40 years Isokorb® | Schöck USA Inc. and Schoeck Canada Inc.

The invention of the Schöck Isokorb® was one of the most important milestones in the history of our company. It is as innovative today as it was then and exemplifies the standards we set for the development of our entire product range: forward-looking construction, better environmental compatibility, more safety, simple handling and the resulting economic efficiency.

Mike Bucher, CEO Schöck AG

Eberhard Schöck (1935-2022) was considered a visionary. With his solution for minimising thermal bridges on cantilevered structural components, he revolutionised the building industry and set new standards.

It was a skiing holiday in 1979 that led to the birth of the Isokorb®: While in his vacation home, Eberhard Schöck discovered widespread mould formation on the ceiling, which was adjacent to numerous uninsulated exterior balconies. While still on holiday, he explored his first ideas and prepared sketches looking for a solution to overcome this weakness in buildings.

The very next year, Eberhard Schöck applied for his first patent for this revolutionary idea. In 1983, the Isokorb® Type M “insulation element for cantilevered balconies” was presented for the first time at the DEUBAU trade fair in Essen and at the SWISSBAU in Basel. It was launched on the market that same year.

Eberhard Schöck looked back fondly on that moment: “The interest in this product from the trade was huge, so we hoped we had a product with a future here.” He was proven right, even to this day, 40 years later.

With his invention for minimising thermal bridges on cantilevered structural components, Eberhard Schöck revolutionised the building industry in 1983 and was ahead of his time:

Schöck Isokorb® set new standards both then and now. Eberhard Schöck’s vision of “making building easier” is embedded in the Schöck DNA. Thanks to continuous further development, Isokorb® is still a state-of-the-art solution – even today – when it comes to the simple, energy-efficient and safe connection of cantilevered structural components, such as balconies, to buildings.

Schöck Isokorb®, the innovative thermal insulation element, gradually established itself on the market from 1983 onwards. Over the years, further product innovations followed and many new markets were opened up.

Following the revolutionary invention of Isokorb®, its many strengths became evident. The innovative solution attracted attention and was well received by the market. In order to meet the high demand for Isokorb®, Schöck expanded its production facilities and hired technical advisors to provide excellent service to those involved in construction.

Outside Germany, too, the markets quickly recognised that Schöck Isokorb® now offered an intelligent and effective solution for minimising thermal bridges. The first orders were received from the present-day markets of the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and Scandinavia. Today, Isokorb® is sold in approximately 40 countries.

»You should never rest on your laurels. If you want to be successful you have to develop completely new things or improve existing things.«

(Eberhard Schöck)

This was Eberhard Schöck’s motto and it still holds true today. Even 40 years later, there is no end to the new innovations. On the contrary – it is an incentive for all employees to continue writing the success story.

2023

The “one and only” for 40 years

The success story began 40 years ago and continues into the future. At the BAU Trade Fair in Munich, Schöck presented its latest innovations for the Isokorb®.

2022

Impact sound characteristics for Isokorb® according to the new test method

Schöck was the first manufacturer to offer reliable impact sound characteristics for balcony insulation elements, according to the new, improved test method (EAD 050001-01-0301).

2019

Product solution for barrier-free construction

The new product solution, XT/T Type K-U / K-O, was introduced, providing a thermally insulated and structurally stable connection with an up or down height offset, as well as easy installation. This addition marked a further improvement to the product range with an end goal of making barrier-free construction a reality.

2017

First European approval

With the ETA-17/0261, Isokorb® received a CE mark and could now be sold throughout the European Economic Area. The product performance was clearly defined and technically assessed by the European accreditation body.

2017

Isokorb® with glass-fibre composite

Schöck integrated the high-quality glass fibre composite, Combar®, into Isokorb®. As a thermally superior alternative to reinforcing steel and stainless steel, Combar® also contributed to sustainable construction.

2015

First manufacturer to receive Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

Schöck turned its focus to sustainability. In 2015, Isokorb® received an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Type KXT50 from the Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V. (IBU), confirming that the product had been tested for environmental compatibility, constituents and production.

2015

Balcony installation with flexible construction times

With the Isokorb® XT/T Type K-ID system solution, Schöck now offered a solution for anchoring prefabricated balconies, galleries or canopies onto new buildings. This enabled more planning flexibility in the construction process and precast plant production.

2011

Isokorb® for renovation

The renovation of existing buildings was becoming more and more important. In response to this issue, Schöck introduced a new type of thermal break for cantilevered and supported balconies on existing buildings. Isokorb® R was designed for retrofits to replace or supplement balconies in renovation projects.

2009

First Passive House certificate

The Passive House certificate was presented at the BAU Trade Fair in Munich in 2009. This certificate confirmed that Schöck Isokorb® now met the high quality standards of the Passive House Institute.

2008

Isokorb® KXT

The new generation, Isokorb^® XT, improved the already strong thermal insulation of the previous models by up to 30 percent. At the same time, the impact sound insulation also increased by about 50 percent. This was made possible in particular by the new 120 mm thick insulating element of Neopor®.

