• Energy Research

Abstract Novel vegetal-based thermal plasters have been developed, in the framework of a joint research project involving manufacturers and research centers, adopting an integrated multi-objective design process. The adopted methodology, here specifically implemented for vegetal-based hydraulic lime thermal plasters for energy retrofitting purposes, has pointed out the importance of a multi-criteria optimization when studying the development of materials to be used in a retrofitting process, where true sustainability implies that many different aspects need to be tackled contemporarily. The most effective plaster blends have been identified and tested, through an iterative process, which has involved moving from the material/component level to a real building application and taking into account environmental, technological, energy and comfort related issues.

Abstract Novel vegetal-based thermal plasters have been developed, in the framework of a joint research project involving manufacturers and research centers, adopting an integrated multi-objective design process. The adopted methodology, here specifically implemented for vegetal-based hydraulic lime thermal plasters for energy retrofitting purposes, has pointed out the importance of a multi-criteria optimization when studying the development of materials to be used in a retrofitting process, where true sustainability implies that many different aspects need to be tackled contemporarily. The most effective plaster blends have been identified and tested, through an iterative process, which has involved moving from the material/component level to a real building application and taking into account environmental, technological, energy and comfort related issues.

Dismissed architectures and urban voids are often considered revitalization chances for the cities. At the same time they are an urban problem, tied to structural crisis and social decay. The research take on the relationship between the safeguard of historical industrial buildings and new needs in terms of eco-compatibility, global cost and energy. Through the results of an application of life cycle design, the paper aims at demonstrating the importance of tools for the analysis supporting strategical evaluations for the sustainable planning of urban renewal through the reclamation of dismissed industrial sites. TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment, TECHNE 12 (2016): Architecture Memory Contemporaneity

Dismissed architectures and urban voids are often considered revitalization chances for the cities. At the same time they are an urban problem, tied to structural crisis and social decay. The research take on the relationship between the safeguard of historical industrial buildings and new needs in terms of eco-compatibility, global cost and energy. Through the results of an application of life cycle design, the paper aims at demonstrating the importance of tools for the analysis supporting strategical evaluations for the sustainable planning of urban renewal through the reclamation of dismissed industrial sites. TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment, TECHNE 12 (2016): Architecture Memory Contemporaneity

The growing attention to sustainability and life cycle issues by European and international policies has recently encouraged the adoption, in the construction sector, of environmental labels able to quantify the impacts on environment associated with the fabrication of several building materials, e.g., their embodied energy and carbon. Within this framework, since walls represent a large percentage of building mass and therefore of embodied impacts, this article collects and analyzes nearly 180 Environmental Products Declarations (EPDs) of wall construction products such as masonry blocks and concrete panels. The data related to the primary energy (renewable and non-renewable) and the global warming potential extracted from the EPDs were compared firstly at the block level (choosing 1 kg as functional unit), enabling designers and manufacturers to understand and reduce the impacts from wall products at the early design stage. As the design progresses, it is therefore necessary to evaluate the environmental impacts related to the entire wall system. For this purpose, this paper proposes a further investigation on some simple wall options having similar thermal performance and superficial mass (the functional unit chosen in this case was equal to 1 m2 with R ≈ 5 m2K/W, Ms ≈ 260 kg/m2). The outcomes showed how the durability of the materials and the potential of disassembly of the wall stratigraphies can play a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact. This paper provides a methodological reference both for manufacturers to reduce impacts and for designers committed to the application of environmental labeling in the design process since they will now be able to compare their products with others.

The growing attention to sustainability and life cycle issues by European and international policies has recently encouraged the adoption, in the construction sector, of environmental labels able to quantify the impacts on environment associated with the fabrication of several building materials, e.g., their embodied energy and carbon. Within this framework, since walls represent a large percentage of building mass and therefore of embodied impacts, this article collects and analyzes nearly 180 Environmental Products Declarations (EPDs) of wall construction products such as masonry blocks and concrete panels. The data related to the primary energy (renewable and non-renewable) and the global warming potential extracted from the EPDs were compared firstly at the block level (choosing 1 kg as functional unit), enabling designers and manufacturers to understand and reduce the impacts from wall products at the early design stage. As the design progresses, it is therefore necessary to evaluate the environmental impacts related to the entire wall system. For this purpose, this paper proposes a further investigation on some simple wall options having similar thermal performance and superficial mass (the functional unit chosen in this case was equal to 1 m2 with R ≈ 5 m2K/W, Ms ≈ 260 kg/m2). The outcomes showed how the durability of the materials and the potential of disassembly of the wall stratigraphies can play a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact. This paper provides a methodological reference both for manufacturers to reduce impacts and for designers committed to the application of environmental labeling in the design process since they will now be able to compare their products with others.

AbstractSheep wool is a natural material, already used for thermal insulation of pitched roofs, in the form of soft mats. The paper presents a research project called Cartonlana, concerning a new sheep wool-based product with two main innovative features: it is a stiff panel, unlike the existing soft wool mats; it has a low environmental impact, using local recycled sheep wool, otherwise disposed as special waste. Physical and chemical properties of Cartonlana panel were determined by measurements, in order to demonstrate its effectiveness as insulation for buildings: thermal conductivity, acoustic absorption coefficient, absorption of formaldehyde, thermal transmittance of a wall.

AbstractSheep wool is a natural material, already used for thermal insulation of pitched roofs, in the form of soft mats. The paper presents a research project called Cartonlana, concerning a new sheep wool-based product with two main innovative features: it is a stiff panel, unlike the existing soft wool mats; it has a low environmental impact, using local recycled sheep wool, otherwise disposed as special waste. Physical and chemical properties of Cartonlana panel were determined by measurements, in order to demonstrate its effectiveness as insulation for buildings: thermal conductivity, acoustic absorption coefficient, absorption of formaldehyde, thermal transmittance of a wall.