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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "G: Energy and Buildings".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2023) | Viewed by 19498

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Dr. Przemysław Brzyski

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Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Lublin University of Technology, 40 Nadbystrzycka St., 20-618 Lublin, Poland
Interests: building materials; ecological materials; composites; hemp-lime composites; cement; concrete; thermal insulation; physical and mechanical properties; thermal and moisture properties; building physics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A Special Issue entitled “Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving” will deal with new solutions in technology of building materials, which contribute to a reduction in energy consumption. More and more often, the use of low-processed materials with low built-in energy is considered. The reduction in energy consumption in the production of building materials is achieved, for example, using raw materials of plant origin, industrial waste or recycled materials. In addition to the production of building material, energy is used for heating purposes in buildings in the use phase. The key here is the development of materials with good thermal parameters, such as low thermal conductivity and high heat capacity. These will make it possible to reduce the energy demand for heating during the heating season. The processes of utilization of building materials are also energy intensive. The energy consumption of this process can be reduced by materials that can be recycled or by biodegradable materials. Original articles and reviews of building materials, both of natural and synthetic origin, which can contribute to a reduction in energy consumption in the production phase, in the use phase of the building, and in the end of life phase are welcome.

Dr. Przemysław Brzyski
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Building materials based on plant components
Recycled building materials
Waste materials for use in construction
Thermal properties of materials
Heat losses and gains
Energy demand for heating
PCM materials
Innovative thermal insulation materials
Life cycle assessment of building materials

Related Special Issue

Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving—2nd Edition in Energies (1 article)

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5856 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Simulations of a Building Insulated with a Hemp-Lime Composite with Different Wall and Node Variants

by Przemysław Brzyski, Magdalena Grudzińska, Martin Böhm and Grzegorz Łagód

Energies 2022, 15(20), 7678; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15207678 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1514

Abstract

Thermal bridges constitute a significant share in the overall heat losses through building partitions. This is an important issue not only in traditional but also ecological buildings, where the load-bearing structure is often a wooden frame. In partitions insulated with hemp-lime composite, the skeleton is usually hidden in the insulation. However, in some nodes or jambs, wooden elements may be exposed or have a large cross-section, intensifying the heat transfer. This work presents simulations of energy demand in a single-family building insulated with hemp-lime composite, using the BSim dynamic simulation program. The calculations take into account the linear thermal transmittance of structural nodes modeled in the THERM program. The energy demand for heating and the share of thermal bridges in the heat loss of the entire building were calculated for different locations of the structural framework in the walls, as well as the size and number of windows. The share of thermal bridges in heat losses was about 10%, and the differences in energy demand for heating using various frame locations in the wall were negligible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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16 pages, 2823 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Impact of Demolishing a Steel Structure Design for Disassembly

by Elżbieta Broniewicz and Karolina Dec

Energies 2022, 15(19), 7358; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15197358 - 07 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3080

Abstract

The encouraging Design for Disassembly appears in the literature more and more often. Such a design appears to offer clear environmental advantages. However, there are still not enough research results to support the existence of these benefits. The authors using the Life Cycle Assessment method, which assesses the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during the demolition and operation of steel structure. Steel is completely recyclable and, in terms of tonnage, is the most recycled material worldwide. We assessed three scenarios: (1) complete re-remelting (recycling) of the structure; (2) partial reuse of construction elements + remelting (recovery + recycling); and (3) complete reuse of the structure (recovery). GaBi software was used for the analysis. It was found that the environmental impact varied significantly among the examined scenarios. The first scenario poses the greatest environmental burden. However, compared to Scenario no. 1, Scenario 3’s environmental impact is more than 70% lower. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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16 pages, 4684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hemp Biocomposite Boards Using Improved Magnesium Oxychloride Cement

by Jelizaveta Zorica, Maris Sinka, Genadijs Sahmenko, Laura Vitola, Aleksandrs Korjakins and Diana Bajare

Energies 2022, 15(19), 7320; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15197320 - 05 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1745

Abstract

The share of bio-based materials in modern construction needs to grow more rapidly due to increasingly stringent environmental requirements as a direct result of the climate emergency. This research aims to expand the use of hemp concrete in construction by replacing traditional lime binder with magnesium oxychloride cement, which provides a faster setting and higher strength, opening the door for industrial production. However, the negative feature of this binder is its low water resistance. In this work, the water resistance of magnesium cement was studied, and the possibilities of improving it by adding fly ash, various acids and nano-silica were considered. Nano-silica and citric acid showed the most significant impact, increasing the binder water resistance up to four times, reaching softening coefficient of 0.80 while reducing the compressive strength of the magnesium cement in a dry state by only 2–10%. On the downside, citric and phosphoric acid significantly extended the setting of the binder, delaying it 2–4 times. Regarding board production, prototype samples of hemp magnesium biocomposite demonstrated compressive strength of more than 3.8 MPa in the dry state but only 1.1–1.6 MPa in the wet state. These results did not correlate with binder tests, as the additives did not increase the strength in the wet state. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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26 pages, 6736 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Thermal Comfort Problem in Public Space during the Climate Change Era Based on the Case Study of Selected Area in Lublin City in Poland

by Natalia Przesmycka, Bartłomiej Kwiatkowski and Małgorzata Kozak

Energies 2022, 15(18), 6504; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15186504 - 06 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1700