2003

First design program for balcony connections

In addition to the technical information, Schöck started to provide another design aid for the planner: design software for balcony connections. With the software, planners could now quickly and easily determine the correct Isokorb® for the most common applications.

2003

Extended field of application for structural steelwork

With the introduction of the Isokorb® KST, there was now a solution for minimising thermal bridges on pure steel construction also.

2003

New thrust bearing

The stainless steel thrust bearing is replaced by an innovative thrust bearing with micro-steel fibre-reinforced, high-performance fine concrete (HTE module). This offered a further improvement in the thermal insulation of Isokorb®. At the same time, the thermal insulation element could now be installed more easily, thanks to the new shape of the thrust bearing.

1999

Expansion of the applications for steel balconies

The introduction of the Isokorb® KS enabled steel balconies to now be connected to reinforced concrete floors.

1998

Rutherma®

Developed especially for the requirements of the French market, a thermal break for interior wall insulation was launched – the Rutherma®.

1996

Isokorb® for timber construction

A world first was launched on the market: Isokorb® KH for thermally insulated connections of cantilevered timber balconies to concrete floor slabs.

1993

The first million

Another milestone was reached: all Schöck employees celebrated the sale of 1 million Isokorb® models.

1992

Continuing internationalisation

Isokorb® conquered the markets in Eastern Europe. Expansion of the market in the Netherlands was secured with the addition of a Dutch technical approval.

1991

Technical approval for Isokorb®

By now, it was possible to install Isokorb® in Germany with a structural design type approval from the building authorities. A successful product, however, does not keep the market all to itself for very long. Due to the large number of thermal insulation elements that were now on the market, the DIBt (then IfBt) now demanded a general technical approval, that was awarded to the Schöck Isokorb® in December 1991.

1989

Isokorb® establishes itself on the market

The very strong sales of Isokorb® led to the introduction of a three-shift working model in Baden-Baden. A Saturday shift was also added to meet the high demand and uphold the delivery promise.

1989

The start of internationalisation

The sales office moved from Upper Austria to Vienna and won orders for Isokorb® in the neighbouring markets of the Czech Republic and Italy. In addition, international sales were boosted via partner companies in northern and eastern Europe.

1987

Birth of a new Isokorb® generation

The thickness of the insulating element was increased from 50 mm to 80 mm to improve the building physics properties. A new steel thrust bearing was introduced to increase the load-bearing capacity.

1985

First approval

The first approval was issued in Upper Austria, which paved the way for the sale of Schöck Isokorb® outside of Germany.

1984

Technical support and expansion of production

Increasing demand and the high interest in Isokorb® led to the hiring of technical advisors in the field, who provided competent support to those involved in the construction work. Reliable delivery times were an additional service offering and production facilities were expanded to make sure these needs could be met.

1983

First technical documents

As soon as sales began, technical documents were prepared to assist architects and planners.

1983

Market launch of the first Isokorb® Type M

After four years of development, the first Isokorb® Type M with concrete thrust bearing was launched on the market and presented to the curious experts at trade fairs in Germany and Switzerland. A revolutionary invention, Isokorb® offered the first solution to preventing thermal bridges in cantilevered reinforced concrete structures and the structural damage often associated with it.

1979

Development

Eberhard Schöck developed the idea for today’s main product Isokorb® – a load-bearing thermal insulation element for minimising thermal bridges on cantilevered structural components (e.g. balconies).

Schöck Isokorb®, the innovative and simple thermal break solution for minimising thermal bridges has become indispensable in the construction industry. Not only can it be used in a variety of ways, but it also has all the relevant building authority documents.

Energy loss occurs when structural components that penetrate the building envelope provide a pathway that allows heat to more easily pass through and escape to the outside. These areas are known as thermal bridges. In addition to the energy loss that occurs with thermal bridging, structural damage often occurs due to the formation of condensation and mould. The heat loss can be prevented by ensuring continuous thermal insulation at the building envelope. Load-bearing thermal insulation modules such as Schöck Isokorb® are an ideal solution, providing not only thermal insulation, but also structural integrity.

The applications covered by the Schöck Isokorb® product range are very diverse, offering solutions to prevent thermal bridging at cantilevered or supported balconies, loggias, arcades, canopies and parapets. It includes solutions for concrete-to-concrete, concrete-to-steel and steel-to-steel connections, in both new buildings and retrofits.

Beyond the typical applications, Schöck Isokorb® makes unique and challenging installations possible, such as unusual geometries, large cantilever lengths or the construction of timber hybrid buildings.

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Fire protection boards and fire protection band

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Compression bar

Use of stainless steel in the area of the structural component joint for higher load capacity and protection against corrosion. The remainder of the compression bar is made from reinforcing steel.
Transmission of tensile forces
Reduction of heat transmission by reducing the stainless steel bar cross section

Plastic locking bar

Fixing of the compression bars, hence no cross distributors necessary outside the insulating element
Simple threading into the existing reinforcement possible

Shear force bar

Use of stainless steel in the area of the structural component joint for higher load capacity and protection against corrosion. The remainder of the shear force bar is made from reinforcing steel.
Transmission of shear forces
Bent upwards on the balcony side as an integrated edge reinforcement
On-site stirrups or cross distributors for fixing the stirrups are not necessary

Upper and lower plastic profile

Protects the Neopor® insulating material and the fire protection board from damage.

