter of approximately 40 mm was evaluated. A methodology compliant with PN-EN 13583:2012 was applied, using controlled impacts of polyamide spheres at velocities corresponding to the actual falling speeds of hailstones. The study also presents calculations of impact velocities for different angles of incidence, enabling the assessment of façade damage risk depending on the actual trajectory of falling hailstones.
|
|
| 9:55–10:20 | Biological Challenges of Modern Building Coatings – A Few Remarks on Biodeterioration and Material Ecology. |
Michał Komar, M.Sc., Eng. Lodz University of Technology, Department of Environmental Biotechnology The growing importance of environmental aspects in construction means that modern building coatings are increasingly being analysed also from a biological perspective. Materials operate in a dynamic environment in which their performance is influenced by the surface microenvironment, the presence of organisms, and the increasing pressure resulting from new ecological and systemic requirements. Do we already know everything about the biological degradation of coatings? Are the biology and ecology of materials still merely a scientific niche, or are they now an integral part of the design of insulation systems? Can the insulation systems industry and small scientific units, even those seemingly unrelated, create valuable partnerships today? This presentation will attempt to answer these and many other questions.
|
|
| 10:20–10:55 | Impact of Solar Radiation on ETICS Systems with Low-HBW Renders. |
Paweł Krause, Ph.D., D.Sc., Eng. Faculty of Civil Engineering, Silesian University of Technology The main objective of the study is to identify the impact of solar radiation on the temperature distribution on the external surface of ETICS systems. Thin-layer renders with low values of the solar reflectance coefficient (HBW) were investigated. Measurements were carried out under both laboratory and real-life conditions.
Laboratory tests were conducted using a so-called “artificial sun” setup. The renders were applied on large-scale wall elements insulated with EPS. Measurements were performed under environmental conditions corresponding to extremely unfavourable real operating conditions of insulation systems. Additionally, tests were carried out under real environmental conditions. Renders with HBW values ranging from 5 to 40 were analysed. The temperature distribution on the surface of the insulation system was determined using thermographic measurements. Additional contact measurements were performed using temperature sensors. During the study, the effectiveness of façade protective mesh systems in reducing surface temperatures of ETICS renders was also evaluated.
|
|
| 10:55–11:20 | Assessment of Thermal Modernization Variants for Façades of High-Rise Large-Panel Buildings Using the BESM Model. |
Dariusz Gaweł, Ph.D., Eng., Arch.; Natalia Jakubiak, M.Sc., Eng., Arch. Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Lublin University of Technology High-rise large-panel buildings still constitute a significant part of the Polish housing stock, and many of them today require a reassessment of the thermal modernisation solutions applied in the past. This presentation focuses on the analysis of thermal modernisation possibilities for the facades of these buildings using the Building Energy Simulation Model (BESM). Based on a case study of an 11-storey residential building, three variants of balcony façade transformation were analysed, differing in the level of intervention as well as in the applied material and structural solutions. The evaluation included thermal performance of building envelopes, energy demand, implementation costs, and environmental impact. The application of the BESM model enables a structured assessment of modernisation solutions by simultaneously considering energy, economic, and environmental criteria.
|
|
| 11:20–11:45 | The Importance of Expanded Polystyrene Insulation in Reducing Carbon Footprints. |
Pavel Zemene, Ph.D. Czech EPS Association The presentation highlights the significant contribution of expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation to reducing the carbon footprint of buildings. EPS combines very low embodied energy with rapid carbon payback and long-term durability, making it one of the most effective insulation materials for supporting the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goals. Buildings account for a major share of Europe’s energy use and emissions, and improving building envelopes is essential for meaningful decarbonization. Life‑cycle assessments show that EPS saves far more energy than is required for its production and achieves substantially lower global warming potential compared to alternative materials. A model case study demonstrates that using EPS can dramatically cut heating demand and prevent large volumes of CO₂ emissions over a building’s lifetime. Due to its light structure, recyclability, and stable performance, EPS remains a highly efficient and environmentally advantageous choice for thermal insulation.
|
|
| 11:45–12:00 | coffee break |
| 12:00–12:25 | Stages of Fire Development and Testing of the Reaction to Fire and Fire Resistance of Building Materials. |
Bartłomiej Papis, Ph.D., Eng. Fire Testing Department, Building Research Institute (ITB) Fire safety is one of the key aspects of the design and operation of buildings. The development of a fire in a room proceeds through specific phases, which differ in combustion intensity, temperature, and impact on the structural elements of the building. The behavior of construction materials under fire conditions plays a significant role in the rate of fire spread as well as in the stability of the structure. For this reason, various tests are conducted to assess their performance both in the initial phase of a fire and in its most intense stage. The results of these tests form the basis for material classification and for designing buildings in a way that ensures an appropriate level of fire safety.
|
|
| 12:25–12:50 | Upcoming Revision of Standard Fire Requirements for the Design and Implementation of ETICS in the Czech Republic. |
Vladimír Vymětalík, Ph.D., Eng. Czech Association for ETICS For the upcoming revision of the standard fire requirements for the design and implementation of ETICS in the Czech republic
was entered
the Czech Agency for Standardization commissioned an analytical task with the aim of identifying problem areas, analysing requirements from abroad, and conducting experimental large-scale tests of ETICS. The main areas of interest were horizontal and vertical fire strips and ETICS duplication.
|
|
| 12:50–13:15 | Mineral wool strips in ETICS systems with expanded polystyrene – theory versus fire safety reality. |
Jerzy Rutka, M.Sc., Eng. Neotherm sp. z o. o. sp. kom./Polish Association of EPS Manufacturers (PSPS) A review of theories concerning the need for and effectiveness of mineral wool strips in ETICS systems with expanded polystyrene (EPS). Verification of experiences regarding the behavior of mineral wool strips as “fire barriers” under facade fire conditions. Analysis of the reasons for the lack of standardization of this solution with respect to their placement and application details. A continuation of last year’s presentation, during which the author announced the presentation of collected examples documenting the effectiveness of mineral wool strips as “fire barriers” under facade fire conditions in countries where such strips have been used for decades.
|
|
| 13:15–13:20 | closing |
Jacek Michalak, Ph.D., Eng. Polish Association for ETICS (SSO) |
|
| 13:20–14:10 | lunch |
| 14:15-15:00 | General Assembly – first term |
| 15:15–16:00 | General Assembly – second term |