Performance of Bio-based Products for Interior Insulation of Solid Masonry Walls

Abstract

A recent Danish project has studied the possibilities of using bio-based materials for interior insulation of solid brick walls, without the use of a vapour barrier. The purpose was to give indications of the possibility to use hygroscopic insulation material in positions as interior insulation, where it is known to be potentially vulnerable to moisture accumulation. Three bio-based thermal insulation materials were investigated: loose-fill cellulose insulation (two variants) and hemp fibre insulation commercially available in Denmark. The hygrothermal performance of the three insulation materials for internal retrofitting purposes was investigated in a large-scale experiment comprising several solid masonry walls. The test walls were built in an outdoor test field north of Copenhagen, and exposed to a controlled indoor climate. The experiments were conducted over 1 year and 9 months where moisture measurements were done in several locations within the walls, including the interface between insulation and masonry, as well as in embedded wooden components such as a beam end and a wall plate. The paper illustrates the results from experiments with or without a hydrophobizing treatment on the exterior surface as causes of moisture content in potentially critical places in the walls. Finally, some results from mould growth determinations are reported. Generally, high levels of moisture content were found in the interior insulation, particularly for non-hydrophobized walls, but critical mould growth conditions were found only in the case of one of the tested materials.