Abstract
One of the key properties of hemp insulation is its moisture adsorption capacity. Adsorption of moisture can increase both thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the insulation. The current study focuses on the effect of moisture induced thermal mass of installed hemp insulation on the whole building energy use. Hygrothermal and thermal simulations were performed using the CIBSE TRY weather data of Edinburgh and Birmingham with the aid of following simulation tools: WUFI and IES. Following simplified building types were considered: building-1 with dry hemp wall and loft insulations, building-2 with moistened hemp wall and loft insulation and building-3 with stone wool insulation. It was observed that the overall conditioning load of building-1 was 1.2 to 2.3% higher than building-2 and 3. However, during the summer season, the cooling load of building-2 was 3-7.5% lower than the other buildings. It implies that, moistened insulation can potentially mitigate the effect of increasing cooling degree days induced by global warming.
Highlights
Construction materials comprises 40-50% of worldwide annual material use [1] and the building industry accounts for the second highest consumption of raw materials, after food production
During the summer season, the cooling load of building-2 was 3-7.5% lower than the other buildings. It implies that, moistened insulation can potentially mitigate the effect of increasing cooling degree days induced by global warming
One study shows that [4] a correct choice of building materials can reduce almost 30% CO2 emissions
Summary
Construction materials comprises 40-50% of worldwide annual material use [1] and the building industry accounts for the second highest consumption of raw materials , after food production. It is imperative that construction materials should be used responsibly for the greater good of the environment. Natural materials from both renewable and non-renewable resources have generally lower embodied energy and toxicity than man-made materials as they require less processing [5]. Plant based materials work as a carbon sink during their growing period and they are biodegradable at the end of their life cycle. For all these attributes, plant based can be considered as material with low carbon [4] and low ecological footprint [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
