A method includes designing a subsea equipment assembly having an insulation covering an outer surface of at least one equipment unit and a flow path formed through the at least one equipment unit. The designing includes modeling a temperature profile of the subsea equipment assembly having a fluid within the flow path, identifying at least one hot zone along an interface between the insulation and the outer surface, where the at least one hot zone is exposed to temperatures above a degradation temperature of the insulation, and designing at least one cold zone along the interface to border the at least one hot zone, the at least one cold zone exposed to maximum temperatures below the degradation temperature of the insulation.