Construction industry stakeholders and policy makers gathered on 29 January in Brussels to discuss the potential of natural bio-based materials to help Europe meet its climate obligations. The event was organised by the Horizon 2020 project ISOBIO, which hopes its innovations will be a game changer for bio-based construction.
“We have known for a long time that bio-based construction materials offer multiple benefits for the climate, the environment and building occupants. Within the ISOBIO project we have developed new and improved insulation solutions, suitable for adoption in largescale mass housing projects, housing and industrial retrofit as well as small scale individual projects. These improvements can help bio-based materials move from a niche to a mainstream solution”, said Mike Lawrence, University of Bath and ISOBIO Technical Manager, during the meeting.
Novel low-impact solutions
ISOBIO partners presented their new solutions to over 70 stakeholders present at the event. The outcome of the project is three novel, low-impact materials:
the ISOBIO board – an entirely bio-based insulation board, consisting of hemp bound with a bio-based binder;
an insulating lime render utilising a high proportion of hemp shiv as aggregate;
an insulating clay plaster with enhanced moisture buffering properties.
These innovative materials have also been combined into a composite structural panel, which can be used either as the external envelope in new build or as an external or internal retrofit panel.
The new solutions are very energy efficient: compared to a standard UK house, the ISOBIO structural panel would reduce heating requirements by 45%, resulting in savings of €2.42/m2per year (almost €500 per year for a 200m2home), according to monitoring and modelling conducted by Progetic. As explained by Callum Hill (NIBIO), the ISOBIO solutions are also ultra low carbon. This is due to the global warming potential (climate change impact) of the ISOBIO structural panel (27.5 kgCO2e per m2of panel) being around one quarter that of a standard UK new-build wall, but also because of the large quantity of atmospheric carbon stored in the biogenic material in the panel. Material costs are also considerably lower for the ISOBIO panel, compared to the state-of-the-art reference wall in the UK and Spain, by 28% and 56%, respectively. Furthermore, construction costs are reduced, because of the modular design.
Policies to boost bio-based construction
In order to achieve EU targets and respect the Paris Agreement, policy makers are urgently seeking strategies to decarbonise construction, which is known as one of the most carbon intensive industries. During the event speakers presented a range of policy options being implemented at national and local levels in Europe.
Jannik Giesekam (University of Leeds) told participants how a number of UK developers and local authorities are setting carbon targets for building projects. This encourages building designers to think carefully about the embodied carbon in materials and encourages the use of wood and other bio-based materials.
In France, the E+C- (energy plus, carbon less) scheme aims to marry high energy performance with low embodied carbon, explained Nicolas Dutreix (Nomadéis). The labelling scheme has been piloted across France, and has proven to be a successful way of promoting bio- and waste-based materials.
Next steps for ISOBIO
After four years, the ISOBIO project will end on 31 January 2019. Partners expect that the newly developed solutions will be entering the market in 2020. Progetic has produced a set of construction details, offering practical information to architects, contractors, developers and engineers who are looking to use the ISOBIO system in a low-embodied energy, nearly-zero energy construction. All results and documentation from the project will remain available on the project website, together with the presentations from the event.
The ISOBIO project has successfully developed a composite bio-based wall system that has shown exceptional hygrothermal performance and reliability, providing a new-build wall panel that can be industrialised and manufactured at scale, ready for integration into a complete pre-fabricated construction system for nearly-zero energy buildings.
To this end, ISOBIO partner Progetic has produced two guides that include seven opaque construction details for two different climates: cool-temperate (Lyneham, UK) and warm-temperate (Seville, Spain). The details show typical connections for ground floor>wall junctions, intermediate floor>wall, roof>wall and panel>panel junctions. Information relating to water-proofing, airtightness and vapour control is included.
All details have been modelled with 2-dimensional thermal bridge software, and designed to minimise heat loss and ensure minimum internal surface temperatures to avoid surface mould growth and condensation. Fabric U-values have been sized to meet the limiting heating and cooling demands required by the Passivhaus standard, using the PHPP (Passive House Planning Package) modelling tool for each climate (15 kWh/m2·a for space heating and 16 kWh/m2·a for space cooling in the warm-temperature climate).
The result is a set of construction details that comply with the Passivhaus standard, offering practical information to architects, contractors, developers and engineers who are looking to use the ISOBIO system in a low-embodied energy, nearly-zero energy construction.
Today whoever decides to invest in biobased buildings is a pioneer in the construction sector, as it is still a niche market. But latest research about industrial hemp materials have developed products that may be more competitive
One of the common beliefs about bio-construction is that it is only for rich people. According to Mike Lawrence, Professor at the BRE CICM (Centre for Innovative Construction Materials), University of Bath, UK, this is a myth: “If you compare like with like, so if you compare a building made out of conventional materials with the same thermal performance as a building made out of biobased materials such as hemp, the latter is cheaper. Under the EU project called Isobio, we did studies in the UK and in Spain. If you compare the British construction systems, the wall of a hemp building is about 30% cheaper per square metre than the one made out of traditional construction materials. In Spain it is even better, the wall is more expensive there, so a hemp system will be about 55% cheaper than a typical Spanish wall with the same thermal performance.”
The project breakthrough is to replace hempcrete, the mix of hemp and lime normally used to build the bio-houses. The researchers have developed a panel made with hemp shiv, the woody part of the stock of the plant, mixed with a new thermal setting binder, which is also biobased and makes the wall stronger than the one with hemp-lime.
Lawrence says: “The interesting thing is that you can make tongue and groove panels which slot together to produce a surface without any thermal bridges. There’s no way for heat to go round to the other side – it all has to pass through this material which has good thermal conductivity. In particular, the thermal conductivity of hemp-lime, is typically about 0.09-0.1 watts par metre-kelvin, whereas hemp shiv is about 0.06-0.05 watts par metre-kelvin, so a lot better than hemp-lime. Moreover, because it’s so robust you can make it in a factory and deliver it on site without any damage. The material is compressed and heated to 190 degrees and about ten minutes later you get this panel. So a very quick process.”
Another recurring question from beginners in bio-construction is: are these natural materials safe? “If you put a blowtorch onto a building of hemp-lime, after two hours it wouldn’t catch fire. It carbonises, it starts to decay and it smokes a bit, but it won’t catch fire,” Lawrence says. “The material we’ve developed with Isobio doesn’t have lime in it, but we’ve done tests and it passes the current fire regulations. We further improved it by developing a special coating that contains silica, which is a fire-resistant material. This coating also prevents the ingress of water, which means it will become more resistant to decay.”
Lawrence adds: “The building becomes a breathable system from the outside to the inside. Internally you always have a very steady humidity; what I mean is around 50%-55% humidity, which is ideal for the best possible health of the occupants. This because we put in a clay system for the inside, which can absorb and desorb humidity, maintaining a very even temperature. Hemp shiv is also added to this clay plaster, so you get a reduced thermal conductivity and an improved moisture buffering, which is good from the point of view of energy and indoor air quality, and it’s a very healthy environment to live in.”
Finally, “Because it’s all biobased, it can be recycled. With hemp-lime from a building at its end of life, one of the most viable options is to use it as mulch. You put it on top of the ground to stop weeds coming up, save water, and help the plants to grow better. Eventually over a few years it will decay and the materials will become fertilisers for the plants. It’s much more virtuous circle than the use of mineral materials. Although today you can probably reuse the steel, you have to heat it up, melt it and remake more steel which is energy-intensive. Concrete is the big problem. It generally has to be crushed and goes to the landfill. And this is not a very efficient of using the materials.”
How can buildings help combat climate change? As well as making buildings more energy efficient, our choice of materials has a profound impact.
Natural bio-based materials, which require low or no energy during their production, can reduce emissions significantly. Using plant based materials – which absorb carbon dioxide when growing – we can start to construct ‘zero carbon’ buildings, where the materials have absorbed more CO2 than is consumed during construction.
Building with natural materials like hemp-lime, clay and straw has traditionally been a small scale activity. But today, a new generation of companies are revolutionising natural building by developing products ready made for the mass market. They combine natural materials with innovative technologies to make products that feel like, and perform like, market leading materials. Widescale deployment of natural bio-based materials could turn our built environment into a carbon store, and bring other benefits in terms of occupant health and comfort, and reusability/biodegradability. For now however, their market share remains modest.
To debate policies and initiatives to promote the use of these innovative materials to decarbonise construction the ISOBIO project partners invite policy makers, industry, civil society groups and all interested stakeholders to an event on 29 January in Brussels.
The event is free of charge, but registration is mandatory via this link. A networking drinks reception will follow the event.
December 5 is UN World Soil Day. The building industry has thus been called to account for its role in the massive use of mineral raw materials and environmental pollution.One solution comes from the bio-construction sector which draws on unlimited sources of natural materials such as hemp, which is a recyclable carbon sequestrator. But how comfortable is it to live in a hemp house?