Abstract

Noticeable climate change in recent years is reducing the comfort of public spaces in the urban environment, and is becoming an element of urban policies. The adaptation to climate change requires the development of new design guidelines for the development of public spaces. The appropriate definition of development density, choice of building materials, technologies, planting species, and the used directions is a challenge that depends on local conditions. A representative public space located in the area of a multi-family housing estate built in the second half of the 20th century in Lublin (Poland) was selected for the study. The space has undergone redevelopment twice in the last 10 years. The aim of the study was to determine to what extent the executed and designed changes actually improve the thermal comfort of users. Quantitative and qualitative indicators of the successive phases of the investment were analyzed in the context of projected climate change. The simulation was developed using the ENVI-met version 5.0 software. As a result of the changes made, there has been an improvement in usability and comfort. Five simulations were carried out for the warmest day of the year for one of the public spaces in the city of Lublin. The sensation of PET thermal comfort was investigated for people aged 35 and 75, as a particularly sensitive group. The obtained result proved that the elderly feel higher temperature rates than younger people. In one of the simulations, new plantings were proposed to improve the local microclimate. The material temperatures of paved surfaces were also investigated. The article shows how the local microclimate and people’s desire to stay in a given space can be improved with new tree planting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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11 pages, 41650 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Thermal Conductivity of a Bio-Based Composite Made of Hemp Shives and a Magnesium Binder

by Michał Kubiś, Piotr Łapka, Łukasz Cieślikiewicz, Genadijs Sahmenko, Maris Sinka and Diana Bajare

Energies 2022, 15(15), 5490; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15155490 - 28 Jul 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1399

Abstract

The evolution of bio-based composites in the building industry is strongly linked with the growing demand for sustainable development, which is relevant nowadays. Hemp shives are a large group of organic residues that are obtained in the process of oil extraction as well as straw processing. These residues could be utilized along with a binder as constituents in the manufacture of bio-based building composites. This study is focused on the impact of density and relative humidity on the effective thermal conductivity of hemp shive-based bio-composites with a magnesium binder. For this reason, a series of samples with variable densities was manufactured and subjected to conditioning in a climatic chamber at a constant temperature and different relative humidity settings. As soon as samples were stabilized, the guarded hot plate method was applied to determine their thermal conductivities. Before each measurement, great care was taken during sample preparation to ensure minimum moisture loss during long-lasting measurements. The results showed that an increase in sample density from 200 kg/m³ to 600 kg/m³ corresponded to up to a three-fold higher composite thermal conductivity. In the case of sample conditioning, a change in relative humidity from a very low value to 90% also resulted in almost 60% average higher thermal conductivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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23 pages, 19474 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Plant Origin By-Products as Lightweight Aggregates for Bio-Composite Bounded by Starch Binder

by Laura Vitola, Stanislavs Gendelis, Maris Sinka, Ina Pundiene and Diana Bajare

Energies 2022, 15(15), 5330; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15155330 - 22 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1352

Abstract

Thermal insulation bio-composites made of plant origin by-products as bio-aggregates are one of the ways to decrease the impact of the building and construction sector on CO₂ emissions. In this study, three bio-aggregates were analysed for their potential use in the production of bio-composites with potato starch binder. Technologically important properties, such as particle size, shape and compacted bulk density, as well as properties of the resulting bio-composites were identified. The main characteristics of the aggregates are relatively similar: density of 80–100 kg/m³, thermal conductivity of 0.042–0.045 W/m∙K, specific heat capacity of 1240–1330 J/g∙K, kinetic water absorption from 456–584%. This leads to similar basic properties of the produced bio-composites: density around 200 kg/m³, thermal conductivity 0.053–0.062 W/m∙K, specific heat capacity 1250–1450 J/kg∙K, with a difference in compressive strength ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 MPa. Created starch binder and agricultural by-product filler materials could be used in the production of boards where strength is required, for example, envelope and wind barrier boards, and thermal insulation boards under floors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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17 pages, 14266 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multiobjective Optimization of Cement-Based Panels Enhanced with Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials for Building Energy Applications

by Facundo Bre, Antonio Caggiano and Eduardus A. B. Koenders

Energies 2022, 15(14), 5192; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15145192 - 18 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1676

Abstract

Thermal energy storage using phase change materials (PCMs) is a promising technology for improving the thermal performance of buildings and reducing their energy consumption. However, the effectiveness of passive PCMs in buildings depends on their optimal design regarding the building typology and typical climate conditions. Within this context, the present contribution introduces a novel multiobjective computational method to optimize the thermophysical properties of cementitious building panels enhanced with a microencapsulated PCM (MPCM). To achieve this, a parametric model for PCM-based cementitious composites is developed in EnergyPlus, considering as design variables the melting temperature of PCMs and the thickness and thermal conductivity of the panel. A multiobjective genetic algorithm is dynamically coupled with the building energy model to find the best trade-off between annual heating and cooling loads. The optimization results obtained for a case study building in Sofia (Bulgaria-EU) reveal that the annual heating and cooling loads have contradictory performances regarding the thermophysical properties studied. A thick MPCM-enhanced panel with a melting temperature of 22

