Properties of composites based on recycled polypropylene and lignocellulosic agricultural waste

In the present work, composites based on recycled polypropylene (PPr) and 30% treated and untreated lignocellulosic waste were prepared. The recycled polypropylene comes from recovered surgical masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic, from which the elastic band and the metal strip have been removed. The lignocellulosic waste used as a reinforcing agent consisted of the depleted substrate from the culture of Pleurotus ostreatus fungi, being a sawdust enriched in chitin pellets of corn cobs treated with borhot from the brewing of beer. The composites with 30% of treated/untreated sawdust were obtained in dynamical conditions by melt processing. The effects of sawdust, both treated and untreated, on tensile properties (strength and modulus of elasticity), dynamic-mechanical properties (storage/loss modulus and loss factor), thermal conductivity and thermal stability were studied. The results showed improved thermal and mechanical properties of bio-composite materials based on recycled polypropylene from used face masks and sawdust, which can be used as construction materials. © 2023, Fundatia Serban Solacolu. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the technological properties of fired clay bricks incorporated with palm kernel shell

Stepping up the extraction of valuable resources from the oil palm agro-industry was fraught with palm kernel shell (PKS) disposal challenges. One mitigating measure was to recover these materials for use in fired brick production. So PKS and clay materials were characterized for their physical, mineral and thermal properties. These characterizations revealed the high content of SiO2 and Al2O3 in the clay resources and the 95.60% organic content of PKS along with its estimated 21, 774.94 (kJ/kg) higher heating value (HHV). Indexed minerals from X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies of the clay material were kaolinite, quartz, calcite and goethite. Bricks prepared with the inclusion of up to 16 wt% PKS were fired at 900 and 1000 °C. For bricks fired at 1000 °C, bulk densities decreased from 2.07 to 1.54 g/cm3, apparent porosity increased up to 89.14%, water absorption increased from 100% in reference bricks to 203.54% with the addition of 16 wt% PKS. While compressive strengths decreases were in the range of 21.67–6.07 MPa, thermal insulation improved by 22%. Similar trends were established for bricks fired at 900 °C. The analyses showed that PKS addition was more effective in tailoring the technical properties of the bricks than changes in firing temperature. The marginal differences in technical properties of bricks fired at 1000 °C relative to the 900 °C fired brick units were understood from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. Therefore, this research has provided compelling evidences for use of PKS in fired brick production. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Optimization of Building Envelope in Terms of Sound Insulation and Thermal Performance-Case Study: Antalya 100.Yil Boulevard

The most important point to be considered in terms of ‘sustainability' and ‘energy conservation' in a building is the design of the building envelope. Although the importance of thermal and sound insulation in the envelope has increased in Turkey, various problems are experienced due to regulations that have not been strictly implemented. In particular, the fact that people spend most of their time at home due to the COVID 19 pandemic has increased the importance of indoor comfort conditions. In order to increase user comfort, the first thing to do is to take the necessary measures for sound and thermal insulation, which have different physical working principles and parameters on the facades of existing buildings. It is important to design optimal facades that will meet the needs of both types of insulation. In this study, the existing building stocks that emerged as a result of the deficiencies in the zoning plans within the settlement pattern of Antalya 100. Yıl Boulevard are examined. Necessary improvement suggestions are presented in order to increase the performance, depending on the envelope. Within the scope of the study, both insulation performances of the facades are compared and solutions for the optimal envelope design were revealed. © 2022, TUBITAK. All rights reserved.

Natural ventilation as a healthy habit during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of the frequency of window opening in Spanish homes