Building with wood, straw, and hemp. Biobased materials are seeing ever more use in the construction sector, which needs to become more sustainable as it is one of the major sources of soil, air and water pollution.
“Forty percent of global raw material is consumed by the building industry. Fifty percent of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere come from the construction sector,” reports Italian bio-construction expert Paolo Ronchetti. Moreover, “Traditional building and insulation materials – of mineral or synthetic origin – are rarely recyclable. At the end of their life they are disposed of in landfills. Therefore, besides having an important environmental impact for their production, they have an equivalent environmental impact for their disposal.”
Biodegradable and from unlimited sources. Instead of exploiting the earth’s crust, and using a process that consumes energy and pollute, the bioconstruction sector can get its materials from the field. Hemp is one of the best examples; it can be grown in crop rotation and improves the quality of the soil. The plant is also a “carbon sequestrator”: it grows very quickly and acts as a carbon store, absorbing atmospheric CO2 for as long as it continues to exist.
Ronchetti adds: “You should consider that one cubic metre of a brick made from hempcrete – a hemp and lime biocomposite – instead of emitting C02, and polluting, it captures 20 kg of CO2 from the atmosphere. A cubic metre of low-density hempcrete biocomposite, which is sprayed to insulate roofs or subfloors, can remove 60 kg of CO2 from the atmosphere. So you can imagine – with the volumes and the numbers in the construction industry – how much this virtuous model of building with hemp and lime can fight climate change.”
To note, in the past, industrial hemp was banned in many countries because it was associated with illegal marijuana, from which it differs as the psychoactive compound ‘THC’ is present in proportions of below 0.2%. A thriving industry was consequently stopped. Now hemp farming is flourishing again.
This material also has other advantages. It allows builders to make high-performance envelopes and offers more comfortable, healthy and energy-efficient houses. Furthermore, the traditional building industry has increasingly used synthetic and chemical products that can be toxic and hazardous to human health. Tough low allergen design using natural materials is becoming a new trend.
Northern Italy, Chiari, near Brescia. “In the Po Valley summers are terribly hot and humid. Winters are cold and damp. Humidity rules here!’’ says Sara Bordiga. His husband, Mauro Cogi, longed for an eco-friendly home, and started studying all the available possibilities on the market. Finally, he opted for hemp and in 2015, Mauro and Sara moved into their new biobased house with their child.
“My husband’s choice really surprised me. I had never heard about hemp houses!” says Sara.
Mauro, an engineer, personally followed all the building phases. “The hemp technology works very well. I wrapped the whole structure in this monobloc hemp envelope, thus avoiding thermal bridges.” It’s monobloc because they didn’t use bricks, the hempcrete was sprayed directly onto the structural walls.
As this natural material is porous, it allows the building to “breathe”, avoiding any stagnant humidity. It also keeps a consistent temperature, thus cutting heating and cooling costs.
“Unlike what happens in homes with traditional polystyrene cladding, which doesn’t let moisture out, hemp allows good air exchange. This leads to very dry walls and high environmental comfort,” explains Mauro. “In this house, whose heating and cooling systems are only electric, the maximum power required is 1.8 kW, which is little more than a hair dryer. And with this 1.8 kW I can cool or heat 180 square metres.”
“Zero mould. Zero moisture,” confirms Sara. “And we’re doing well! There is a good level of comfort, we live well in terms of air and well-being.”
Hemp mixed with lime is the usual solution to insulate this kind of building. But European researchers, working on the project called Isobio, went further and developed a lighter but more rigid panel, with improved thermal conductivity. Thanks to innovative biobased binders, whose formula is still a secret, there’s no need for lime. This solution has breakthrough potential in the building sector.
Mike Lawrence, professor at BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials, University of Bath, UK, explains: “This material is the major innovation. It is a mixture of the hemp shiv – the woody part of the hemp stock – and it’s been mixed with the thermal setting binder which is also biobased, to make something which is rigid but strong… Much much stronger than you will get with hemp lime, which is much more brittle material. And it’s a lower density than hemp lime, and it’s much more flexible in the possibilities.’’
“The other innovation is a low density, a low thermal conductivity render, and that’s made up with also hemp shiv but it’s very fine. And this is mixed with lime. But because it’s so fine and because of the formulation of the lime, you end up with a render which is very high performance, very low thermal conductivity, much much better than a normal lime render. It’s laid in two layers, it’s got a reinforcement, it’s a sort of plastic grid which is put in between the two layers just to stop it cracking. And on the top – when you put these layers on – you put a standard lime plaster, a lime render which provides the resistance, the full resistance to the weather. Because hemp has the ability to absorb and desorb humidity, on the outside when it’s raining you don’t want that, so you put this out of surface, which will stop the water coming in,” he adds.
“Between the panels we put a fibre insulation. This insulation is made up primarily of recycled cotton, and it’s also got fibres from flax and from hemp,’’ Lawrence concludes.
The researchers are testing these and other innovations in different climates, in Spain and in the UK. They installed their composite panels in two demonstration buildings in Seville and in Wroughton, and now they are monitoring applied solutions. According to their results, they can achieve 20% better insulation performance than conventional materials, 50% less embodied energy and CO2 emissions, 15% reduction in total costs.
Oliver Style, energy consultant and researcher for Isobio says: ‘’I think that the real innovation is bringing together biobased materials, a lot of which have been used in traditional constructions for centuries, and applying modern solutions to make them fire-resistant, water resistant, to make them bind well and combining all of these different materials in a prefabricated wall system, which can be industrialised. I think up to now a lot of biobased construction has been very small scale, it’s been in the field of people who are very committed to biobased buildings, but it’s quite small scale, quite bespoke. So what we’re trying to do is create scalable solutions that can be built at industrial scale and which can make all of the requirements of the marketplace regarding thermal performance, fire performance, resistant to different weather conditions.’’
The composite panels should enter the market by the end of the decade. These biobased materials are expected to become ever more competitive in the next years, as the European Union requires all new buildings to be “nearly zero-energy”, which means very high energy performance, by the end of 2020.
By Loredana Pianta
27 November 2018
Journalists can download the video teaser and the BROLL [11’, original sound] in HD quality and scripts, free of rights and charge, here: mediacenter.youris.com
Oliver Style from Progetic presented the ISOBIO project to over 500 Spanish architects and construction professionals at the 10thSpanish Passivhaus Conference in Zaragoza on 25-26 October.
As well as describing the novel products which have been developed during the project, Oliver shared some of the initial results from the ISOBIO demonstrations which are ongoing in Spain and the UK.
The annual Passivhaus Conference is one of the largest and most important gatherings about sustainable construction in Spain. It is organised by the Plataforma de Edificación Passivhaus (PEP).
Chemical composition and the geometric structure of a surface of a material are the two main attributes that govern the wettability characteristics of any material.
In pursuit for better and economical building materials, researchers have unearthed hemp shiv: the woody core of the hemp plant. Hemp shiv has been seen to possess exemplary attributes (such as excellent thermal insulation, hygroscopicity, mechanic-ability, biodegradability and good acoustic absorbance) that approve its utilization in the fabrication of light weight composites. Contra wise, not only does hemp shiv possess a higher water absorption rate due to its highly porous structure, but also has cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin which make it incompatible with hydrophobic thermoset/thermoplastic polymers. Excess moisture conditions can lead to degradation and decay of hemp based composites. Consequently, this can be resolved by converting cellulose-based hydrophilic materials to hydrophobic via chemical modification.
Several techniques have already been established, however, none is applicable for the treatment of hemp shiv. Fortunately, sol-gel technology has shown good results when used to deposit silica-based water repellant coatings on bio-based materials. Therefore, there is need to investigate its capability to efficiently coat hemp shiv.
To this note, a team of researchers, Atif Hussain (PhD Student), Dr Juliana Calabria-Holley, Dr Yunhong Jiang and Dr. Mike Lawrence at the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at University of Bath in the UK in collaboration with Canadian researchers at University of Laval, Dr Diane Schorr and Professor Pierre Blanchet incorporated sol-gel technology for the first time in the treatment of hemp shiv in order to develop a superior bio-based aggregate for sustainable high performance thermal insulation building composites. Additionally, they investigated the influence of catalysts, solvent dilution and hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS) loading in the silica sols on the hydrophobicity of hemp shiv surface. Their work is currently published in the research journal, Applied Surface Science.
Their research method commenced with the preparation of the hydrophobic coatings. Next, the water contact angle of the uncoated hemp shiv samples was determined. Using 3D optical profilometer, the researchers obtained the topography and surface roughness of the samples. They then proceeded to analyze the surface elemental and chemical composition of the samples. Lastly, they characterized the surface morphology of the specimens using scanning electron microscopy.
