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"insulating materials"
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Show me the bodies : how we let Grenfell happen
The truth about Grenfell at long last. It is hardly possible to admit it. That the biggest tower block fire in UK history was preventable. The government had been warned for years that the building materials were not fire safe. Up until 14th June 2017, ministers' response had always been: 'Show me the bodies.' Journalist Peter Apps weaves poignant survivor testimony with the detailed decision-making that led to that fateful night. In bringing the unfolding tragedy to life, he exposes exactly where things have gone wrong with social housing so that it can never happen again.
BOOK
A Comprehensive Review and Recent Trends in Thermal Insulation Materials for Energy Conservation in Buildings
In recent years, energy conservation became a strategic goal to preserve the environment, foster sustainability, and preserve valuable natural resources. The building sector is considered one of the largest energy consumers globally. Therefore, insulation plays a vital role in mitigating the energy consumption of the building sector. This study provides an overview of various organic and inorganic insulation materials, recent trends in insulation systems, and their applications, advantages, and disadvantages, particularly those suitable for extreme climates. Moreover, natural and composite materials that can be used as a low-cost, thermally efficient, and sustainable option for thermal insulation are discussed along with their thermal properties-associated problems, and potential solutions that could be adopted to utilize natural and sustainable options. Finally, the paper highlights factors affecting thermal performance and essential considerations for choosing a particular insulation system for a particular region. It is concluded that the most commonly used insulation materials are found to have several associated problems and there is a strong need to utilize sustainable materials along with advanced materials such as aerogels to develop novel composite insulation materials to overcome these deficiencies.
Journal Article
Preparation and characteristics of silicone-modified aging-resistant epoxy resin insulation material
In order to improve the aging resistance of epoxy resin insulation materials and the cost-effectiveness and reliability of power apparatuses, a novel silicone-modified aging-resistant epoxy resin insulation material was developed. The modification was achieved via chemical grating, using dihydroxydiphenylsilane, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltriethoxysilane and dicyclohexylamine. Accelerated thermal aging test, accelerated hydrothermal aging test and electrical tree test were carried out to compare the aging resistance of the novel, existing silicone-modified epoxy resin and unmodified epoxy resin under high temperature, humid environment and strong electric fields. The results show that compared with the unmodified resin, the novel material has advantages in thermal, hydrothermal aging resistance and electrical tree resistance. More specifically, after modification, the dielectric strength of the novel material after thermal aging test was improved by 12%; its partial discharge inception voltage (PDIV) after hydrothermal aging test was increased by 19.4% and the growth rate of electrical trees was 12.68% of that in unmodified resin. Compared with the existing silicone-modified epoxy resin, the novel silicone-modified epoxy resin sacrifices part of the hydrothermal properties, but showed better thermal stability, and the growth rate of electrical trees in the novel silicone-modified epoxy resin was 44.26% of that in the existing resin.
Journal Article
High efficiency thermal insulation material based on boron hybrid silicone rubber and hollow microspheres
In this study, a new type of thermal insulation protective material with good thermodynamic properties was successfully prepared. Using boron hybrid silicone rubber (B-SR) as matrix and hollow ceramic microsphere (HCM), hollow silica microsphere (HSM) and hydroxy silicone oil foaming agents (OH-3#) as thermal insulation phase, a single thermal insulation phase (HCM/B-SR, HSM/B-SR, OH-3#/B-SR) was prepared, and the influence of single thermal insulation function on the performance of thermal insulation material was studied. Based on the influence of single thermal insulation function phase on the performance of thermal insulation material, orthogonal experiment was designed to study the influence of composite thermal insulation function phase on the performance of thermal insulation material. The influence of single and composite thermal insulation function phase on thermal performance and mechanical properties of insulation materials were studied by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis plate thermal conductivity meter and universal testing machine, respectively. Through the orthogonal design experiment and further optimization, the final formula of boron hybrid silicone rubber-based thermal insulation protection material was obtained. When B-SR: HCM: HGM: OH-3# = 100: 15: 25: 18, the comprehensive performance of multiphase composite insulation materials was the best. The results showed that the thermal conductivity of the thermal insulation material under the formula is 0.064 W/(m K),
T
10
is 549.9 °C,
T
max
is 621.3 °C,
R
1000
is 77.5%, tensile strength is 2.43 MPa, elongation at break is 73.6%, compression modulus is 11.7 MPa, hardness is 43°. The good synergistic effect of different thermal insulation function phases ensured the technical requirements of warhead thermal insulation protection materials for low thermal conductivity, high heat resistance and structural strength to the greatest extent. This study is of great significance for preparing highly efficient thermal insulation materials through the organic combination of HM filling and chemical foaming.
