Highly efficient thermal insulation of the building envelope demands for layers up to 40 cm thickness.This often causes problems regarding architecture and loss of space, especially in building renovation.An attractive alternative is the recently introduced vacuum insulation panel (VIP) having a 5 to 8 timeslower thermal conductivity than conventional thermal insulation. Aging effects and service life arecrucial aspects of those high performance insulation systems, as gas permeation through theenvelope barrier may drastically reduce the insulation efficiency.