The authors observed that the hydrophobicity of sol-gel coated hemp shiv increased significantly when using acid catalyzed sols which provided water contact angles of up to 118° at 1% HDTMS loading. The researches also noted that the ethanol diluted sol-gel coatings enhanced the surface roughness of the hemp shiv by 36% as observed under 3D optical profilometer. Finally, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed that the surface chemical composition of the hemp shiv was altered by the sol-gel coating, blocking the hydroxyl sites responsible for hydrophilicity.
Atif Hussain and colleagues study presented a facile single step dip-coating process that was successfully applied to form a hydrophobic surface onto an extremely hydrophilic bio-based aggregate. Generally, the hydrophobic properties were achieved through a combination of topological alteration and chemical modification of the hemp shiv by the modified silica-based sol-gel coatings. Altogether, coatings with low HDTMS precursor loading would be of interest to the bio-based building industry due to its hygroscopic properties, long shelf life, economical and lower environmental impact.
The Energy Efficient Buildings (E2B) Committee of the ECTP has released the 2018 edition EeB PPP Project Review, reporting about the progress of a portfolio of 168 projects in total.
Among them, ISOBIO is featured in the framework of H2020 projects related to advanced materials and nanotechnologies in building blocks.
The use of natural materials is growing rapidly in Argentina and other South American countries. Technical progress and policy implementation seem to go hand in hand
The green building phenomenon in Latin America has taken off. Bio-based aggregates have started penetrating the construction sector’s market, and the development of eco-friendly renewable products has increased the use of bio-based polymers in the construction industry, as a recent study shows.
South America is one of the emerging markets where a major demand in natural materials for buildings is expected in the next years. People today are indeed increasingly persuaded that they can safely get the same quality level as traditional products.
The policy implementation in the region following suit. Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Peru have carried out different measures ranging from relevant tax cuts to soft loans for sustainable construction.
Although in Argentina this is still a new phenomenon, the situation and legislation are quickly changing. “In my country public interest and the market are also growing because young people are getting involved and interested in this topic,” says Juan Manuel Vazquez, an Argentinian agricultural engineer, who started using bio-based material for construction 15 years ago.
“I was working in an agronomic olive oil industry and I found that olive oil can lose quality in storage, in particular in countries with extreme climates. That was also when I first heard about straw bale warehouses, used for storing bulk food because of their insulation properties,” he told youris.com.
He later became co-founder of Henia Carbono Negativo, a company that develops pre-assembled panels of straw bales, using 100% biological material for dry construction, with high thermo acoustic, mechanical and fireproof performances. It was in La Cumbre, Córdoba, that they built their first family house of 250 m2.
“We are now working to conquer the mass market, it will take time but not that much,” affirms the expert with conviction. “I recognise that my method may be a niche one, but I think that economic paradigms are changing. People are willing to pay a little more for green materials because it’s a matter of health and well-being.’
An eco-friendly house in Argentina would cost only 10% more than a traditional one, on the basis of Manuel Vazquez’s estimations. He also says that thermal insulation is seven times greater than that produced by a double hollow brick wall.
It is also resistant to fire and earthquakes. The straw used is kept compact, and without moisture, and it does not attract insects of any kind. High insulation potential, no pollution, and the fight against climate change are just some of the reasons which motivate him.
Henia’s experience is in line with ISOBIO, a EU project that proposes a strategy to mainstream bio-based construction materials. This is another source of inspiration for Manuel Vazquez. According to the European researchers, bio-based construction materials are in fact capable of achieving a 50% reduction in embodied energy and CO2 emissions, with 20% better insulation properties compared to conventional materials such as bricks, cement and beams in walls and roofs.
There are several signs of policy changes to promote energy efficiency in Argentina’s buildings. For example, the city of Rosario has implemented a certification, carried out in 500 homes, which enabled household performance and energy-saving potential to be identified.
Specialist in bio construction Maria Loreto Retamales lives in a bio-based house in Valparaiso, in Chile, but her first eco-friendly house was in Argentina. “Ten years ago, I decided with my family to live in harmony with nature,” she explains. “I read about the architect Nader Khalili, his Cal Earth Foundation (California Institute of Earth Architecture), and his research and work with soil and sack.”
She studied his technique called “SuperAdobe”, a form of earth bag architecture, and now she trains other people on it as well. “In less than a year, I even gave workshops to architects and engineers in Argentina, Chile and Bolivia,” she tells us.
House built with the SuperAdobe technique. Photo credits: Maria Loreto Retamales
Maria Loreto has no doubt: “Living in a natural building has big advantages such as a more stable temperature and humidity. People don’t get ill so much. Moreover, earth isolates from the sun’s radiation and electromagnetic waves.”
Argentina has one of the most recognised bio constructors in the world, Jorge Belanko, specialised in earth buildings. Of course, this technique still remains quite unusual, but in the last 10 years Maria Loreto has seen hundreds of innovative projects developing.
Finally, one of the architectural symbols of the growing movement of natural builders in the country, is Tol-Haru, la Nave Tierra del Fin del Mundo, the first self-sufficient house in Latin America. It was built in Ushuaia, the closest city to Antarctica in 2014, using recycled materials. Wind and solar energy provide heating and cooling. The shelter also reuses rainwater and it even recycles waste.
TWI will represent ISOBIO at the Surfex exhibition in Coventry (UK) on 22-23 May 2018.
Come to stand 322 to find out more about their novel silica particle treatment that improves the water and fire resistant of bio-based materials. Tests carried out within the ISOBIO project on hemp shiv have shown the treatment confers extensive repellence to liquid water, delays mould growth and acts as a heat shield, delaying ignition time.
Hemp shiv is already by far the most commonly used bio-aggregate in the construction industry, and this treatment could help bring the material further into mainstream use.
The Surfex exhibition brings an essential focus to surface coatings technologies and offers attendees an opportunity to discover new ideas, find answers to technical challenges and source information for immediate use in their working environment.
A new sustainable initiative in Bristol, in the UK, uses bio-based materials to face the need for additional and affordable housing supply
Bristol is at the forefront of high-tech innovation in the UK, named European green capital in 2015. But it is also the second least affordable major British city housing-wise only after London.
Its estimated population is 454,200 people, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Around 10,000 people are registered on the waiting list for a council home. There is a serious housing problem affecting both the young and the old.
To face the emergency, the Knowle West district is testing a new solution that is eco-friendly at the same time. We visited this neighbourhood in the south of Bristol, to discover how a community is trying to make possible a sustainable, affordable housing model using bio-materials.
The initiative, called We Can Make, gathered architects, designers, academics, policy makers, and residents. The result is a prototype house built on the grounds of a community centre, with the cooperation and participation of locals in the construction, plumbing, handmade carved furniture, art, and interior design.
The TAM (Transportable Accommodation Module) was designed and built using bio-materials such as straw, compress straw, and timber. These carbon capturing materials minimise their environmental footprint.
The building is cool in summer and warm in winter, saving hundreds of pounds per month in air conditioning and heating. Actually, as soon as we entered the house, the temperature and the moisture in the environment were right despite the cold weather and rain outside.
According to Dr. Charles Gamble, our guide and head of Innovation at Stramit International, which is part of CooBio company, the TAM uses 90 percent less energy to heat and light when compared to the UK average.
Dr. Charles Gamble, head of Innovation at Stramit International, shows samples of the compressed strawboard panels used in the TAM (By Susan Fourtané)
“The panels are made of compress straw and strawboard framed in timber and covered in clay,” he told youris.com. “Compress straw board has been around for almost 70 years since the technology was invented in Sweden in 1950. The process, also developed in the UK, provided building materials for more than a quarter million houses from the 50s to the 70s after which it became impossible to compete with plasterboard,” he added. These natural retrofitting solutions are also currently being tested at demonstration sites in the UK (Bath) and Spain (Seville) under the EU project Isobio.
Residents who have tested the TAM space overnight have reported that they slept better than usual, which is attributed to a good quality of air in the ambience. External people can rent it through Airbnb, and the income goes to the community centre.
“It’s the breathable nature of the building,” confirmed Finlay White from ModCell, which provided the straw panel systems, when we asked the difference from the traditional Victorian houses in England. “Around the windows in the buildings you don’t get condensation. This is one of the health benefits of using bio-materials,” he explained.
“The mapping of the Knowle West area identified thousands of small plots of land where TAMs could be put to relieve the housing situation for many of the families here who are stuck, because they have no employment or they’re too old. Sometimes you have three or four generations living in a small house,” Gamble said.
“A salary is £23,000 a year. The average price house is 8.4 times that,” added White, while the TAM cost for 36m2 is £90,000, with both leasing and hire purchase options.
