Hygrothermal properties of advanced bio-based insulation materials

Filip Fedorik,Jiri Zach,Marja Lehto,Hanna-Riitta Kymäläinen,Risto Kuisma,Marja Jallinoja,Kimmo Illikainen,Sanna Alitalo

doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.111528

Abstract

Hygrothermal performance of buildings is one key element to the sustainable design, health, and comfort of the indoor environment. Building sustainability depends on all associated lifespan stages, from building design and material production to demounting and waste management. Many building materials are unsustainable in terms of their environmental impacts. One approach to reduce environmental impacts associated with buildings is the development and application of bio-based building materials. The aim of this study was to determine the hygrothermal properties of bio-based thermal insulators that promote energy efficiency and contribute in decreasing environmental impacts of buildings. Here, the hygrothermal properties of eight new peat-, recycled paper-, wood shaving-, and feather-based insulation materials were assessed. Measurements of these material properties will improve understanding of the energy efficiency, permeability, and sustainability of new buildings, building retrofits, or both. Data on these new materials will provide the necessary parameters to develop a hygrothermal dynamic numerical model. The studied bio-based materials appear to provide sufficient hygrothermal performance, which is comparable with conventional insulation materials with minimum embodied energy.

Highlights

Current development in the building sector emphasizes the need for energy-efficient designs and materials to minimize the environmental and economic impact of buildings
Thermal insulation materials derived from peat (PE1 and PE2), Sphagnum moss (MO), a mix of peat and Sphagnum moss (PS1 and PS2), wood shavings (WO), recycled paper/paper wool (PW), and feathers (FE) were investigated (Fig. 1)
The measured densities were in the range of 40.8–131.0 kg/m3, which corresponds to medium- or high-density level of glass and rock wool [45]

Summary

Introduction

Current development in the building sector emphasizes the need for energy-efficient designs and materials to minimize the environmental and economic impact of buildings. Reducing carbon footprint is a key motivator for the building industry in developing new strategies of designs and resources. New designs address all processes associated with construction to provide sustainable buildings. Material production must consider transport, embodied energy, and material sources. Site waste management and recycling must be well organized. Water and waste management, and including maintenance (optimum efficiency of the functions that service a building) are required during the lifespan of a building. At the end of the building lifespan, processes associated with demounting, such as waste management (e.g. recycling, landscape) must be considered

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion