Thermomechanical Performance Analysis of Novel Cement-Based Building Envelopes with Enhanced Passive Insulation Properties

The design of new insulating envelopes is a direct route towards energy efficient buildings. The combinations of novel materials, such as phase-change (PCM), and advanced manufacturing techniques, such as additive manufacturing, may harness important changes in the designing of building envelopes. In this work we propose a novel methodology for...

Multilayer blue-green roofs as nature-based solutions for water and thermal insulation management

Green roofs have been widely recognized as sustainable nature-based solutions to mitigate floods in urban areas, which, in the last decades, are increasing due to the combination of intense worldwide urbanization and climate change. Besides flood mitigation, green roofs provide additional benefits for the urban environment (e.g., reducing the...

Experimental method for investigating wear of porous thermal insulation systems exposed to realistic, hot, turbulent gas flow

A realistic wear test was developed for porous thermal insulation systems exposed to high temperature turbulent gas flow, because it is essential for the development of existing and new concepts of such insulation and therefore also for the performance of processes that depend on such insulation. Wear is crucial and often dominant for the...

Use of insulation based on nanomaterials to improve energy efficiency of residential buildings in a hot desert climate

Building insulation based on nanomaterials is considered one of the most effective means of reducing energy consumption in the hot desert climate. The application of an energy-efficient insulation system can significantly decrease the energy consumed via a building’s air-conditioning system during the summer. Hence, building insulation has...

Redesign of a Facade System Based on an Environmental Impact Assessment Framework

The building industry is responsible for 36% of global final energy use (Global Alliance for Building and Construction, 2018), 39% of CO2 Emissions (Global Alliance for Building and Construction, 2017) and 50% of global waste in just cities (Ellen Macarthur Foundation, 2017). This is mainly due to the linear economy model which is still the...

A Performance-Driven Approach for the Design of Cellular Geometries with Low Thermal Conductivity for Application in 3D-Printed Façade Components

Additive manufacturing allows the fabrication of complex geometries with enhanced performances, making it interesting for application in façade components. Assessing the performance of non-standard geometries and 3D printed parts requires a combination of digital and analytical methods to retrieve validated models which can guide the design...

The AM envelope: A mono-material façade element with complex geometries for structural and thermal performance produced by additive manufacturing

Growing concern about resource consumption in the construction industry has brought new challenges to the design of façades. Compared to traditional techniques, AM stands out for the possibility of fabricating complex geometries embedding multiple functions. This study explored how the potentials of Fused Deposition Modelling can be used to...

Thin glass composite panel with 3D printed core: Thermal and structural properties

The research of this thesis is focussed on the thermal insulation and structural properties of a thin glass composite panel with 3D-printed polymeric core.<br/><br/>Aluminosilicate glass, used in this research, is only 0,5 mm thick. This aluminosilicate can be used to replace current windows and structural façade element to reduce the use of...

Developing an integrated 3D-printed façade with complex geometries for active temperature control

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology is currently being investigated as possible construction method for future buildings. AM methods have advantages over other production processes, such as great freedom of form, shape complexity, scale and material use. Because the freedom in geometric complexity applies also to the inner part of the...

Development and prototyping of an integrated 3D-printed façade for thermal regulation in complex geometries

Currently, several research projects investigate Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology as possible construction method for future buildings. AM methods have some advantages over other production processes, such as great freedom of form, shape complexity, scale and material use. These characteristics are relevant for façade applications, which...

Novel circular economy business model of high-added value products for energy efficiency: from C&DW to aerogels

Since the Industrial Revolution, humanity’s use of natural resources has been basically the same: TAKE, MAKE and THROW AWAY; which consequently led to the indispensable problems of waste materials. Around 461 million tons of Construction & Demolition Waste (C&DW), excluding excavation materials, are yearly generated in EU28. This undoubtedly...

Exploring Homeowners’ Insulation Activity

Insulating existing buildings offers great potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting Germany’s climate protection targets. Previous research suggests that, since homeowners’ decision-making processes are inadequately understood as yet, today’s incentives aiming at increasing insulation activity lead to unsatisfactory results....

Double face: Adjustable translucent system to improve thermal comfort

The DoubleFace project aims at developing a new product that passively improves thermal comfort of indoor and semi-indoor spaces by means of lightweight materials for latent heat storage, while simultaneously allowing daylight to pass through as much as possible. Specifically, the project aims at designing and prototyping an adjustable...

Evaluation of conjugate, radial heat transfer in an internally insulated composite pipe

In order to compete with steel, a fibre-reinforced composite exhaust wall with a general-purpose resin system requires an effective but lightweight insulation layer. However a lack of experimental methods for heat transfer from turbulent gas flow to pipe walls lined with a porous insulation layer was discovered in literature. Such a test method...

The impact of greening systems on building energy performance: A literature review

Scarcity of resources and environmental issues caused by human activities stimulate designers and policy makers to search for energy efficient strategies for sustainable development. A considerable amount of energy consumption and CO2 emission comes from the building sector which today accounts for 40% of the world’s energy use. Greenery systems...

Thermal insulations: Cfc-alternatives and vacuum insulation, Thermische isolatie: cfk-alternatieven en vacuümisolatie

Determination of the thermal conductivity of carbon fibre reinforced plastic sheet material

A theoretical investigation of gas conduction effects on multilayer insulation performance

The thermal performance of multilayer insulation hlankets depends on three (interacting) modes of energy transfer: radiation between the radiation shields, gas conduction in the residual interstitial gas and solid conduction via the contacting interfaces. The contribution of the gas conduction depends on the interstitial gas and its pressure,...