“What ‘We Can Make’ offers is a model that can be replicated in other regions involving local communities to develop in spaces that they privately own or the council owns, constructing the TAM systems locally to solve housing crisis,” said Gamble.
The team intends to place the houses approximately 200 metres from the community centre, hiring local people to help build the panels creating about 21 jobs in the location.
According to White, there have been identified 1500 potential sites in this area with seven similar more estates in Bristol, and “there are estates like these all over the UK that have the same housing issues.”
Researchers from the University of Bath have published a new paper that, for the first time, fully characterizes the intrinsic physical parameters of hemp shiv.
Though bio-based insulation materials, such as hemp, flax and wheat straw offer a number of benefits in comparison with more established mineral and oil-based alternatives, the characterisation of the properties of bio-based building materials is at an early stage.
Hemp shiv is, by far, the most commonly used bio-aggregate in the construction industry and the information provided in the paper will be of great use to researchers and practitioners alike.
“Cell wall microstructure, pore size distribution and absolute density of hemp shiv” has been published by Royal Society Open Science and is now available to read and download at this link.
Hundreds of construction professionals were introduced to ISOBIO’s innovative bio-based solutions at the Ecobuild trade fair in London last week, the UKs largest event for sustainable building products.
The ISOBIO stand was busy throughout the three day exhibition, with visitors keen to learn how partners are developing new scalable natural products with improved resistance to fire and decay.
Large samples of the ISOBIO systems for new build, external and internal retrofitting were on show, enabling visitors to see and feel for themselves the properties of natural materials, which are known to have benefits for the environment and for health when used in construction.
The question on everybody’s lips was: ‘where can we buy it?’ Well the novel ISOBIO panels and plasters are currently being tested at demonstration sites in the UK and Spain. They will be available on the market by the end of the decade: so watch this space!
We were handing out postcards describing the different ISOBIO product prototypes which you can download here
Scientists from ISOBIO attended the second International Conference on Bio-Based Building Materials (ICBBM) in Clermont Ferrand in June of 2017. Dr Mike Lawrence from the University of Bath delivered a plenary talk on Innovations in the use of bio-based aggregates in construction, charting the development of research leading to the cutting-edge research being conducted in ISOBIO.
Technical research conducted as part of the ISOBIO Project inspired the presentation of 5 papers at the conference. This included 2 papers prom the University of Bath, 2 papers from the University of Rennes 2, and one paper from CAVAC.
266 delegates from 40 countries attended the conference to listen to 150 presentations. As well as sharing scientific knowledge through presentations, there were opportunities for networking with scientists in different fields, but all with the shared goal of minimising the environmental impact of construction through the use of bio-based materials.
ISOBIO demonstration activities are happening now in Spain & in UK, discover the progress we are making in our demo sites through the following timelapse videos!
The new building insulation system can be divided into the following compartments:
Structural frame + BioFib insulation.
OSB3 panels
Intello Proclima
Timber battens (service void) + BioFib insulation material
CSB panels
Clay plaster
ISOBIO rigid panels
Hemp lime render
These are all sandwiched together to form the new building’s panel. It can be constructed in the following order:
The wood studs are joined together using screws to form a structural frame with a 600mm interaxial distance between profiles. The height of the frame can be adjustable to the structure dimensions and the void is filled with BioFib Trio insulation material.
After, OSB3 panels are fixed to the frame using nails or screws and a Intello Proclima membrane is attached to OSB3 panels using staples.
Timber battens are added on above it using screws. They are installed horizontally again vertical disposition of the structural frame. A BioFib Trio insulation material fills the void between timber battens.
The last layer from the interior side is formed by CSB panels, which are fixed on top followed by the clay plaster. This plaster is made out of earthen clay, hemp powder, pumice and sand.
Flipping over the entire board, ISOBIO rigid panels (made out of commercial hemp and a thermosetting bio-based binder) are added on top of as the last external panel using screws. Finally they are followed by a hemp lime render which is the exterior finishing of the new building system.
Functions
The overall structure allows an even distribution with regards to the load-bearing capacity of the panel. The frame provides structural resistance to the whole system while maintaining the final structure as a single unit when the rest of the layers are added.
The OSB3 panel has an acoustic isolation similar to the wooden frame. It also has a low humidity content and low thermal conductivity. The BioFib Trio insulation is a material composed of hemp, flax, cotton fibers and thermoplastic fibers. Both the OSB3 panel and BioFib trio insulation materials provide high thermal insulation, thus providing comfort for residents during cold or hot seasons.
Another insulating material such as the Proclima intello membrane is used as a vapour check and airtightness barrier that prevents structural damage and mould formation in the system due to its high diffusion capacity. It is also non-toxic in nature, just like the other materials used to build this wall panel.
The CSB panels, which also increase the thermal insulation of the system, act as a moisture buffering layer while possessing while providing mechanical stability to the panel’s overall structure. The addition of the Clay plaster, as interior finishing layer, reinforced this property and added fire resistance properties to the system.
From the external side the combination of the ISOBIO rigid panel and the Hemp lime render acts as a fire retardant and improves hygrothermal properties, such as water repellency, protecting the system from the environmental effects and thus further preventing mould formation.
Impact
The overall panels for the new building are highly insulated, thus allowing rooms to be thermally stable during summer, winter or when the temperature outside abruptly changes. In addition, these panels are highly resistant to mould formation as they are highly diffusive in the presence of moisture. All these allow the houses to be breathable and energy efficient while providing optimal comfort for the residents once installed.
The internal retrofitting system is composed of the following layers
Clay reinforcement mortar
ISOBIO rigid panels
CSB panels
Clay plaster
As the first layer, a clay reinforcement mortar is used to attach the ISOBIO rigid panels to the exiting wall.
When the clay reinforcement mortar has acquired its mechanical properties after its curing time, the CSB panels are mechanically or adhesively joined to the ISOBIO rigid panels and placed in a vertical disposition. Finally a clay plaster produced by CLAYTEC is applied as the finishing coating. This plaster is made of earthen clay, hemp powder, pumice and sand.
Functions
In order to reduce the interior dimensions as less as possible, in internal retrofitting activity it have been decided to stuck all the panels to the existing wall with a clay reinforcement mortar avoiding the extra space that a frame would take. The main function of the clay reinforcement mortar is to fix ISOBIO rigid panels to the existing wall that will be retrofitted.
The combination between the ISOBIO rigid panels and the CSB panels helps to maintain the system’s structure and to increase its thermal insulation properties. Moreover, it acts as a moisture buffering layer, providing the system the protection it needs from any moisture-based damages.
The clay Plaster is an easy to use material that acts as a fire retardant while possessing a very stable moisture buffering effect. Moreover, it provides the required esthetical finishing to the interior of the building.
Impact
It will aid in reducing the energy consumption needed for air conditioning housing. It will also protect the building from moisture-based damages and possible outbreaks due to temperature changes. All these make the buildings highly energy efficient while providing an optimal level of comfort for residents at any time of the year.
The external retrofitting system is composed of the following layers
Wood studs
BioFib
Isobio rigid panel
Hemp lime render
The wood studs are joined together by screws or nails to form the structural frame. Its voids are filled with a thick BioF Trio isolation material. Then Isobio rigid panels with predefined dimensions are fixed to the wood studs using screws or nails.
The hemp lime render, which is mainly composed of lime, hemp, and a lime based plaster, will be placed on top of the Isobio panels. The entire panel will be attached to an existing wall using a metallic solution which will depend of the type of façade.
Functions
Wood studs: they provide the structural frame of the entire system. This frame provides structural resistance to the whole system while maintaining the final structure as a single unit when the rest of the layers are added
BioFib: it is an insulating material with an excellent mechanical strength. Because of its natural fibers, it is safe to use, soft to touch and easy to install in houses.
Isobio panel: it is a bio-composite made of commercial hemp shiv grade and a thermosetting bio-based binder. This material is highly water repellent and acts as a fire retardant.
Hemp lime render: it is a lightweight and stable bio-composite material. It can also be personalized by colouring it and acts as a fire retardant with optimal hygrothermal properties.
Impact
They will aid in reducing the energy consumption needed for air conditioning housing. They will also protect the building from moisture-based damages and possible outbreaks due to temperature changes. All these make the buildings highly energy efficient while providing an optimal level of comfort for residents at any time of the year.
TWI will present ISOBIO at the AAAS Conference (American Association for the Advancement of Science), February 15–19, 2018 in the US (Austin, TX).
The AAAS Annual Meeting is a widely recognized global science gathering, bringing thousands of scientists, engineers, policymakers, educators, and journalists together to discuss the most recent developments in science and technology.
For further informarion on ISOBIO at AAAS, visit the conference website.
ISOBIO innovation will be featured at the 2018 edition of Ecobuild conference from the 6th untill the 8th of March, being the leading event to engage with building sector stakeholders and showcase the results and technologies developed within the project.
The ecological properties of hemp makes it one of the types of insulation used in construction with the lowest carbon emissions footprint
A relatively recent interest in hemp as a building material responds to a global trend that encourages the development of bio-based products and the reduction of carbon emissions. But its use dates back to many centuries ago.
In China, in 200 BCE, hemp was mixed with lime and tung oil, and used as caulk for junk ships, classic ancient Chinese sailing vessels. It is no surprise these hemp vessels, which sailed by the early Middle Ages, are still in wide use. The permeability of the hemp material that controls moisture similarly to existing wooden elements, makes it ideal for the shipping industry.
In France, we can find another example of its early use in construction in the 6th century. Hemp mortar was discovered in Merovingian bridges where the crop was used to reinforce abutments. The first construction using hempcrete (hemp and lime composite) wrapped around a timber frame was built in 1989 in the same country.
Nowadays, France is Europe’s biggest producer of industrial hemp, and first in the world in hemp-seed production accounting for 59 percent of the global total.
The plant can be grown locally and harvested with minimum input in a matter of months. French Cavac Biomatériaux cultivates hemp and flax. The plantations are located close to its manufacturing site, reducing the company’s carbon footprint. The industrial production of hemp, flax fibres, and shiv, undergo a process of defibering and burling after which they are packed and delivered to the site. “We are a complete hemp chain from the field to the site,” says Valentin Colson, Service R&D of Cavac, which is also member of the European project ISOBIO focusing on eco-materials for low-carbon construction.
The company produces bio-based flexible and rigid insulation panels for the construction industry. “One important point is that the panel is vapour permeable. It is hydrophobic, which means that water has difficulty to penetrate the panel,” explains Colson, offers an excellent long-term mechanical stability, and can also be used to seal and improve the air tightness of the building.
Even though the hemp used in construction is fire resistant, researchers continue to look for better eco-friendly alternatives. “We are working on the fire-proofing of the new panel and try to find an eco-friendly solution to fireproof it,” says Colson.
In the UK, it was illegal to grow hemp between 1929 and 1993, because the plant belongs to the cannabis family. Other places such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the US banned the cultivation of hemp for nearly 70 years due to its connection with marijuana. However, only 0.3 percent of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, is present in the strain of plant grown for hemcrete. All the bans are lifted now.
In that year, former Asheville mayor Russ Martin and his wife Karon Korp built the first permitted hemp home in Asheville, North Carolina. Back then, they consulted with environmental designer Anthony Brenner, who brought the idea of building with hemp to the couple who was looking for a sustainable, energy-efficient home. After the success with Martin-Korp’s hemp house, Brenner was consulted on many other hemp homes.
Hempcrete panels are used as insulating infill of walls, roof, and under-floor offering great thermal and acoustic performance. Concerns in long-term performance of the plant in construction such as biological degradation, infestation, moisture, structural degradation, or fire “are solved with the presence of hydrated lime,” says Brenner. Among the many benefits of building with hemp, he highlights “carbon-negative, non-toxic, fire-resistant, and mold-resistant.” It provides natural insulation, and it makes for a healthy and safe building site. When a building is demolished, the hempcrete can be recycled and reused in a new building.
In the US, “many states are passing legislation to grow hemp now, which will make it more cost effective. The cost was the biggest hurdle,” says Brenner. This was because before the Agricultural Act signed by former US President Barack Obama in 2014 all the hemp was imported from Europe, mostly from France and the UK.
Hemp, a multi-purpose crop that delivers fibres, shivs, seeds, and pharmaceuticals is currently used in insulation materials and bio-composites for a more sustainable construction industry. Russ Martin and his wife Karon Korp tell their story as owners of the first hemp house in the US
Hemp is getting more attention for its multiple uses in sustainable building. In the US, former Asheville mayor Russ Martin and his wife Karon Korp, built the first hemp house in 2010 using crop imported from the UK. They were inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, an American architect and interior designer who believed in designing structures that are in harmony with humanity and its environment. Wright called this philosophy “organic architecture.”
Karon Korp and Russ Martin Photo source: Karon Korp
Since legislation passed in 2014, hemp homes can be homegrown in the US. However, the industrial cultivation of this plant is still in its infancy. There were only 4,000 hectares planted in 2016 in contrast to 33,000 hectares of industrial hemp grown in Europe in the same year.
“Hemp is a great option and a sustainable product that should be more widely accepted and used,” says Karon Korp, who together with her husband, lived for six years in their hemp house in North Carolina. “Designer Anthony Brenner worked with us to help create the home and its features, and brought the idea of building with hemp to us.” youris.com asked Korp to share some more details from their life in the hemp house.
What was your main motivation for building a hemp house? We wanted to do something that had not been done before, in a healthy, green way that was more sustainable for our planet.
Do you still live there? We sold the home last year, the first of its kind in America. Though the space was beautiful and we enjoyed living there very much, it was at 3,500 feet (around 1,060 metres) elevation, almost the top of the mountain. Our lifestyle and work commitments found us in town most days and we decided to simplify our lives a bit by moving to a more convenient neighbourhood.
How was living in the hemp house in the mountains like? It was a sanctuary almost on top of the mountain, views of mountains and nature all around, filled with light in every room, ample wildlife – lots of black bears!
The first hemp house built from hempcrete in the U.S., belonged to Russ Martin and Karon Korp. It was their hemp home from 2010 to 2016. Photo source: Anthony Brenner
Can you comment on how the insulation and air-purifying properties were when you lived there? How do they compare to your previous houses? The home is 3,000 square feet (around 279 square metres), and the insulating factor of the hemp proved quite effective, even at the higher elevation where weather could be colder and more severe than lower elevations. Our electric bill was routinely below average for homes of similar size. As for the air-purifying properties of the home, I would say we were less prone to allergies while living there for six years.
Could you tell us more about other eco-friendly materials that were used in the house? We had walls made out of a product from recycled paper. They are structurally more sound than traditionally framed walls, and on the exterior they are covered with a magnesium oxide board finish. We used recycled building materials throughout the home: flooring, windows, vanities. We used natural finishes, and NO VOC (volatile organic compounds) stains, and paint. The hemp was fire retarding.
What about the costs of living in a hemp house? The cost of our house average monthly energy bill was $100 (around €85) for a 3,000 square feet (around 279 square metres) home. Moreover, we saved 25 percent on our homeowner’s insurance after moving into the hemp house.
Can you also share the price of the house when you sold it? The house sold for $685,000 (around €584,000) in May 2017. Do you think hemp could be the preferred material in the future of the construction industry?
While I don’t think it will ever completely replace traditional methods and materials, industrial hemp could revolutionise the building industry, and provide a new agricultural product that would support farmers and rebuild their industry.
ISOBIO workshop has just concluded at Acciona Construcción premises and the echo of its outcome conveys a story of successful collaboration and knowledge transfer among innovation project in the domain of eco-construction.
The event has showcased bio-based products and solutions for new buildings and retrofitting projects, currently under development in three EU funded projects, ECO-SEE, OSIRYS and ISOBIO. Experts from the projects shared their achievements and experience in bio-based panels and plasters for novel insulation, in panel and coating products, forest-based biocomposites for façades and interior partitions and on how bio-based products can be incorporated into low energy building design.
ISOBIO construction activities are now being carried out at Acciona premises.
The project demonstrator is now coming to life and all project results are being delivered and assembled to demonstrate the wide range of configurations and solutions developed in ISOBIO, including an insulation system for new buildings as well as sytems for internal and external retrofitting of extising buildings.
Claytec is a German SME which produces a series of clay based products and systems. These include clay plasters, colors, boards, and blocks as well as interior insulation solutions. Within ISOBIO Claytec have investigated how adding bio-based aggregates could improve the properties and performance of their plasters. They have developed three new clay plasters that incorporate hemp powder as a bio-based aggregate. The plasters use earthen clay as a binder, and pumice and sand as the mineral aggregates. In addition, a silica based fire retardant additive was added in one of the plasters.
Functions
The Claytec plasters are packaged in the form of ready-to-use mixtures and are compatible with standard plaster machines. They are suitable for interior use. The three ISOBIO plasters were developed specifically for use as a fire protection layer on bio-based substrates such as rigid hemp insulation panels, compressed straw boards and wood fibre boards.
Impact
Clay in itself can be deemed advantageous as a construction material. It improves the indoor air quality, has a favourable environmental footprint, and is easy to use. The tailor made modifications developed in ISOBIO should improve their fire protection capacity and workability on bio-based substrates, while providing a constant moisture buffering effect (>65gr/m² (class III DIN 18947). These improvements are not expected to increase costs compared to standard clay plasters.