Journal Article
Mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of lightweight and high-strength carbon-graphite thermal insulation materials
Thermal insulation composites are widely used in civil and military applications; however, it is difficult to achieve the synergy of multiple technical objectives such as lightweight, thermal insulation, high pressure resistance and high-temperature resistance by adopting traditional preparation techniques. In this study, a novel carbon-graphite thermal insulation material was rapidly prepared by exploiting the micro-thermal press additive manufacturing forming technology, and these multiple objectives were simultaneously achieved by introducing a large number of closed pores. It was found that the percentage of closed pores in the carbon-graphite insulation was increased by increasing the forming density or the amount of thermosetting phenolic resin added, but the thermal conductivity increased in parallel with the compressive strength, while the addition of pre-covered expandable graphite was able to achieve the synergy of high compressive strength and low thermal conductivity. When the content of thermosetting phenolic resin was 25 wt%, forming density was 1.2 g·cm−3, and expandable graphite was clad twice, the prepared carbon-graphite insulation exhibited a closed porosity/porosity ratio, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity of 48.92%, 16.432 MPa, and 0.743 W·m −1 K−1, which has the advantages of lightweight, high compressive strength, heat insulation and high-temperature resistance and has good prospects for industrial applications.
Journal Article
Hybrid Revit and a new MCDM approach of energy effective nursing-home designed by natural stone and green insulation materials
The requisition for maintainable constructions has been greatly raising over the last several years. To fulfil the maintainability necessities of a construction, decisions or changes must be done to a construction in the course of the preconstruction and design steps. This can be plausible utilizing building information modelling. To indicate the utilize of building information modelling in maintainable planning, an example nursing-house is received for modelling research. The energy efficiency of nursing-home is analysed utilizing Autodesk Revit and Green Building Studio simulation which contained different characteristics such as annual heating and cooling loads, annual energy usage. Through using the utilize of different building, insulation and roof materials in the nursing-home modelling, the nursing-home modelling is changed into a greener construction modelling. In addition, the effects of using green walls on the facade of the building on the energy performance were analysed. Utilizing simulation, the utilize of non-natural sources can be dramatically decreased through substituting for them with the utilize of sustainable natural sources by that means energy saving. Building information modelling has substantiated to be effective in providing maintainability with alternative material’s assessment and earlier decision-making. Furthermore, this study employed an integrated new MCDM model to evaluate the performance of four natural stones for utilize in a nursing home setting.
Journal Article
Thermal and Pyrolysis Kinetics Analysis of Glass Wool and XPS Insulation Materials Used in High-Rise Buildings
This study investigates the kinetics data of glass wool (GW) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation materials used in cladding systems using a systematic framework. The determination of appropriate kinetic properties, such as pre-exponential factors, activation energy and reaction orders, is crucial for accurately modelling the full-scale fire performance of insulation materials. The primary objective of this research is to extract thermal and kinetics data of XPS and GW insulation materials employed in high-rise buildings. To obtain these properties, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is conducted at four different heating rates: 5, 10, 15 and 20 K/min. The TGA results serve as the basis for determining the kinetic properties using a combination of model-free and model-based methods. The outcomes of this study are expected to be highly beneficial in defining the pyrolysis reaction steps and extracting kinetics data for fire modelling of such insulation materials. This information will enhance the understanding of the fire behaviour and performance of these materials during fire incidents, aiding in developing more accurate fire models and improving fire safety strategies for cladding systems in high-rise buildings.
