Moisture and heat management properties of Hemp and Stone Wool insulations were studied by mounting them between a hot and a cold climate chamber. Both insulations were exposed to identical hygrothermal boundary conditions. Quasi steady state and dynamic tests were carried out at a range of relative humidity exposures. The likelihood of interstitial condensation was assessed and equivalent thermal conductivity values of the insulations were determined. The adsorption-desorption isotherms of the insulations were also determined in a dynamic vapour sorption (DVS) instrument. It was observed that the likelihood of condensation was higher in Stone Wool insulation than in Hemp insulation. Hemp insulation performed better in managing moisture due to its high hygric inertia and water absorption capacity. It was observed that the equivalent thermal conductivity of Stone Wool insulation was dependent on enthalpy flow and phase change of moisture. The equivalent thermal conductivity of Hemp insulation was close to its declared thermal conductivity in dynamic conditions when high relative humidity exposures were transient. In quasi steady state boundary conditions, when the insulation was allowed to reach the equilibrium moisture content at ranges of relative humidity, there was a moisture dependent increase of thermal conductivity in Hemp insulation.

The thermal insulation of buildings is needed in order to diminish the final energy consumption in buildings and, by this way, to contribute to the use of unconventional regenerative sources of energy (wind and sun) for a sustainable development. The requirement for heat consumption under the limit of 120...150 kWh/m 2 .a, or even to 15...45 kWh/m 2 .a, stipulated for the year 2020 (passive houses) is implying the use of huge and expensive quantities of expanded polystyrene, mineral wool or polyurethane foam. The study encompasses the utilization of bulk waste materials (sawdust, crumbled expanded polystyrene, hacked paper and PVC recipients) for thermal insulations in buildings, contributing also to the environmental protection and cost reduction. Specific laboratory equipment for thermal conductivity measurements of bulk granular waste materials has been created and solutions for energy efficient building envelopes are suggested.

In the current context, when studies regarding the planet's ability to sustain the human species consumption present more and more grim scenarios, it is required, more than ever, to consider sustainable development as a main priority for development strategies worldwide. In this sense, reducing the negative environmental impact of building materials and lowering energy consumption in buildings exploitation becomes the main axis for most of the new tendencies in architecture and civil engineering. Therefore, the development of new materials has to consider both low thermal conductivities and reduced embedded energy. The paper proposes a new mortar recipe based on expanded perlite and it presents an extensive study on the structural, physical and mechanical characteristics that the proposed material can provide, in order to reduce the negative environmental impact of buildings, by reducing buildings energy consumption, through increasing thermal resistance of the envelope. Finally, a series of conclusions and recommendations are presented on the way the proposed material can be used for the buildings thermal insulation process, both for new and refurbished buildings.

Concrete is a building material with a continuous demand in the construction industry due to the convenient price-performance ratio. On the other hand, concrete is not an environmentally friendly material. Thus, in order to obtain a sustainable material, wood waste can be recycled and used as light aggregates in the manufacture of precast ecological building blocks. Block walls must satisfy not only structural criteria but also functional requirements. In addition, thermal contribution is important in reducing energy consumption over the life of the building. The presence of moisture on the exterior walls due to the appearance of condensation will decrease the thermal performance of building materials. This paper analyses the occurring of condensation risk and its location in the outer wall made of wood-concrete blocks by the Glaser method, for different situations of arrangement and composition of the layers.

This work presents an experimental analysis of the influence of a monocrystalline photovoltaic (PV) panels' temperature on its main operating parameters. Victron Energy, SPM 30-12 PV panel is tested, using a double climatic chamber. The PV panel is placed as a barrier between the two rooms of the climatic chamber. The study is focused on the establishing the effect of raising temperature of PV panel over electrical parameters: voltage, current and power produced and also over the efficiency and fill factor. The experimental data are obtained considering a constant solar radiation, generated by a solar simulator placed in the hot room of the climatic chamber. The operating temperature is controlled by the flowing of cold air on the backside of the PV panel. The coefficients of the mean variation of the parameters with photovoltaic panel's temperature are-0.52 %/°C for efficiency, while for voltage and current they are-0.48 %/°C and +0.10 %/°C respectively.