Cavac Biomatériaux is a subsidiary of the French Agricultural Cooperative Cavac, and specialises in the production of biobased insulation products for the building market. Within the ISOBIO project they have developed a new product: a rigid insulation panel made of hemp.
The panel is composed of a commercial hemp shiv grade bonded using a specially formulated thermosetting bio-based binder, developed in collaboration with UR1. The panel manufacturing process has been validated on existing industrial tools and panel prototypes have been installed at ISOBIO demonstrators.
Functions
The rigid panel can be used for internal or external insulation, or as a substrate for renders or plasters. A tongue and groove system has been developed for easy installation and to prevent thermal bridging.
The insulating panel offers a low thermal conductivity and embodied energy while maximising the moisture buffering value and mechanical properties. Research on additives showed that improved water repellence and fire performances can be obtained.
Impact
This product brings a new valorisation to hemp shiv aggregates (a byproduct of the hemp transformation). The biobased binder offers an eco-friendly and harmless alternative to formaldehyde and isocyanate adhesives.
The compatibility with dry manufacturing processes also significantly reduces the embodied energy when compared to existing wet processes.
BCB is a French company which provides lime solutions such as mortars, washes or renders for exterior and interior masonry, and rendering for all types of architecture.
BCB is conducting research into eco-friendly materials by broadening the scope of application for lime. Within the ISOBIO project they have developed a novel bi-component product made of lime combined with hemp aggregates.
Functions
The novel plaster that has been developed can be used both for internal and external application. The plaster can be applied to old as well as new substrates, including concrete, cellular concrete, lime-based undercoating, stone, and wood panels. The product has also adheres well to bio-based substrates, such as the hemp panel developed by CAVAC. Implementation is made by spraying.
In case of external application, it should be covered with a fine layer of lime-sand render to protect the wall from weather conditions. When used internally, the plaster provides a decorative finishing layer. Because of its vapour permeability, it also ensures a comfortable habitat in term of humidity and temperature regulation.
Impact
The inclusion of bio‐based materials ensures that whole life energy use is reduced through taking advantage of the photosynthesis of atmospheric carbon, which is sequestered in the fabric of the building. The plaster does not contain sand, which also considerably reduces its carbon impact. Moreover, application of the plaster is easier due to its density being much lower than usual finishing plasters.
Compressed Straw Board (CSB) is a wall construction and lining material made in a continuous process by heating straw under pressure in a Stramit International machine.
A solid board is produced which is 100% pure straw, without extra binder, the lignin in the straw being sufficient to act as a binder during the process. Normally it is covered with a paper cover during the process.
CSB is produced in solid self supporting boards in thicknesses of 40 or 60mm and 800 or 1200mm widths, at selectable length between 1.5 and 3.9m.
Functions
CSB is used to face the internal wall and ceiling surfaces of buildings by fixing to the structure, and can form self supporting internal walls (partitions). It can be plastered in clay or gypsum, to a fine finish.
CSB has a thermal conductivity value of 0.1 and as such is part of the thermal function of a building, usually supplemented by less dense insulation. It is vapour permeable and contributes to the moisture balance within a building, buffering changes in air humidity. Being of medium density CSB acts as a sound absorber and contributes to acoustic insulation between rooms in a building. A single 60mm board with a plaster finish provides 60 minutes fire resistance.
Impact
CSB demonstrates low embodied energy. It is 95% straw – a waste product of agriculture gathered into bales and transported to the processing plant. Processing CSB therefore uses little electricity.
Carbon Dioxide is sequestered at the rate of 1.5kgCO2e/kg or 30kgCO2e/m², considering only the straw component. Being a natural biological material the VOC content is negligible, contributing to a healthy indoor environment.
The agenda of ISOBIO workshop in Madrid on November the 21st, ‘Eco-materials for low carbon construction, is now available!
Don’t miss the chance to learn about ISOBIO innovative results aimed at increasing the durability and performance of plant based materials to create enhanced bio-based panels and plasters with reduced costs, as well as, to discover about a range of eco-materials, including novel insulation, panel and coating products, that have been developed in the ECO-SEE project, as well as forest-based biocomposites for façades and interior partitions, developed by partners in the OSIRYS project.
Please, have a look at the complete Agenda and register at the following link.
When: 14:00 – 17:30, Tuesday 21 November 2017
Where: ACCIONA CONSTRUCCION, Avda. de Europa, 18., Parque Empresarial La Moraleja, Alcobendas, Madrid
The objective of the Wall-ACE Project is to provide added value sustainable insulation solutions for the building market.
These new insulation products are specifically designed and focused on the renovation and new build markets, delivering high thermal performance to existing buildings and also to allow the construction of new zero energy consumption buildings.
For further information, visit the project website at this link.
Within the scope of the project LaWin (supported by the European Commission within its Horizon 2020 program), an innovative material solution will be developed for efficient solar energy and ambient heat harvesting through an active building envelope.
For further information, visit the project website at this link.
INNOVIP Consortium will reinvent the top-of-the-line insulating material vacuum-insulation-panels START: Tooltips (VIP) END: Tooltips by improving their thermal performance over the entire lifetime by at least 25 % and making VIPs adjustable, mountable and machineable.
For further information, visit the project website at this link.
The Advanced Aerogel-Based Composite (AABC) materials are a unique new class of materials. The HOMESKIN project aims at developing a new silica Advanced Aerogel-Based Composite material possessing the lowest thermal conductivity of all insulation materials found in the market.
For further information, visit the project website at this link.
The GELCLAD project aims at creating a novel cost-effective, durable, industrialised and easy to install composite insulation cladding system, based on a single structured panel with excellent insulation properties. The GELCLAD panels shall be made from a functional bio-polymer composite and an advanced foamable extrudable aerogel, produced using a co-extrusion/injection procedure, in which both the framing skin and the aerogel core will be simultaneously formed in a single product.
For further information, visit the project website at this link.
Development of innovative lightweight and highly insulating energy efficient components and associated enabling materials for cost-effective retrofitting and new construction of curtain wall facades.
For further information, visit the project website at this link.
The ECO-Binder project aims to implement industrial R&D activities related to developing Belite-Ye’elimite-Ferrite (BYF) based low-CO2 binders and demonstrating the possibility of replacing Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) based concrete products with new ones based on the new Belite-Ye’elimite-Ferrite (BYF) technology. The new generation of concrete-based construction materials and prefabricated building envelope components are targeted to give a 30% lower carbon footprint, 20% better insulating performance and 15% lower cost than current solutions based on Portland cement.
The 2017 edition of the Applied Nanotechnology and Nanoscience International Conference (ANNIC) was held in Rome, Italy from Wednesday 18th to Friday 20th October 2017.
This third edition of the conference gathered more than 280 delegates (mainly from academia) from 51 countries. Plenary sessions were held in the morning, whilst poster sessions and talks took place every afternoon. The ISOBIO project was showcased during the last day. The audience showed a lot of interest in the progress and technology presented, which highlighted the fact that using bio-materials for construction could be a solution in countries where conventional construction materials are more expensive. Finishing on a joyful note, the best talk prize, presented by Environmental Science: Nano – The Royal Society of Chemistry, was awarded to Marion Bourebrab (PhD student based at TWI Ltd.) for her presentation ‘Development of highly repellent silica nanoparticles for protection of bio-based insulation composite materials’.
Adopting biobased materials in home building can slash construction costs, but is Europe ready to put aside its fears about GM products?
One of the main contributors of CO2 emissions are the homes we live in. In the EU, buildings are responsible for 36% of CO2 emissions and 40% of energy consumption.
Researchers argue that, compared with using traditional mineral-based materials in construction, “eco-friendly” durable composites can slash by half the embodied energy and improve insulation by 20%. This means better efficiency but also reduced building costs. The hitch, though, is what biobased materials to use. And is it advisable to avoid GM products?
GMOs, genetically modified organisms, are among one of the most controversial topics in agriculture. Experts have divergent views. “The current EU GM regulation is very much outdated and dysfunctional. Plant science has in the last 15 years made enormous progress,” says Stefan Jansson, professor in the Department of Plant Physiology at Umea University, Sweden. “Gene transfer from GM crops to wild relatives is no more or no less risky that gene transfer from all other (domesticated) crops to wild relatives, which no-one ever cared about.”
It is important to ask why we are shying away from GMO products, argues Jonathan Jones, a professor at The Sainsbury Laboratory, UK, working on a project to test modified potatoes and their resistance to blight. “The GM method is totally benign and totally safe and it enables you to move genes that do different things from one plant to another,” he says.
However, some groups pioneering the use of natural products in construction have opted to avoid GM materials.
It is the case of the European project ISOBIO, which is developing innovative solutions to boost the use of bio-based materials in construction. They do not use agricultural waste from GMO plants.