Since SARS-CoV-2 spread worldwide in early 2020, many countries established lockdowns for protection. With a main transmission by aerosols, ventilation was promoted. This article analyses natural ventilation of Spanish housing during the spring 2020. An online questionnaire was launched, obtaining for this study 1502 responses. The comparative window opening before and during confinement, and households, dwellings and home activity variables, were analysed. The binary logistic regression model before pandemic indicated that ventilating properly related to: a worse perceived IAQ (OR = 1.56);thermal adaptation measures, especially those that prefer to open/close windows (OR = 1.45);not having heating system (OR = 1.15);and using power to heat water (OR = 1.60). For the confinement period, the model highlighted: being an employee (OR = 1.88);using heavy clothing in the home (OR = 2.36);and again, open/close windows for adaptation (OR = 2.24). According to specific tasks in quarantine, frequent ventilation was boosted by: an increasing use of oven (OR = 14.81);and alteration of work-habits (OR = 2.70), sport-habits (OR = 1.79), and outdoor-activities (OR = 1.60). Thus, an adequate natural ventilation pattern during the quarantine was linked to low environmental comfort in general, by virtue of indoor air quality. This is corroborated by less acoustic-thermal insulation, worse indicators of heating use, and the adaptive response to opening/closing windows when external temperature changed. © 2022 The Authors

Simulation and analysis of different heating method for bio-digester substrate

This report is on topic of simulation and analysis of different heating method for bio-digester substrate. Now-a-days the energy demand is increasing so we have to look other options and devise a method to optimize the production from other sources. Due to Covid-19 mass migration and increased hospital admission occurs, to fulfill the food supply biogas is sought. This report focus on digesters on a small scale that can be employed for household activities. To increase the biogas yield among different influencing factors temperature is chosen and worked upon. Along with insulation there is a heating method installed to maintain the stable temperature which facilitates breakdown of organic materials and improve the productivity. In colder climates maintaining mesophilic temperature can be a challenge, therefore three heating methods are simulated and analyzed. The study reveals about floor heating, in-vessel heating and floor + in-vessel heating method. In-vessel heating method provides uniform cooling, whereas floor heating can be applied at relatively cold climates because it give significant temperature rise (about ∼14 °C). Out of these three methods floor + in-vessel heating method is found suitable as it optimize the benefits of both floor and in-vessel heating methods with 5 °C temperature raise. © 2022

Optimal Balance between Heating, Cooling and Environmental Impacts: A Method for Appropriate Assessment of Building Envelope’s U-Value

In Europe, the recent application of regulations oriented to zero-energy buildings and climate neutrality in 2050 has led to a reduction in energy consumption for heating and cooling in the construction sector. The thermal insulation of the building envelope plays a key role in this process and the requirements about the maximum allowable thermal transmittance are defined by country-specific guidelines. Typically, high insulation values provide low energy consumption for heating;however, they may also entail a risk of overheating in summer period and thus negatively affect the overall performance of the building. In addition, the embodied energy and related emissions caused by the manufacturing and transportation processes of thermal insulation cannot be further neglected in the evaluation of the best optimal solution. Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate the influence in terms of embodied and operational energy of various walls’ thermal insulation thicknesses on residential buildings in Europe. To this end, the EnergyPlus engine was used for the energy simulation within the Ladybug and Honeybee tools, by parametrically conducting multiple iterations;53 variations of external wall U-value, considering high- and low-thermal-mass scenarios, were simulated for 100 representative cities of the European context, using a typical multifamily building as a reference. The results demonstrate that massive walls generally perform better than lightweight structures and the best solution in terms of energy varies according to each climate. Accordingly, the wall’s thermal transmittance for the samples of Oslo, Bordeaux, Rome and Almeria representative of the Continental, oceanic temperate, Mediterranean, and hot, semi-arid climates were, respectively: 0.12, 0.26, 0.42, and 0.64 W/m2K. The optimal solutions are graphically reported on the map of Europe according to specific climatic features, providing a guidance for new constructions and building retrofit.

A simulation study of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the energy demand of a building located in a semi-arid climate in Morocco

The COVID-19 epidemic increases the uncertainty of energy demand. This paper aims to study the impact of containment measures due to the COVID-19 epidemic on the energy demand of a group of buildings in a neighborhood and evaluate the different techniques studied on thermal performance and energy savings. Indeed, this study shows the importance of using natural and recycled waste-based materials and nighttime radiative cooling during the summer period. For this purpose, a full-scale cell located in Casablanca was considered a case study to build a simulation model performed on TRNSYS, validated using the experimental results. This model is then used to impact the techniques studied on energy performance and hours of discomfort inside another cell in Marrakech. As a result, this study has shown that the passive techniques integrated into the cell, using the material based on sisal/wool nonwoven, and night-time radiative cooling during summer, reduce energy requirements compared to the reference configuration. © 2022 IEEE.

