PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Polyurethane (PU) foam and polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam are widely used insulation materials, having very low thermal conductivity. However, PU/PIR-based insulation materials have a high environmental impact, since they are typically integrated into concrete sandwich panels and are therefore difficult to recycle. Construction and demolition waste represents one of the largest waste streams in the EU (700 400 tonnes of PU foam waste a year).
To improve the circularity of the current sandwich panels, the beneficiaries developed a new, patented facade system based on insulated double walls production. In the new system, the void between the two layers of the double wall is filled with loose insulation materials, thus making it 100% recoverable upon deconstruction. Furthermore, the system contributes to noise reduction.
The project partner Aerobel has developed new, sustainable composite aerogel-based insulation materials as an alternative to the current insulation materials. These materials are produced from natural sources of silica (including sand, olivine and bio-based resources), thus avoiding expensive and hazardous organosilanes, and are dried by variant ambient pressure thus saving energy. Aerobel has demonstrated this patented process at laboratory scale and expects cost savings when the process is scaled up.
OBJECTIVES
The CARBIP-LIFE project aims to demonstrate the industrial scale application of new, sustainably produced and circular composite aerogel-based insulation materials in the construction sector. Specifically, the CARBIP-LIFE consortium will demonstrate the application of these insulation materials in a new, designed for disassembly, patented insulated double walls (IDW) system that will be used for the construction of 100% circular and high thermal performant concrete facades for buildings. Specific objectives of the project are to:
- Demonstrate the industrial scale production of new, composite aerogel-based insulation materials using four different waste streams (recycled cellulose fibres, glass wool fibres, stone wool fibres and expanded polystyrene) within a local supply chain;
- Demonstrate the application of the new insulation materials in circular IDW products, including monitoring of the thermal properties and environmental impact of the resulting products;
- Demonstrate the circularity and sustainability of the new composite aerogel-based insulation materials and the new type IDW Walls products, with a view to reducing global warming potential by 67%;
- Communicate the benefits of the composite aerogel-based insulation materials and circular IDW prototype system, while highlighting positive technological and environmental improvements and results; and
- Ensure sustainability, replication and exploitation of the project results after the end of the project, including through the development of an after-LIFE conservation plan, exploitation plan and replication strategy.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- Demonstration of the continuous production of new, composite aerogel-based insulation materials (capacity of up to 36 000 m3/year, with total production by end of project of 6 000 m3);
- Demonstration of an alternative to PU/PIR plate shaped materials that has the same thermal performance and moreover significant environmental advantages (i.e. reduction of 4 517 tonnes CO2 eq. through the replacement of 36 000 m3 of PU/PIR materials); and
- Application of at least 6 500 m3 of the composite aerogel-based insulation materials at a production scale of up to 50 000 m2 IDW panels per year at the end of this project, with both the insulation material and the concrete panels 100% recoverable and reusable. The new IDW products will have improved thermal and acoustic properties.
