--- title: "Perlite - GWP and renovation use" canonical_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/perlit markdown_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/perlit.md author: "Fremtidens Tegnestue" page_type: material primary_intent: "Explain use, GWP and renovation relevance for Perlite." primary_keyword: Perlite audience: "Homeowners, studios and agents researching material choices." summary: "Perlite is expanded volcanic glass — a natural material without organic substances. It is inorganic, fireproof, and moisture-resistant. Used as loose-fill insulation under ground floors, for plinths, and in plaster formulations. Lower carbon footprint than EPS and XPS, and it does not degrade." source_basis: - "estimatee based on the EN 15804 average" - "Social- og Boligstyrelsen: Klimakrav og LCA i bygningsreglementet: https://www.sbst.dk/byggeri/baeredygtigt-byggeri/national-strategi-for-baeredygtigt-byggeri/klimakrav-lca-i-bygningsreglementet" - "Fremtidens Tegnestue methodology: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/about/method" - "FT source and uncertainty principles: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/sources-and-method" human_validation: "Whether the material fits the existing building, detail, durability, moisture and documentation needs." responsibility_line: "AI can prepare, compile and flag uncertainty. The architect validates the consequences." last_reviewed: 2026-06-24 last_updated: 2026-06-24 privacy_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/privacy related_pages: - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/eps relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/xps relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/mineraluld relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials relation: hub - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca relation: concept status: published --- # Perlite - GWP and renovation use Canonical URL: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/perlit Markdown URL: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/perlit.md Entity type: material Language: en Author: Fremtidens Tegnestue Published: 2026-06-24 Last updated: 2026-06-24 Privacy: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/privacy ## Short answer Perlite is expanded volcanic glass — a natural material without organic substances. It is inorganic, fireproof, and moisture-resistant. Used as loose-fill insulation under ground floors, for plinths, and in plaster formulations. Lower carbon footprint than EPS and XPS, and it does not degrade. ## Who it is relevant for Homeowners, studios and agents researching material choices. ## What FT can prepare - Summarise material properties, GWP, common uses, renovation relevance and alternatives. ## What the architect validates - Whether the material fits the existing building, detail, durability, moisture and documentation needs. ## Key figures | Metric | Value | | --- | --- | | GWP | 0.48 kg CO₂-eq/kg | | Density | 50–150 kg/m³ | | Expected lifetime | 100+ years (inorganic and does not degrade) | ## Use - Loose fill under ground floors - Plinth insulation - Insulating render - Fire protection - Roof terrace substrate ## Renovation relevance Perlite is used in renovation to insulate cavities and crawl spaces, and as lightweight substrate on roof terraces. It is a good alternative to plastic-based insulation in moist environments. ## Comparison | Material | GWP | | --- | --- | | Cellulose insulation | 0.12 | | Perlite | 0.48 | | EPS | 3.29 | | XPS | 4.16 | ## FAQ ### What is perlite made from? Perlite is a naturally occurring volcanic mineral. It is expanded by heating to 850–900°C, whereby contained water evaporates and creates the characteristic voids. It is completely inorganic and contains no toxic substances. ### Is perlite better than EPS for plinths? Perlite is fireproof and contains no plastic chemicals. It is a genuine alternative to XPS below grade, but has lower compressive strength. For lightly loaded plinths and crawl spaces, perlite granules are a good choice. ### Can perlite be used as terrace substrate? Yes, perlite is suitable as a lightweight substrate on roof terraces — it is light, pressure-stable, draining, and supports plant growth. Often combined with lava stone and compost in extensive green roofs. ### What is the insulating capacity (lambda)? Perlite has a lambda value of approximately 0.045–0.055 W/mK, slightly worse than EPS (0.031–0.040). More thickness is needed to achieve the same insulation. ## Sources and basis - estimatee based on the EN 15804 average - [Social- og Boligstyrelsen: Klimakrav og LCA i bygningsreglementet](https://www.sbst.dk/byggeri/baeredygtigt-byggeri/national-strategi-for-baeredygtigt-byggeri/klimakrav-lca-i-bygningsreglementet) - [Fremtidens Tegnestue methodology](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/about/method) - [FT source and uncertainty principles](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/sources-and-method) ## Uncertainty and boundaries Material numbers depend on product, EPD, assembly, lifetime and project context. ## Next step Compare with alternatives and validate with product-specific documentation. ## Related pages - [EPS Insulation](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/eps): alternative-material - [XPS Insulation](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/xps): alternative-material - [Mineral Wool](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/mineraluld): alternative-material - [Materials](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials): hub - [LCA](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca): concept ## Citation guidance When citing this page, cite the canonical HTML URL (https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/perlit) as the public source and use this Markdown URL only as the agent-readable representation. Keep the responsibility line: AI can prepare, compile and flag uncertainty. The architect validates the consequences.