Thermo-Energy Performance of Lightweight Steel Framed Constructions: A Case Study

The building sector continues to play an essential role in reducing worldwide energy consumption. The reduced consumption is accompanied by stricter regulation for the thermotechnical design of the building envelope. The redefined nearly Zero Energy Building levels that will come into force for each member state will pressure designers to rethink the constructive details so that mandatory levels can be reached, without increasing the construction costs over an optimum level but at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The paper aims to illustrate the main conclusions obtained in assessing the thermo-energy performance of a steel-framed building representing a holistically designed modular laboratory located in a moderate continental temperate climate, characteristic of the south-eastern part of the Pannonian Depression with some sub-Mediterranean influences. An extensive numerical simulation of the main junctions was performed. The thermal performance was established in terms of the main parameters, the adjusted thermal resistances and global thermal insulation coefficient. Further on, the energy consumption for heating was established, and the associated energy rating was in compliance with the Romanian regulations. A parametric study was done to illustrate the energy performance of the investigated case in the five representative climatic zones from Romania. An important conclusion of the research indicates that an emphasis must be placed on the thermotechnical design of Light Steel Framed solutions against increased thermal bridge areas caused by the steel’s high thermal conductivity for all building components to reach nZEB levels. Nevertheless, the results indicate an exemplary behaviour compared to classical solutions, but at the same time, the need for an iterative redesign so that all thermo-energy performance indicators are achieved.

Understanding Sustainability of Construction Products: Answers from Investors, Contractors, and Sellers of Building Materials

Preventing environmental degradation and climate changes are some of the primary challenges of our civilization. Changes to the construction sector, which consumes vast amounts of raw materials, emits significant amounts of greenhouse gas and significant amounts of waste, are very important to reduce emissions and stop negative environmental changes. Regardless of the type of goal, an essential element to achieve it is understanding the purpose and tools necessary to implement appropriate and efficient solutions. This paper presents the survey results on understanding issues related to assessing construction products, including their environmental impact. The survey was conducted among professional groups related to construction, i.e., 181 investors, 522 contractors, and 116 sellers of construction products from various regions of Poland. Questions concerning thermal insulation materials and the external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS), the most widely used solution in the EU for the improvement of thermal performance of buildings, were asked. The obtained results indicate that the knowledge of the basic requirements of construction works under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) is not too high (the share of correct answers was respectively 33.5%, 23.2%, and 16.2% in contractors, sellers, and investors groups). Similarly, the awareness of the tested, related to the environmental burden in terms of GWP of insulation materials and components of ETICS, should be assessed (49.7% of investors, 57.1% sellers of construction products, and 76.4% contractors indicated the thermal insulation material as the ETICS component with the highest environmental impact in terms of GWP). The obtained research results indicate the need for further education for evaluating construction products and sustainability.

Rotary Kiln Thermal Simulation Model and Smart Supply Chain Logistics Transportation Monitoring Management

Rotary kiln is a large-scale instrument for industrial firing of cement. Due to its thermal insulation characteristics, this article studies the application of rotary kiln in supply chain logistics transportation. The main research focus of this paper is the thermal simulation model of rotary kiln and intelligent supply chain logistics transportation monitoring management. This paper analyzes the rotary kiln and its parameters and then designs a thermal simulation model of the rotary kiln. Then this article also combines the relationship between logistics and supply chain, studies the characteristics of supply chain, summarizes and designs a new type of smart supply chain logistics transportation method, and then applies the rotary kiln thermal simulation model to this new type of transportation method. In order to optimize its transportation efficiency and thermal insulation degree, this paper designs the supply chain optimization experiment and the rotary kiln simulation thermal numerical optimization experiment. This article also carries out the overall efficiency analysis of logistics based on DEA and analyzes the results of the experiment and applies it to the intelligent supply chain logistics transportation method of the thermal simulation model of the rotary kiln and compares this new type of transportation method with the traditional transportation method. The experimental results show that the intelligent supply chain transportation method based on the thermal simulation model of the rotary kiln improves the insulation effect by 5%–9% compared with the traditional transportation method. Compared with the traditional transportation method, the transportation efficiency of the smart supply chain transportation method based on the thermal simulation model of the rotary kiln has increased by 4%–8%.

