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Project

To bio or not to bio - Research into the characteristics and applications of insulation materials with a low environmental impact

Responsible handling of the use of building materials is essential in reducing related CO2 emissions, resource depletion and waste generation.
The TETRA research project "To bio or not to bio" aims to bring together and compile information on the characteristics and applications of insulation materials to give more confidence to the construction industry to start working with these materials. The focus is on both classically known and bio-based insulation materials (cellulose, straw flakes, recycled cotton, hemp...) for different applications: flat roof, pitched roof, ground floor, timber frame wall, solid outer wall, etc.

Date:1 May 2020 →  31 Jul 2022
Keywords:biobased building materials, environmental impact, insulation materials
Disciplines:Life cycle analysis of construction materials, Building technology, Building physics
Results:

Researchers from Odisee campus Aalst, WTCB and UGent worked together on an accessible and practically usable web tool that allows architects, contractors, study bureaus and other building professionals to compare the characteristics of insulation materials for a specific application. In addition, the web tool also provides insight into the environmental performance of validated construction builds and analyzes and visualizes the disassembly potential of building nodes. For the different applications and insulation materials, practical examples and points of attention for implementation are also given. Link to the web tool: www.milieubewustisoleren.be
In addition, within the research project, several 3D scale models were designed and built by and for students. At UGent, a test pavilion was realized in which different bio-based insulation materials such as hemp, grass, cotton, straw, lime hemp, etc. were applied and serves as a demonstration and test facility for experimental research on the hygrothermal performance of bio-based materials and build-ups. Link to construction of UGent test pavilion: https://youtu.be/yHuQY6P2jsA
Finally, the hygrothermal behavior of wood frame walls with biobased insulation materials was studied and it was investigated whether such build-ups exhibit more damage risks (mold, wood rot, increased heat losses) than build-ups with classical insulation materials in case of accidental infiltrations into the rainscreen and/or the air screen. In general, it can be concluded that the choice of insulation material plays a relatively limited role in the occurrence of risks, and that a correct construction physical structure that allows sufficient drying will always be the safest solution.