Label

Illustrated installation instructions can be called up via a QR code
Directional arrows mark the specific connection
Type designation on upper and lower edge

Insulating element

The insulating element is NEOPOR® rigid polystyrene foam that absorbs and reflects the thermal radiation
Ensures optimal thermal insulation
Available in thicknesses of 80 mm and 120 mm

Thrust bearing

HTE-Compact® thrust bearing made of high-performance fine concrete
High force transmission (compressive force) that also optimises thermal conductivity
Flush connection to the insulating element for easy installation

Fire protection boards and fire protection band

Fire resistance class REI120 thanks to fire protection boards and fire protection band
The fire protection band swells in the event of fire
Flush fire protection board facilitates installation

Use of stainless steel in the area of the structural component joint for higher load capacity and protection against corrosion. The remainder of the compression bar is made from reinforcing steel.
Transmission of tensile forces
Reduction of heat transmission by reducing the stainless steel bar cross section

Fixing of the compression bars, hence no cross distributors necessary outside the insulating element
Simple threading into the existing reinforcement possible

Use of stainless steel in the area of the structural component joint for higher load capacity and protection against corrosion. The remainder of the shear force bar is made from reinforcing steel.
Transmission of shear forces
Bent upwards on the balcony side as an integrated edge reinforcement
On-site stirrups or cross distributors for fixing the stirrups are not necessary

Protects the Neopor® insulating material and the fire protection board from damage.

Illustrated installation instructions can be called up via a QR code
Directional arrows mark the specific connection
Type designation on upper and lower edge

The insulating element is NEOPOR® rigid polystyrene foam that absorbs and reflects the thermal radiation
Ensures optimal thermal insulation
Available in thicknesses of 80 mm and 120 mm

HTE-Compact® thrust bearing made of high-performance fine concrete
High force transmission (compressive force) that also optimises thermal conductivity
Flush connection to the insulating element for easy installation

Fire resistance class REI120 thanks to fire protection boards and fire protection band
The fire protection band swells in the event of fire
Flush fire protection board facilitates installation

Let’s take a look together at the changes that have taken place over the years.

Supporting information is indispensable when introducing a new product. Eberhard Schöck knew this even back in 1983 when the Schöck Isokorb® was launched. The information folder at the time contained all the knowledge about the “balcony insulation board with reinforcement” or the new and innovative thermal insulation element: product information, technical drawings, installation instructions and test reports.

The information folder from 1983 still exists today – but a lot has happened in the meantime. With the expansion of the product range, it became necessary to create additional technical information sheets for the different connections and construction types. Naturally, the overall appearance of this information has also changed over the years. What remains the same is the detailed technical information that serves to assist the planner.

The thrust bearing, an important part of the Isokorb®, was made entirely of stainless steel back in 1987. Smooth steel was used in the joint and welded steel plates were used to transfer the compressive forces into the concrete structural component. Due to its appearance, it was affectionately referred to in-house as the “bone”.

The original stainless steel thrust bearing was replaced over the years by an innovative thrust bearing filled with high-performance fine concrete. As a result, the heat transmission is reduced by an average of 24%. Thanks to the geometry of the thrust bearing, Schöck Isokorb® is even easier to install.

An Isokorb® produced in 1997 involved a great deal of manual work…

…and that is still the case even today during assembly of the wide range of different Isokorb® types. But digitalisation has also become an integral part of production – manufacturing is now completely paperless and production plans are displayed on monitors. Production of the necessary individual components for Schöck Isokorb® is fully automated for the most part.

The advertising was showy and unrefined to draw attention to itself and to the innovative thermal insulation element.

Over the years, the Schöck Isokorb® brand has been refined. Today, the marketing is more polished and professionally presented, reflecting a more sophisticated product and business approach.

Schöck Isokorb® has continued to develop since 1983. In close cooperation with partners and customers, we are constantly working on new ideas and innovations to make building even easier.

That is why all the employees continually strive to make Schöck Isokorb® even better and more innovative in the future. In doing so, it is important for us not only to further develop the product and its components, but also to take the market requirements into consideration. The broad Schöck Isokorb® portfolio therefore also offers solutions for the growing demands. The large variety of types in the Isokorb® product family gives architects and planners more design freedom when carrying out their projects.

All product innovations are subject to an intensive development period before they are used in international projects. But the best argument comes from practice.

The advantages and benefits of the Isokorb® product family are impressive, not only in theory, but also in practice. We see this with the numerous architecturally and technically sophisticated reference projects that rely on Isokorb’s thermal insulation. These buildings demand the highest standards in architecture and energy efficiency to create an optimal end result – these projects are an ongoing source of inspiration and pride for us at Schöck.