Moreover, the companies that joined the consortium source local products, which will be easier to recycle being part of their landscape. Manfred Lemke, from Claytec, a Germany-based developer and producer of clay, points out that they take their straw from the fields around the factory. “Cavac, another partner in the project, sources hemp from local farmers near its base France, rather than importing materials from overseas. ‘Think global act local’ for supply chains, it avoids contamination and further risks of anonymous, global supply chains,” he adds.
“Recycling agricultural waste sounds like a positive aim. If GM crops were involved, then the potential harms would need to be thoroughly, and independently, examined,” argues Liz O’Neill, director of campaign group GM Freeze. “Even the tiniest change to the genome can have unexpected impacts, both within the organism itself and in the ecosystem into which it is introduced, ” she says. According to O’Neill, EU labelling laws help consumers identify products with GM ingredients and avoid them if they wish.
In this context, EU Ecolabel, a voluntary labelling scheme, certifies, among other things that products do not originate from genetically modified organisms.
However we approach the GM issue, looking forward to further research on it, it is certainly important to brand any products containing GMOs to allow consumers to make their own decision.
Discover the latest innovations in eco-materials for healthy low carbon construction at the next ISOBIO workshop, hosted by Acciona Construcción on 21 November in Madrid.
The event will showcase bio-based products and solutions for new buildings and retrofitting being developed by some of Europe’s most innovative companies including CAVAC Biomatériaux (France), Claytec (Germany), StramitInternational (UK), BCB Lhoist (France) and Acciona Construcción (Spain). Representatives from each will explain the products currently under development in three EU funded projects.
ISOBIO is increasing the durability and performance of plant based materials to create enhanced bio-based panels and plasters with reduced costs. A range of eco-materials, including novel insulation, panel and coating products, that have been developed in the ECO-SEE project will also be presented, as well as forest-based biocomposites for façades and interior partitions, developed by partners in the OSIRYS project.
The event will include a presentation from Passivhaus experts Progetic (Spain) on how bio-based products can be incorporated into low energy building design.
Participation is free of charge, but registration is mandatory via this link. Presentations will be made in English.
When: 14:00 – 17:30, Tuesday 21 November 2017
Where: ACCIONA CONSTRUCCION, Avda. de Europa, 18., Parque Empresarial La Moraleja, Alcobendas, Madrid
Research has made affordable, environmentally-friendly houses a reality. The first super-insulated, low-carbon straw houses are hitting the open market.
Many technologies have promised these qualities, but few have been commercially viable. What’s been lacking is the performance data needed to demonstrate that these technologies are durable, genuinely environmentally beneficial, and suitable to be insured.
Over the past 13 years, our Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering has led on research into straw as a low-impact building material. This work, which has included developing a unique straw bale panel as well as scientific monitoring and testing, has now culminated in crucial industry certifications.
… Continue reading the original article on University of Bath website, here.
ISOBIO partners are pleased to announce that the 4th stakeholder workshop will take place on 21 November (afternoon), at the Acciona offices in Madrid (Alcobendas).
With the project now moving towards the demonstration phase, the workshop will be the perfect occasion to present the innovative bio-based solutions which industrial partners have been developing during the project. Other European projects will also show their own cutting edge eco-materials at the event.
The workshop will be of interest to professionals within the construction industry looking to keep abreast of the latest developments in the field of sustainable construction materials.
More information, including the agenda and registration details will be available soon.
ISOBIO innovation continues to be featured in leading conferences and events. Today it will be presented at Lignomad by the innovation partner Progetic, who’ll provide an overview of ISOBIO research and innovation, which is making steps further in the adoption of bio-based materials in the construction sector.
For further information on the conference, visit its website: Lignomad.
ISOBIO aims to develop new bio-based insulation panels and renders, and to scale them for mainstream adoption by the building and construction industry. ISOBIO researchers have been working on ways to improve their resistance to fire and decay. Dr Mike Lawrence from the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials at the University of Bath explains how the application of high technology film coatings can help.
The benefits of using plant-based materials in construction are well known. They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, generating oxygen and water in the process, so when incorporated into a building offer the possibility of carbon negative construction. One possible drawback is that these materials, being carbon based, are intrinsically flammable, and susceptible to decay.
The traditional way of dealing with these issues is either to protect the material by good detailing or to incorporate fire protective chemicals such as Borax. Researchers at the University of Bath and TWI have been looking at a radical new approach, by coating the individual particles with a microscopic layer of silica, one billionth of a metre in thickness, so thin that it is completely invisible except under a scanning electron microscope.
In spite of the small amount of material being used, the researchers have shown that this layer can not only give added fire resistance, but by using some clever chemical manipulation, the layer can make the particles hydrophobic. This resistance to water means that agents of decay such as bacteria and fungi, cannot reproduce, making the material much more robust. This means that the materials will last longer and will be much more resilient to disasters such as flooding.
These scientific advances will be incorporated into the novel ISOBIO panels and plasters that will be available on the market by the end of the decade.
Scanning Electron Microscope image showing pores in hemp shiv (x 6500 magnification)
Scanning Electron Microscope image showing pores in hemp shiv coated with nano-silica (x 6500 magnification)
ISOBIO aims to develop new bio-based insulation panels and renders, and to scale them for mainstream adoption by the building and construction industry, but just how much do we actually know about the bio-materials we are proposing to use? ISOBIO researchers have been working on deepening our understanding of these amazing materials
It is well known that plant based materials offer great benefits in the field of construction. They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, generating oxygen and water in the process, so when incorporated into a building offer the possibility of carbon negative construction. Experience has shown that bio-based materials have the capability to manage the internal air quality passively, producing much more healthy living environments.
Just how this works, and why plant based materials perform so well has been the subject of research for several decades. ISOBIO researchers at the University of Bath in the UK and the University of Rennes 1 in France have been delving deep into the microstructure of plants and have discovered some remarkable characteristics.
These plants have complex interlinked pore structures, designed by nature to transport moisture and nutrients. When incorporated into buildings these same pores not only provide excellent levels of thermal insulation but also buffer moisture, resulting in steady humidity levels in rooms reducing the need for air conditioning.
Plants such as hemp, oil-seed rape, flax, wheat and corn-cob all offer varying degrees of insulation and moisture buffering, and the researchers within the ISOBIO project are developing a detailed understanding of the mechanisms involved and ways to optimise their performance. This understanding is being incorporated into the novel ISOBIO panels and plasters that will be available on the market by the end of the decade.
Genetic investigations are the latest tool for busting unsafe microorganisms and improving air quality in buildings
Usually associated with humid and sordid slums, mould is a frequent finding in wealthy homes too. Even the fanciest buildings may harbour hot spots where fungi and other microorganisms subtly proliferate, triggering problems that range from unpleasant smells to severe sickness.
Miia Pitkäranta, a Finnish molecular microbiologist, pioneered the use of DNA investigations to identify and study indoor microorganisms during her Ph.D. at the University of Helsinki. She later became a practitioner in the building industry, specialising in indoor air quality.
Pitkäranta is a member of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ) and has contributed to updating the national guidelines on air quality in Finland. youris.com asked her about the fascinating world of microbes in buildings, their impact on our health and how DNA technologies are becoming a tool to improve the air quality of buildings.
Which communities of microorganisms live in our homes and offices? Which of them need more attention? Of course, it’s okay to find microorganisms in any building. Some come from outdoors, and many are yeasts or bacteria that are symbiotic with the users themselves or their pets. Nobody expects to live in a sterile environment. Problems arise when some microorganisms grow excessively. One of the first signs we look for when we investigate a building is the presence of mould and moisture because they are usually associated with microbial hot spots.
In a dry environment, microbes tend to lay dormant in the dust or on the surfaces. Dust is dirt, but it will go away when you ventilate or clean. Mould and moisture hot spots are entirely different ecosystems. Whereas dust is basically a collection of microorganisms that are already found in our bodies and in the outdoor dust, hot spots contain a few types of filamentous fungi, yeasts and bacteria that proliferate in moisture.
What problems are associated with indoor hotspots? We have over 100 years of research showing that moisture and mould in buildings correlate with sickness. Many studies have associated them with asthma. I would say that asthma is the most studied symptom because it’s easier to identify. Other warning signs, such as eye irritation or dripping nose are even more widespread, but they are harder to quantify and record. There may be several mechanisms involved: direct toxicity, irritation, allergies.
However, it’s difficult to establish a clear cause and effect relationship, because the symptoms are also common to many other pathologies. Some research has linked moisture and mould to a series of non-specific symptoms: headaches, fatigue, dizziness, neurological or autoimmune disorders. We definitively need more research on the topic.
The term sick building syndrome (or SBS) was once used to include many health conditions linked to living indoors, but SBS is not considered an existing entity anymore. Today we believe there is not one syndrome associated with buildings as such, but rather a wide variety of agents and individual sensitivities that create an array of possible symptoms.
