Overview
EN ISO 22097:2023 - "Thermal insulation for buildings - Reflective insulation products - Determination of thermal performance" (ISO 22097:2023) is a CEN-endorsed international standard that defines procedures for determining the thermal performance of reflective and low-emissivity insulation products. The standard provides a harmonized approach that uses existing CEN/ISO test and calculation methods (guarded hot plate, heat flow meter, hot box, emissivity measurement) to characterise products that derive part of their performance from reflective surfaces and associated airspaces. It supports - but does not replace - existing CEN/ISO test methods or harmonized product standards, and it does not itself provide in‑use or design values.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and applicability
- Applies to insulation products whose claimed thermal properties rely on one or more reflective/low-emissivity surfaces and airspaces.
- Excludes products already covered by harmonized standards where declared values do not include emissivity-based claims.
- Product classification
- Defines product Types 1–4 (different constructions and test needs) and provides a decision flow for classification.
- Measurement methods
- Uses established techniques: guarded hot plate, heat flow meter, and hot box methods, plus emissivity measurement (thermal infrared apparatus).
- Includes procedures for thickness measurement, specimen conditioning and preparation, and edge/installation allowances (e.g., edge surround corrections).
- Derivation of thermal properties
- Describes how to determine core thermal resistance for each product type and how to combine core resistance and measured emissivity to express thermal performance.
- Uncertainty and reporting
- Addresses measurement uncertainty (thickness, thermocouple use, dummy specimens) and prescribes required reporting elements.
- Normative annexes
- Includes decision flow charts and practical annexes for test selection, emissivity measurement (Annex D), and “dummy specimen” technique for heat flow meter (Annex E).
Practical applications and users
Who uses EN ISO 22097:2023:
- Manufacturers of reflective insulation to characterise and declare thermal performance.
- Test laboratories and certification bodies performing standardized thermal testing (hot plate, hot box, heat flow meter).
- Specifiers, architects and consultants comparing products and selecting insulation solutions for building envelopes.
- Regulators and conformity assessors needing consistent data for compliance and labeling.
Practical uses:
- Producing standardized thermal data for product datasheets and technical files.
- Supporting building thermal modelling and energy performance calculations (by providing standardized input values).
- Enabling fair comparison between reflective insulation products from different suppliers.
Related standards
- Supersedes EN 16012:2012+A1:2015.
- Intended to be used together with existing CEN/ISO test standards for guarded hot plate, heat flow meter and hot box methods, and with harmonized product standards where applicable.
Keywords: EN ISO 22097:2023, reflective insulation, thermal performance, emissivity, hot box, guarded hot plate, heat flow meter, building insulation standards, CEN, ISO 22097.
