Plant-based and mineral-bonded insulation composite
In this project, we will develop mineral-bonded insulation composites as a sustainable building material based on local agricultural resources available in Switzerland and Iran, namely hemp hurds and date palm fronds.
Factsheet
- Schools involved School of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering
- Institute(s) Institute for Building Materials and Biobased Products IBBM
- Research unit(s) Materials and Life Cycle Assessment group FGWO
- Funding organisation Others
- Duration (planned) 01.08.2024 - 31.08.2025
- Head of project Prof. Dr. Heiko Thömen
- Project staff Dr. Ali Shalbafan
Situation
The building sector is the biggest contributor to global climate change. It is responsible for around 40% of global energy consumption and for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Above, it generates 36% of the waste produced in the EU. Besides lowering the energy consumption of buildings during their use phase, the development of building materials causing reduced CO2 emissions during their production represents an important strategy for combating global warming. In line with this strategy, plant-based and mineral-bonded insulation composites (mPIC) have become popular in recent years as green materials. They consist of two main components, namely plant shives as renewable material with insulating properties, and a mineral binder. As part of this project, a new class of mPIC with an even lower environmental footprint is being developed using eco-design strategies.
Course of action
As a sustainable building material, mPIC contains less embodied energy and has low impact on the environment during its life cycle. The utilization of mPIC is hindered in both Switzerland and Iran by the lack of technical information on the potential of local resources for mPIC production. The focus of the current project is therefore on two specific development goals: Firstly, to reduce transportation emissions, it is advised to use local agricultural resources as shives for mPIC production. To this end, this project aims to develop a mPIC based on hemp hurds or date palm fronds (DPF), which are both considered waste or underutilized resources in Switzerland and Iran, respectively. The second focus of the project is the use of a binder with lower embodied energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions than binders currently used to produce mPIC, such as lime or cement. Geopolymer binders, in particular mixtures of recycled and low energy pozzolans, which were developed by the applicants as part of earlier projects, will be used in this project. The eco-design method is applied to ensure an efficient project implementation. The applicants in both BFH and TMU have complementary expertise on this topic based on their previous joint research projects. In this project, the TMU researchers will focus on the analysis of DPF particles and the formulation of geopolymer binders, while the researchers will concentrate on the analysis of hemp hurds and the LCA analysis of mPIC production.
Looking ahead
This project provides valuable insights into the circular economy and the environment by utilizing renewable resources and aligning them with regional and international sustainability goals. In particular, the project contributes to research in the areas of SDGs 9, 11, 12 and 13. It aims to advance sustainable industries, infrastructure, cities, and consumption patterns, as well as inciting climate action through innovative research and solutions. The research is also in line with the new EU Forest Strategy and the flagship initiatives of the European Green Deal by optimizing sustainable building materials to achieve a sustainable and climate-neutral economy by 2050. By applying eco-design strategies to mPIC production, sustainable raw material supply chains based on local agricultural waste are being created in both Switzerland and Iran (SDG 8). Here, farmers can diversify their income and generate additional revenue from their agricultural waste (SDG 1), while mPIC manufacturers can benefit from the industry growth.