How can DNA be used to identify indoor microbes and what are the advantages? The standard way to analyse a microbial hot spot is to take samples from it, cultivate the organisms in the laboratory and identify them with a microscope. One problem with cultivation is that you select only those species that can grow in the laboratory, and you lose the majority of the original biodiversity. By looking at the DNA instead, we identify directly which genomes, and therefore which species, are present.
DNA methods are faster than cultivation – they take days instead of weeks – and are non-selective. Another advantage of DNA methods is that they discriminate between single species, whereas with cultivation we usually identify microbes at the genus level, and each genus may include dozens of species. Today we know, for example, there are a lot of interesting species in indoor moulds that were underestimated with cultivation studies. As for any ecosystem, it’s important to know as much as possible about the diversity of species to understand how the community functions.
What is the outlook for these DNA methods? DNA methods are so sensitive that, in theory, they could detect a mould and moisture hot spot even before it becomes apparent, and I think this is a very exciting prospect. We know that the health problems associated with microbial hot spots develop over time, possibly a couple of years.
By the time a user begins to perceive a mouldy or cellar-like smell (which is a common indicator of mould problem), some health condition could already have occurred. We also tend to get used to odours in our living environment, and we may not notice them until they get really bad. DNA tools are developing at an astonishing speed, but we need more basic research to interpret the findings. When you look at the microbial DNA in a building, there are plenty of background signals you have to deal with.
There is a growing demand for “green” biodegradable materials in buildings. Do you see any challenge regarding their interaction with microorganisms? It’s astonishing to look at the diversity of building materials available today. Many are eco-friendly, which is a good thing. However, biodegradable materials, by definition, are easily spoiled by microorganisms, and that is why they are treated with various types of preservatives. It’s assumed that such treatments make materials resistant to microorganism attacks, but the question is: for how long? A building is expected to last many decades, and I think we need to get better knowledge about what kind of microbial community can develop in these materials in the long run.
Over time and given the right conditions, organisms may become tolerant of preservatives or break them down into other compounds. For example, during the 1950’s and up to the 1970’s many Scandinavian buildings were made with wood treated with pentachlorophenol (PCP) as a preservative. The industry believed that this treatment would withstand microbial attacks for the entire life span of the buildings, but today we see mould species that can break down PCP into compounds called chloroanisoles.
The process is slow and subtle; the wood does not look spoiled at all, but just a couple of nanograms of chloroanisoles per cubic metre are enough to produce a terrible mould or cork smell. We need to make sure that we are not going to see such phenomenon with today’s green materials in a couple of decades or so.
The use of bio-based materials is often met with scepticism from architects, insurers and contractors in the construction industry, which has led to slow market uptake. This scepticism generally results from a lack of adequate training and support with regard to regulatory frameworks.
This was the backdrop of the ISOBIO workshop, held 22 March in Brussels where the project team met with representatives from Earth Building UK and Ireland, BC architects & studies, the ECO-SEE project and the German Association for Building with Earth. The aim was to identify the levers for faster adoption of bio-based material in the construction sector.
The workshop was able to pinpoint new ways to improve professional knowledge, develop adequate curricula and set out a suitable legal framework. A further issue to be addressed going forward is how the general public perceive the emerging bio-based construction sector in comparison to the established construction sector.
Drawing on its early achievements, ISOBIO gave valuable insights into its testing and prototyping activities with a view to raising awareness and encouraging greater acceptance of bio-based materials. The project partners reiterated their common goal of designing a bio-based product which offers high insulation, low embodied energy and carbon, and hydrothermal efficiency for a greener building and construction industry.
A key finding from the workshop was that standard products (panels) made from enhanced bio-based properties could possibly be a leading driver of market uptake for bio-based materials in the industry.
ISOBIO aims to develop new bio-based insulation panels and renders, and to scale them for mainstream adoption by the building and construction industry. The focus is now on the challenging demonstration phase.
ISOBIO innovation partners are bonded by a unique goal: to design a bio-based insulation material with the right chemical and mechanical properties to tackle water absorption, fire resistance and moisture buffering while ensuring high thermal conductivity. These essential properties provide material resistance as well as indoor wellbeing and confort.
In February 2017, partners convened on the premises of TWI in Cambridge for their mid-term project meeting. It was an opportunity for them to assess the research and preliminary prototyping, and to outline the regulatory and market challenges ahead. Following this meeting, the final composition of the bio-materials is now just around the corner.
As part of their research, the Universities of Bath and Rennes have examined the characterisation of bio-materials and the development of composite materials (including the insulating core and the composition of the external layer). These research results form the basis for the technical developments by industrial partners Cavac, BCB and Claytec. The innovation lies in the feeding of knowledge from the labs into the industrialisation phrase.
After testing and prototyping, ISOBIO is poised to reveal a bio-based product design offering all the right properties for a greener building and construction industry: high insulation, low embodied energy and carbon, and hydrothermal efficiency.
ISOBIO is pleased to invite you to its third workshop on 22 March, focusing on the importance of skills and standards for the take up of bio-based construction products.
Natural construction materials have made a revival in the past few years, in part due to their lower environmental impact. But in order for them to return to mainstream use, better product standardisation as well as skills training will be essential.
Consortium partners from the University of Bath, Acciona and Cavac will also share their experiences, and the latest updates from the ISOBIO project, which is developing new and enhanced bio-based insulation panels and renders.
The workshop is free of charge, but please register your attendance in advance. An informal networking lunch will precede the event.
“Besides the contaminants we find outside, we also have indoor contaminants. There are pollutants typical of homes such as dust, spores, moulds, and those produced by human activities like cooking and house-cleaning, that contribute to the release of additional damaging substances,” expert warns
Indoor air pollution kills 4.3 million people globally every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The main causes are heating and cooking practices that produce high levels of toxic substances, such as fine particles and carbon monoxide.
Prof. Alessandro Miani
Doctor Alessandro Miani, heads-up the non-profit Italian Society for Environmental Medicine (SIMA), which recently drew up a set of rules to preserve the air we breathe in our homes and offices. Miani, who is also professor of hygiene and environmental prevention at the University of Milan, discusses environmental medicine and the need for public health strategies to tackle indoor air pollution.
Professor Miani, the last WHO report shows that indoor air may be more harmful to health than outdoor air. Can you explain how this happens? Indoor air is basically the same as outdoor air, but the difference lies in the amounts and types of contaminants. Indeed, besides the contaminants we find outside, we also have indoor contaminants. There are pollutants typical of homes such as dust, spores, moulds, and those produced by human activities like cooking and house-cleaning, which contribute to the release of additional damaging substances.
What’s the aim of the rules laid out in the SIMA Indoor Air Quality document? In Italy, while for outdoor air there are laws that regulate the subject matter, there is no comprehensive set of rules that govern indoor pollution. Of course individual citizens should also convincingly adopt their own virtuous behaviours because the environment does not belong to states and governments, but to each one of us.
One way to improve indoor air quality is using biobased construction materials. For example, the European Isobio project is studying natural materials, like hemp and straw. By “breathing”, they offer better ventilation and help reduce damp. What benefits could this field of research provide? There are no doubts that bioarchitecture and bioconstructions can contribute to improving the overall well-being of those who spend a lot of time indoors, and can offer practical help to improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
All this has a positive effect on the amount of harmful emissions from the heating systems of our homes, which are the biggest source of thin particulates in large towns. Moreover, there are many other entrepreneurial initiatives that, thanks to new compounds, are seeking to improve air quality. New green roof tiles and a new antismog paint are some examples.
What is meant by environmental medicine? Environmental medicine deals with prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disorders that may be related to “environmental factors”. This is a sector that encompasses various disciplines such as biomedical sciences, environmental sciences, legal sciences, economic science, social and political science, material sciences, and construction science.
Environmental medicine may be considered to be the medical branch of the much broader field of environmental health, which, in turn, is a part of public health. It is not very well known in Italy, but it has been explored by WHO and is a common concern in the US.
Even though it is a fundamental issue for our health, it seems there is not enough attention to environmental medicine in the media of your country, Italy. Are there sensitivities around these issues? The media need information that has been verified and certified, and this type of information can be provided only by associations and bodies that have strong ties with research and science. Releasing information through the media about initiatives aimed at informing the people or that intend to be a stimulus for politicians and institutions, requires players who are credible and well-known.
So I don’t think it is about hurting “sensitivities” but rather about the fact that so far the few people who have dealt with this issue before us, have restricted themselves to a specialised medical approach. Environmental medicine is instead a multidisciplinary field, aimed at preserving human health and at avoiding that our surroundings may become an environmental factor that causes diseases, injuries and premature death.
By Elena Veronelli
Photo credits: Joshua Ness
23 January 2017
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