New Research Trends and Topics for Achieving Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Both New and Rehabilitated

[...]these measures should be combined with other measures. [...]the paper Maintenance of Passive House Standard in the Light of Long-Term Study on Energy Use in a Prefabricated Lightweight Passive House in Central Europe [5] is an experimental study on different parameters: the orientation that maximizes heat gains from solar radiation, thermal insulation of partitions, heat provided by a geothermal heat pump, and a mechanical ventilation system with a heat exchanger. Since the science has spoken, politicians and citizens now need to do their part to achieve the shared goal of a more sustainable and energy efficient building sector.

Energy performance and indoor airflow analysis of a healthcare ward designed with resource conservation objectives

With the outbreak of COVID-19, the urgency of wide-scale healthcare infrastructure development has been felt globally for human survival. To accommodate a large infected population, copious wards are to be built within the prevalent constraints of land, power and material availability. This study designs a two-bed modular healthcare ward which is shrunk in size to minimize the requirement of space and other construction commodities such as materials, labour and power. Additionally, HVAC energy usage is accounted for conservation. The health safety and thermal comfort of occupants are regulated by monitoring indoor environment attributes while pushing towards a resource-efficient structure. Two popular envelope thermal retrofits viz. phase change material and thermal insulation are tested to conceive gains in terms of improved energy performance of the ward. Various ward designs contest with their energy performance and occupant's health safety and comfort characteristics in a multicriteria decision making process for delivering the most favourable solution. Subsequently, the most suitable solution is offered by a design involving thermal insulation retrofit with 8 ACH fresh air supply rate and 26°C inlet air temperature. The proposed design can support developing nations to contrive quick response to pandemic outbreaks with reduced construction (cost, time) and energy loads. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd

External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) from Industry and Academia Perspective

External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS) is a commonly used solution in EU countries to increase building energy efficiency. The article describes ETICS in terms of environmental impact from two perspectives, i.e., industry and academia. In EU countries, ETICS manufacturers to place construction products to the market must subject it to the assessment and verification of constancy of performance (AVCP). The basis of this process is the European Technical Assessment (ETA). Based on the number of issued and valid ETAs for ETICS and the number of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), the dimension of sustainability issues was discussed. Analysis of one of the environmental indicators (Global Warming Potential—GWP) for ETICS with EPS, XPS, and MW showed only a general trend. However, there are significant differences between the values of the GWP and other environmental indicators that one can use for future AVCP of construction products. In the light of the research described in the paper, it seems reasonable to conclude that AVCP for ETICS in terms of sustainability will be challenging to implement in practice-based only on environmental indicators according to EN 15804. The article also reviews scientific publications on the sustainability of ETICS.

Asbestos Removal Acceleration for New Jobs and Fossil Fuel Use Reduction for Public Health and Climate Readiness: A Contribution to the Revival of the Italian Economy Post-COVID-19.

The Italian economy has been battered by the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic. European Union and Italian government economic recovery funds will provide special economic recovery loans aimed toward energy saving and the consequent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to meet the Paris Agreement climate goals. In, Italy, millions of square meters of asbestos cement (AC) roofing cover industrial and civic buildings. Removal of this asbestos containing material (ACM) would contribute to three pandemic and economic recovery objectives: job creation, reduction of greenhouse gasses (thru energy savings), and public health improvements. Though asbestos was used for its excellent thermal insulation properties, we provide calculations that demonstrate that the cement binding in AC roofing negates the asbestos insulation function. Therefore, replacing AC roofing with roofs made with alternative materials with better thermal transmission coefficients can contribute significantly to energy savings, reduce the risk of asbestos-related morbidity and mortality, and establish substantial economic activity.