^{°}

C is needed to reduce the heating loads, while a thin panel with a melting temperature of 27

^{°}

C is required to mitigate the cooling loads. Using these designs, the annual heating and cooling loads decrease by 23% and 3%, respectively. Moreover, up to 12.4% cooling load reduction is reached if the thermal conductivity of the panels is increased. Therefore, it is also concluded that the thermal conductivity of the cement-based panels can significantly influence the effectiveness of MPCMs in buildings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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32 pages, 7479 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Thermo-Modernization and Forecast Regulation on the Reduction of Thermal Energy Consumption and Reduction of Pollutant Emissions into the Atmosphere on the Example of Prefabricated Buildings

by Joanna Piotrowska-Woroniak, Krzysztof Cieśliński, Grzegorz Woroniak and Jonas Bielskus

Energies 2022, 15(8), 2758; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15082758 - 08 Apr 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1798

Abstract

The paper presents an assessment of thermal energy consumption for heating in 10 buildings made in the OWT-67N prefabricated large-panel technology from 1983 to 1986. The work covers the years 2002–2020 in three periods: before and after thermal modernization and after the use of an innovative weather prediction heating system control in buildings. The analysis made it possible to assess the impact of carrying out a deep thermal modernization, and then installing a modern forecast regulation system in terms of reducing heat energy consumption for central heating purposes, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as CO₂, SO_x, NO_x, CO and benzo(a)pyrene, into the atmosphere. The implementation of deep thermal modernization in buildings allowed for savings of 19.8–35% of thermal energy consumption for heating. The use of additional regulation based on prediction saved from 4.8 to 23.5%, except for one building BU10, where there was an increase in final energy consumption by 2.1%. Replacing the weather regulation in heating stations with the forecast regulation additionally reduced the emission of pollutants by 11.1%, compared to the reduction of pollutants achieved as a result of the thermal modernization of buildings alone, amounting to an average of 29.7%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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18 pages, 3957 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Properties of Hemp Shives Used as Insulation Material in Construction Industry

by Piotr Kosiński, Przemysław Brzyski, Maria Tunkiewicz, Zbigniew Suchorab, Damian Wiśniewski and Paweł Palczyński

Energies 2022, 15(7), 2461; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15072461 - 27 Mar 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2555

Abstract

The article presents the results of studies concerning raw hemp shives obtained from the Polish crop of industrial hemp as a loose-fill thermal insulation material. The study focuses mainly on the measurements of the pore size distribution, thermal conductivity and air permeability of material. An increase in the value of the thermal conductivity coefficient (0.049–0.052 W/(m·K)) was demonstrated with an increase in the bulk density. The porosity of the individual pieces of shives is 78.7% and the predominant number of pores is in the diameter range of 0.9–3 μm. The paper also presents an example of the use of the tested material as thermal insulation of the wooden frame wall. The heat flow analysis was performed in various wall variants (insulation thickness: 100, 200 and 300 mm and pressure difference 0, 5, 10 and 15 Pa). A clear influence of the variables on the temperature distribution was observed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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Review

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42 pages, 13230 KiB

Open AccessReview

Energy and Thermal Performance Analysis of PCM-Incorporated Glazing Units Combined with Passive and Active Techniques: A Review Study

by Hossein Arasteh, Wahid Maref and Hamed H. Saber

Energies 2023, 16(3), 1058; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16031058 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1681

Abstract

The building envelope provides thermal comfort, an excellent visual view, and sunlight for the occupants. It consists of two parts: (i) an opaque (non-transparent) part (e.g., walls and roofs) and (ii) a transparent part (e.g., windows, curtain walls, and skylight devices). Recently, the use of fully-glazed facades, especially in large cities, has increased due to their aesthetical and structural advantages. This has led this study to review the performance of the currently passive smart glazing technologies. Phase Change Materials (PCMs) as latent energy storage material is the focus of this review, as well as other individual and combined techniques, including shading systems, solar cells (photovoltaic), and chromogenic (thermotropic and thermochromic) materials. PCM-integrated glazing systems have been extensively studied and rapidly developed over the past several decades from the standpoint of unique system designs, such as passive, active, and passive/active mixed designs, intelligent management, and sophisticated controls. In the academic literature, numerous studies on PCM-integrated building envelopes have been conducted, but a comprehensive review of PCM-integrated GUs combined with other passive and active techniques using dialectical analysis and comparing the climatic conditions of each study using Köppen-Geiger climate classification climate classification has been performed only rarely. Consequently, the primary objective of this study is to reduce this discrepancy for all types of glazing, excluding glazed roofs. This review article also contains literature tables as well as highlights, limitations, and further research suggestions at the end of each subsection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Building Materials for Energy Saving)

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