Journal Article
Thermal and Acoustic Characterization of Innovative and Unconventional Panels Made of Reused Materials
Europe calls for a transition to the circular economy model based on recycling, reuse, the proper design of products, and repair. Recycling requires energy and chemical products for waste processing; on the contrary, reusing reduces the impact of transportation and expands the life of materials that cannot be recycled. This article highlights the characteristics of selected end-of-life materials; it aims to raise awareness among manufacturers to consider products’ conscious design to facilitate their reuse in different sectors. Panels 7 cm thick, realized by assembling cardboard packaging, egg boxes, bulk polyester, and felt, have been experimentally tested to understand whether they can be installed indoors to improve thermal and acoustic comfort. The panels’ equivalent thermal conductivity λeq measured through the guarded hot plate method is 0.071 W/mK. Acoustic tests have been performed in a sound transmission room and a reverberation room. The weighted sound reduction index Rw is 19 dB, the weighted sound absorption coefficient αw is 0.30, and the noise reduction coefficient NRC is 0.64. The measured properties have been compared to those of commercial materials, and the results show that the panels have interesting properties from the thermal and acoustic points of view. They could be employed in the building sector and in disadvantaged contexts where low-income people cannot afford commercial insulating materials. Although other factors, such as fire resistance, need to be evaluated, these results show that the proposed approach is feasible.
Journal Article
Integrating BIM with Lean Principles for Enhanced Decision-making: Optimizing Insulation Material Selection in Sustainable Construction Project
This study addresses the construction sector’s growing need for improved decision-making and reduced carbon emissions by integrating Lean principles into Building Information Modeling (BIM). A decision-support tool was developed using Python and RStudio to enhance stakeholder efficiency, reduce errors, and streamline communication. The tool combines Set-Based Design, Choosing By Advantages, and Big Room methods with Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data to automatically generate and evaluate insulation options based on multi-criteria analysis. To test its adaptability and effectiveness, the tool was applied to two real-world case studies in different regions of France with distinct climatic conditions and project objectives. The first case study involved a mixed-use building in Rennes, where the objective was to enhance energy performance. The selected insulation material reduced heating needs by 13%, annual CO
2
emissions by 14%, and insulation costs by 45% over a 50-year period. The second case study focused on a residential building in Orléans, where the goal was to improve both energy efficiency and environmental impact. The tool achieved a 6% reduction in primary energy consumption, a 40% decrease in carbon footprint per
and a 6% reduction in annual CO
2
emissions. The tool’s ability to adapt to different building types and climatic conditions confirms its accuracy and reliability in optimizing energy performance and reducing environmental impact and project costs. This research provides a scalable tool for enhancing decision-making efficiency and improving building energy performance, environmental impact, and cost-effectiveness in construction projects.
Journal Article
Designing and testing low-cost solar water heater using date palm fibers and starch
Solar water heaters are a type of renewable energy technology that converts solar energy into heat to warm water. Solar water heaters are becoming increasingly popular due to their eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and low maintenance requirements. In this study, low-cost solar collectors were developed using date palm waste (dried leaves) as thermal insulation. Date palm waste is a readily available and abundant resource in many regions, and using it in solar collectors can help reduce waste and promote sustainability. Two solar collectors were fabricated using crushed date palm waste, with one collector using the waste alone and the other mixed with starch. Tests were conducted in accordance with the European standard EN 12975–2-2006 and modeled the thermal behavior of the collectors. The results obtained showed that the prototypes of solar collectors performed well and exhibited behavior comparable to that of a commercial solar collector, with a production cost up to three times less. The use of date palm waste as thermal insulation in solar collectors is an innovative approach that aligns with the principles of sustainability and environmental friendliness. Furthermore, it was found that the leveled heating cost (
LCOH
) and the simple payback period (
SPP
) were 0.952 US$ kWh
−1
and 2.472 years for the prototype without starch and 0.926 US$ kWh
−1
and 2.397 years for the prototype with starch.
Journal Article