Sustainable construction and the contribution of composite materials
28-05-2020
Article by Carla Gomes, project manager at INEGI in the area of composite materials.
The construction industry is among those that consume the most resources and energy, generating considerable environmental impacts. The development of new materials with a lower environmental footprint is, therefore, important for the sustainable development of the civil construction sector, in line with the trend towards decarbonization across all sectors of the industry.
Furthermore, to this we add an economic crisis that affected this sector considerably, with consequent exponential growth in the search for niche markets. Among these are the consumers that value environmental and economic sustainability, creating a business opportunity based on differentiation at this level.
One of the possible solutions to achieve the desired sustainability is the development and application of new construction technologies with lesser quantities of materials incorporated1,3. In this context, advanced composite materials appear as a promising answer, guaranteeing high performance and responding effectively to the requirements of architecture and sustainable construction.
Construction sector begins to open doors to composites
Among the advantages, we can count its weight, the possibility of prefabrication, the high resistance / weight ratio, the customizable surfaces, the thermal and acoustic insulation, the durability and impact resistance, the integration of parts, and ease of repair and maintenance2,4.
The construction sector, however, is traditional and still “suspicious” about the application of newly developed materials. That is why it is important to develop and validate solutions through experimental plans and prototype production.
Another obstacle to the adoption of composites is the weight of the initial industrial production infrastructure, since its use is not yet common enough to make the investment viable. The adaptation of infrastructures already used in other sectors with high quality parameters, such as aeronautics, for example, may be a solution.
At the same time, there is also the issue of the legal and regulatory dimension, which at times proves to be inadequate for the new realities driven by composite materials. But this too is an obstacle that may soon disappear, as it is known that the European Committee for Standardization is preparing a set of rules to regulate, and facilitate, the use of composites in construction.
Decreased environmental impact is a big advantage
Despite these obstacles, composite solutions can already be found in new buildings, in the expansion of existing structures and even in rehabilitation.
We know, based on several studies, that structures with composite sandwich panels have significantly less environmental impacts compared to traditional construction materials, in addition to allowing the development of multifunctional and modular structures2,3.
Proof of this is INEGI’s work in supporting companies in the creation of new construction solutions with composites. Noteworthy is the design and manufacture of a cover in advanced composites for the new Presbytery of the Sanctuary of Fátima, a piece consisting of 42 composite panels with an average density of 30kg / m2, leading to a theoretical reduction of 50% in weight by comparison with a conventional solution.
The technical consultancy of the Institutes specialists, involved from the structural project to its assembly in the prayer hall, allowed to integrate an innovative design in a civil construction project taking into account the various specialties necessary for the type of application, having been estimated to reduce consumption total energy and the release of total CO2 during production, respectively, 20 and 40%, by comparison with the traditional metallic solution.
A project that demonstrates the potential of developing composite materials and structures for the construction sector, in terms of sustainability and ease of integration.
REFERÊNCIAS
[1] R. Mateus, S. Neiva, L. Bragança, P. Mendonça, and M. Macieira, "Sustainability assessment of an innovative lightweight building technology for partition walls – Comparison with conventional technologies," Building and Environment, vol. 67, pp. 147-159, 2013.
[2] K. W. Ding, G. Wang, and W. Y. Yin, "Application of composite sandwich panels in construction engineering," in Advances in Energy Science and Technology, Pts 1-4, vol. 291-294, X. Tang, X. Chen, Y. Dong, X. Wei, and Q. Yang, Eds. (Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2013, pp. 1172.
[3] P. Samani, A. Mendes, V. Leal, and N. Correia, "Pre-fabricated, environmentally friendly and energy self-sufficient single-family house in Kenya," Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 142, pp. 2100-2113, 2017.
[4] A. Mafeld, The Future of Building: The Growing Use of Composites in Construction and Architecture. JEC Group, 2017.
The construction industry is among those that consume the most resources and energy, generating considerable environmental impacts. The development of new materials with a lower environmental footprint is, therefore, important for the sustainable development of the civil construction sector, in line with the trend towards decarbonization across all sectors of the industry.
Furthermore, to this we add an economic crisis that affected this sector considerably, with consequent exponential growth in the search for niche markets. Among these are the consumers that value environmental and economic sustainability, creating a business opportunity based on differentiation at this level.
One of the possible solutions to achieve the desired sustainability is the development and application of new construction technologies with lesser quantities of materials incorporated1,3. In this context, advanced composite materials appear as a promising answer, guaranteeing high performance and responding effectively to the requirements of architecture and sustainable construction.
Construction sector begins to open doors to composites
Among the advantages, we can count its weight, the possibility of prefabrication, the high resistance / weight ratio, the customizable surfaces, the thermal and acoustic insulation, the durability and impact resistance, the integration of parts, and ease of repair and maintenance2,4.
The construction sector, however, is traditional and still “suspicious” about the application of newly developed materials. That is why it is important to develop and validate solutions through experimental plans and prototype production.
Another obstacle to the adoption of composites is the weight of the initial industrial production infrastructure, since its use is not yet common enough to make the investment viable. The adaptation of infrastructures already used in other sectors with high quality parameters, such as aeronautics, for example, may be a solution.
At the same time, there is also the issue of the legal and regulatory dimension, which at times proves to be inadequate for the new realities driven by composite materials. But this too is an obstacle that may soon disappear, as it is known that the European Committee for Standardization is preparing a set of rules to regulate, and facilitate, the use of composites in construction.
Decreased environmental impact is a big advantage
Despite these obstacles, composite solutions can already be found in new buildings, in the expansion of existing structures and even in rehabilitation.
We know, based on several studies, that structures with composite sandwich panels have significantly less environmental impacts compared to traditional construction materials, in addition to allowing the development of multifunctional and modular structures2,3.
Proof of this is INEGI’s work in supporting companies in the creation of new construction solutions with composites. Noteworthy is the design and manufacture of a cover in advanced composites for the new Presbytery of the Sanctuary of Fátima, a piece consisting of 42 composite panels with an average density of 30kg / m2, leading to a theoretical reduction of 50% in weight by comparison with a conventional solution.
The technical consultancy of the Institutes specialists, involved from the structural project to its assembly in the prayer hall, allowed to integrate an innovative design in a civil construction project taking into account the various specialties necessary for the type of application, having been estimated to reduce consumption total energy and the release of total CO2 during production, respectively, 20 and 40%, by comparison with the traditional metallic solution.
A project that demonstrates the potential of developing composite materials and structures for the construction sector, in terms of sustainability and ease of integration.
REFERÊNCIAS
[1] R. Mateus, S. Neiva, L. Bragança, P. Mendonça, and M. Macieira, "Sustainability assessment of an innovative lightweight building technology for partition walls – Comparison with conventional technologies," Building and Environment, vol. 67, pp. 147-159, 2013.
[2] K. W. Ding, G. Wang, and W. Y. Yin, "Application of composite sandwich panels in construction engineering," in Advances in Energy Science and Technology, Pts 1-4, vol. 291-294, X. Tang, X. Chen, Y. Dong, X. Wei, and Q. Yang, Eds. (Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2013, pp. 1172.
[3] P. Samani, A. Mendes, V. Leal, and N. Correia, "Pre-fabricated, environmentally friendly and energy self-sufficient single-family house in Kenya," Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 142, pp. 2100-2113, 2017.
[4] A. Mafeld, The Future of Building: The Growing Use of Composites in Construction and Architecture. JEC Group, 2017.
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