Aerogel in construction:
the most effective thermal insulator among modern materials

Aerogel is often called the lightest solid substance on the planet. It’s 99 percent air, with the remaining 1 percent a thin silica mesh that holds its shape and prevents the material from disintegrating. This structure makes it virtually weightless: a brick-sized piece of aerogel weighs less than a glass of water.

The history of this material began in the 1930s. American scientist Stephen Kistler bet a colleague that he could replace the liquid in gelatin with gas while maintaining the substance’s shape. The experiment was successful, but the technology remained a laboratory curiosity for a long time — too expensive and fragile for widespread use. Only in recent decades has aerogel begun to appear in industry and private construction.

How the material is structured from the inside

Aerogel’s porous structure acts as an air trap. Gas molecules are trapped within tiny cells and move almost immobile, meaning heat transfer through them is slow. This property makes the material such an effective thermal insulator — much better than conventional alternatives.

For comparison, the thermal conductivity of aerogel is approximately 0.013 watts per meter per kelvin, while that of mineral wool ranges from 0.035 to 0.045 watts per meter per kelvin. In practice, this means that a two-centimeter-thick layer of aerogel replaces five to six centimeters of traditional insulation. Silicon-based building materials have long been used in various industries, and aerogel fits logically into this category, adding a new level of efficiency.

Besides thermal insulation, the material has other beneficial properties. It is fire-resistant, water-repellent, and maintains its properties in extreme temperatures — from deep frost to intense heat. These characteristics make it suitable not only for residential buildings but also for industrial facilities.

Forms of release for construction

Today, aerogel is produced in several types, each of which solves its own problem.

• Flexible mats and blankets are used for insulating pipes, walls and roofs and are easy to cut and install by hand.
• Thin-layer plasters with the addition of aerogel chips are used where increasing the wall thickness is not possible, for example, during facade restoration.
• Translucent panels and double-glazed windows with aerogel filling allow light to pass through, but retain heat almost as well as opaque materials.
• Aerogel additives for concrete and plaster mixtures improve thermal insulation properties without changing the installation technology.

Each format is oriented towards its own niche, and the choice depends on the specific task – in some places flexibility is important, in others light transmission, and in others ease of installation.

Where the material is already used

One of the most common uses of aerogel is the restoration of historic buildings. A thick layer of mineral wool simply doesn’t fit into the narrow walls of old buildings, but a thin aerogel mat solves the problem without sacrificing usable space. The building retains its historic appearance on the outside, but gains modern thermal insulation on the inside.

In industry, aerogel is used to insulate pipelines and tanks containing hot or cold substances. A thin layer of the material can withstand temperatures at which conventional insulation would begin to deteriorate. This reduces energy costs for maintaining the desired temperature within the system.

A separate area is windows and translucent structures. Aerogel filling between the panes allows daylight to pass through while reducing heat loss almost as effectively as a solid wall. These windows are especially popular in buildings with large glazing areas, where conventional double-glazed windows would cause significant heat loss.

Extreme climates deserve special mention. In regions with severe frosts or, conversely, high temperatures, aerogel demonstrates consistent performance where other materials lose some of their properties due to constant fluctuations.

Why does the material remain expensive?

The main barrier to the widespread adoption of aerogel is cost. Production requires a complex supercritical drying process, which removes liquid from the gel without destroying its structure. This process is energy-intensive and requires specialized equipment, which directly impacts the cost of the finished product.

In recent years, the price of aerogel has dropped significantly thanks to advances in production technologies and the emergence of new drying methods that are cheaper than the classic supercritical method. However, the material remains more expensive per square meter of insulated surface than mineral wool or expanded polystyrene.

Moreover, the economics of investment change when considering the long-term operation of the building rather than the one-time cost of the material. Thinner insulation frees up usable space, and reduced heat loss reduces heating costs over the building’s entire lifespan. For industrial facilities with continuous use, such calculations are especially significant.

The situation on the domestic market

In Russia, aerogel remains a niche material. The majority of supplies are imported, which directly impacts the final cost to consumers. While Russian research in this area exists, mass production and widespread market availability have not yet been established.

Aerogel’s greatest potential for use in the country lies in northern regions, where winter temperatures drop well below freezing and traditional insulation materials require significant thickness to be effective. In these conditions, the material’s compactness and low thermal conductivity offer a significant advantage over traditional solutions.

Restoration organizations working with architectural monuments are showing additional interest in this material. The narrow piers of old buildings and the requirements for preserving the historic façade make thin aerogel mats a virtually unbeatable solution for many projects.

Aerogel occupies a narrow but clearly defined niche among modern thermal insulation solutions. Where compactness, resistance to extreme temperatures, or preserving a building’s historical appearance are important, this material delivers results unmatched by traditional alternatives. While cost still limits widespread use, aerogel remains a practical and feasible choice for specific applications.