Thermal Insulation Materials for Building Applications

Latif, Eshrar; Bevan, Rachel; Woolley, Tom

doi:10.1680/timfba.63518

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Independently of their appearancesometimes closer to traditional vernacular, sometimes far removed from it -, most of their mass comes from within a radius of less than 100 km and their initial embodied carbon (A1-A3) is negative (except in the Maison de la maternité which, being located in south Morocco, cannot make use of much plant-based material). Natural, bio-based materials were deemed appropriate by their designers and users and are consistent with the criteria proposed in this paper, particularly at § §3.1-2, as extensively supported by the literature on the subject [76][77][78][79][80][81]. Each of the projects was realised activating economic resources and local knowledge, plays a role in local development, and provides an exemplary piece of architecture.…”

Section: Four Examplesmentioning

confidence: 70%

New vernacular construction: Environmental awareness and territorial inclusivity

Bocco Guarneri,

Habert

2024

IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Studies on vernacular architecture document the built heritage; discuss its preservation; and sometimes focus on its sustainability, expressing admiration for the wisdom it embodies. Traditional buildings are exemplary in terms of embodied environmental impact, but can hardly be transformed into ‘sustainable’ buildings in the contemporary sense, for legal, cost, technical, or cultural reasons. Today’s lifestyles and expectations of comfort are very different from the original ones. Much appreciation of vernacular buildings derives from an aestheticising approach that emphasises appearance and craftsmanship. Such appreciation is tied to the perpetuation of ‘traditional’ forms but can lead to gentrify heritage and to design buildings that are unaffordable to local individuals and communities. We present not a literature review, but a theoretical proposal of a new vernacular, rooted in locality (origin of materials, socio-economic system, skills, etc., drawing inspiration from food self-sufficiency policies) and affordable by everyone – as it was the case with ‘traditional’ vernacular – but also able to respond to contemporary priorities such as counteracting climate change by opting for negative-embodied carbon materials, and meeting present expectations of comfort. Each of these criteria is discussed in detail. Within such constraints, we claim there would still much scope for creativity and innovation in terms of architectural design, behavioural choices, and policy adoption. The analysis of four recent buildings designed by outstanding contemporary architects in three continents completes the paper, substantiating very different examples in tune with the proposed approach. Open questions – including regarding the possibility of future identification of quantitative thresholds to describe ‘new vernacular’ buildings – are discussed in the conclusion.

show abstract

Section: Four Examplesmentioning

confidence: 70%

New vernacular construction: Environmental awareness and territorial inclusivity

Bocco Guarneri,

Habert

2024

IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…To compare components, both wall systems made of conventional insulating materials and those made of miscanthus concrete were set to exhibit similar insulation performance. The functional unit was defined as one square metre of wall and the thickness of elements adjusted to have the same thermal transmittance value (U-value) of~0.30 W/m 2 K as prescribed in the UK building regulations standard (conservation of fuel and power, approved document L) and commonly used in the thermal calculations of buildings [45]. The wall systems were adapted from common practices in the construction of residential buildings in the South West of England as detailed in the documents from the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) [46].…”

Section: Functional Unitmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental performance of miscanthus-lime lightweight concrete using life cycle assessment: Application in external wall assemblies

Ntimugura

Vinai

Harper

et al. 2021

Sustainable Materials and Technologies

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the UK context, miscanthus is a potential alternative perennial crop for the development of bio-based building materials. This paper presents the environmental benefits of using miscanthus shives in lightweight blocks and their potential application in wall assemblies. A systemic life cycle assessment (LCA) is carried out for miscanthus-lime blocks, and the effects of binder type and binder content are discussed. The environmental performance-based analysis reveals that miscanthus blocks can capture 135 kg CO 2 eq/m 3 for an assumed 100years life period. The impact analysis using the University of Leiden, institute of environmental science (CML) baseline (v4.4) method shows that 75% of the greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to the production of mineral binders. A reduction of binder to aggregate ratio from 2.0 to 1.5 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 32.9%. The use of 10 wt% mineral additions can potentially stabilise blocks while having little effect on their overall environmental impacts. The environmental profiles of wall systems incorporating miscanthus-lime blocks have been evaluated in this this study. Combining miscanthus blocks with fired clay bricks enables a potential low carbon retrofitting technique for the current stock of residential buildings in the UK. Timber-framed system filled with miscanthus blocks enables a carbon storage of~97.3 kg CO 2 eq/m 2 , which presents a potential carbon offsetting strategy in new-build dwellings. Consideration should be given to the potential negative impacts related to agricultural activities for the production of miscanthus shives. The largest negative environmental impact was ozone layer depletion, where a relative difference of 12.8% was recorded between miscanthus timber-framed wall and a typical solid wall insulated with mineral wool. It appears that miscanthus-lime composites can substantially improve the environmental profile of wall assemblies and sustainability be applied in existing uninsulated masonry walls or incorporated in timber-framed new-build houses.

show abstract

“…The specific heat capacity intervenes in the determination of thermal diffusivity, which assesses the rate of heat transmission through a material in a temperature-varying environment, considering its ability to store and exchange heat energy. The thermal diffusivity is the ratio of thermal conductivity to the product of density and specific heat capacity [109]. Even though these properties allow accurate determination of thermal performance of whole buildings, in the context of BBBMs, the data remains largely limited compared to steady state thermal performance.…”

Section: Thermal Performance Of Bbbms In Transient Conditions: Heat C...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical, thermal, hygroscopic and acoustic properties of bio-aggregates – lime and alkali - activated insulating composite materials: A review of current status and prospects for miscanthus as an innovative resource in the South West of England

Ntimugura

Vinai

Harper

et al. 2020

Sustainable Materials and Technologies

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Thermal Insulation Materials for Building Applications

Cited by 11 publications

References 0 publications

New vernacular construction: Environmental awareness and territorial inclusivity

New vernacular construction: Environmental awareness and territorial inclusivity

Environmental performance of miscanthus-lime lightweight concrete using life cycle assessment: Application in external wall assemblies

Mechanical, thermal, hygroscopic and acoustic properties of bio-aggregates – lime and alkali - activated insulating composite materials: A review of current status and prospects for miscanthus as an innovative resource in the South West of England

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About