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Applied Sciences
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Insulation Materials for Energy Conservation in Buildings
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Insulation Materials for Energy Conservation in Buildings

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 10685

Special Issue Editor

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ing. Jiří Zach

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Veveri 95, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: building materials; insulation materials (green insulations, VIPs, etc.); heat and moisture tranfer; building physic

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue mainly focuses on problems with thermal insulation materials utilized in civil engineering for energy conservation in buildings. The aim is primarily to publish interesting contributions and knew knowledge dealing with current issues in this area, especially in the field of advanced thermal and environmentally friendly insulation materials and their application to building structures. Furthermore, research areas include the energy efficiency of buildings and the thermal-moisture transport in the field of modern building structures and their thermal technical behavior. This Special Issue covers several topics as outlined below:

  1. advanced thermal insulation materials (including super insulation materials, vacuum insulations, aerogels);
  2. natural-based and ecological thermal insulation materials;
  3. utilization of insulation materials for rehabilitation of buildings;
  4. Heat and moisture transport in structures of thermal insulation and other building materials;
  5. utilization of waste and by-products in thermal insulation materials production; and
  6. lifecycle and waste management of insulation materials and insulation systems.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ing. Jiri Zach
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thermal insulation
  • energy efficiency of buildings
  • advanced thermal insulation materials
  • natural based insulation materials
  • rehabilitation of buildings
  • super insulation materials
  • waste utilization and management
  • by-products
  • heat and moisture transport

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4076 KiB  
Article
Real-Scale Experimental Evaluation of Energy and Thermal Regulation Effects of PCM-Based Mortars in Lightweight Constructions
by Manuel Andrés, Filipe Rebelo, Álvaro Corredera, António Figueiredo, José L. Hernández, Víctor M. Ferreira, Luis A. Bujedo, Romeu Vicente, Francisco Morentin and Jesús Samaniego
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 2091; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12042091 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1502
Abstract
Lightweight construction is experiencing a significant market implementation with sustained growth both for new buildings and retrofitting purposes. Despite the acknowledged advantages of this type of construction, their reduced thermal inertia can jeopardize indoor thermal comfort levels while leading to higher energy consumption [...] Read more.
Lightweight construction is experiencing a significant market implementation with sustained growth both for new buildings and retrofitting purposes. Despite the acknowledged advantages of this type of construction, their reduced thermal inertia can jeopardize indoor thermal comfort levels while leading to higher energy consumption due to high indoor temperature fluctuations and overheating rates. The incorporation of phase change materials (PCMs) into constructive solutions for lightweight buildings is a promising strategy to guarantee adequate thermal comfort conditions. Particularly, the utilization of mortars embedding PCMs as an indoor wall coating for new and existing buildings represents a solution that has not been widely explored in the past and needs further development and validation efforts. This work pursues the analysis of the thermal regulation effects generated by two thermally-enhanced mortars incorporating microencapsulated PCMs with different operating temperature ranges. To that end, an experimental campaign was conducted in Valladolid (Spain) to address the investigation of the proposed solution under a real-scale relevant environment. The proposed mortars were applied as an indoor coating to the envelope of a single-zone lightweight construction that was monitored (under different weather conditions along 1-year monitoring campaign) together with an identical building unit where the mortar was not added to the constructive base layer. The analysis of indoor temperature fluctuations under free-floating operating mode as well as the energy consumption of HVAC equipment under controlled-temperature operation was specifically targeted. Results derived from the continuous monitoring campaign revealed lower temperature fluctuations during summer and shoulder seasons, reducing indoor temperature peaks by 1–2 °C, and producing a time delay of 1–1.5 h into the temperature wave. A clear reduction in energy use due to the incorporation of the PCM-based indoor coating panels is also observed. Thus, this experimental research contributes to proving that the use of innovative mortars incorporating embedded PCMs enables the development of high-end efficient building solutions with innovative materials towards a sustainable built environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insulation Materials for Energy Conservation in Buildings)
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14 pages, 7498 KiB  
Article
Mineral Composite Plaster Containing Hollow Glass Microspheres and CSA Cement for Building Insulation
by Stefan Zelder, Andreas Rosin, Dominik Helling, Thorsten Gerdes, Friedbert Scharfe and Stefan Schafföner
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1152; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031152 - 22 Jan 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1896
Abstract
Renovation of old buildings plays a key role in the sustainable energy transition because they are often poorly insulated and, therefore, lose a lot of heat through walls and ceilings. An important measure of renovation is façade insulation. Established and widely used materials [...] Read more.
Renovation of old buildings plays a key role in the sustainable energy transition because they are often poorly insulated and, therefore, lose a lot of heat through walls and ceilings. An important measure of renovation is façade insulation. Established and widely used materials include rigid expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation boards. However, these boards do not easily follow the form of non-planar surfaces such as individually formed, ornamented, or bent façades. Furthermore, fire protection of these boards requires the addition of, for example, hazardous brominated flame retardants that impede recycling. This paper investigates a novel alternative insulating composite plaster. It is purely inorganic and can be applied easily by casting or wet spraying to any wall or ceiling element. The composite material consists of only two components: micro hollow glass microspheres as the insulating light component and calcium sulfoaluminate cement as the binder. Various compositions containing these components were cast, hydraulically set, and characterized with respect to microstructure, phase development during hydration, and thermal conductivity. With an increasing amount of hollow glass spheres, the density decreased to less than 0.2 g·cm−1, and the thermal conductivity reached 0.04 to 0.05 W·m−1K−1, fulfilling the demands of building insulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insulation Materials for Energy Conservation in Buildings)
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16 pages, 1380 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Responsive Plasters for Passive Moisture and Temperature Control
by Jan Fořt, Jan Kočí, Jaroslav Pokorný, Luboš Podolka, Michal Kraus and Robert Černý
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(24), 9116; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10249116 - 20 Dec 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1782
Abstract
Ambient comfort maintenance accompanied by excessive energy consumption is hugely criticized concerning the limited sustainability of the building sector in the long-term. In this sense, the energy reduction strategies based on the employment of passive air-control techniques are viewed as a prospective solution [...] Read more.
Ambient comfort maintenance accompanied by excessive energy consumption is hugely criticized concerning the limited sustainability of the building sector in the long-term. In this sense, the energy reduction strategies based on the employment of passive air-control techniques are viewed as a prospective solution for improved energy performance. In order to contribute to this significant issue, this paper is aimed at the design and material characterization of novel plaster with an improved thermal and humidity control performance. For this purpose, a form-stable diatomite/dodecanol-based phase change material together with superabsorbent polymer are used as admixtures for the passive moderation of indoor air quality by newly designed modified plasters. The experimental assessment of the functional properties by means of mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, and hygric properties is performed. Considering the goal of the paper, particular attention is paid to the characterization of water vapor storage and moisture buffering according to the Nordtest method. Differential scanning calorimetry is employed for the description of phase change intervals as well as the specific enthalpy of phase change. The obtained results point to significant improvements in the hygroscopic performance and increased thermal energy storage that can be used for passive moderation of the indoor temperature and reduction of the relative humidity swings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insulation Materials for Energy Conservation in Buildings)
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15 pages, 4763 KiB  
Article
Phase Change Materials and Their Benefits in ETICS
by Lubomír Sokola, Nikol Žižková, Vítězslav Novák and Aleš Jakubík
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(23), 8549; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10238549 - 29 Nov 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2310
Abstract
Phase change materials (PCMs) are materials with the ability of absorption of latent heat based on a phase change. PCMs are able to store and release a large amount of energy at certain temperatures melting or freezing. The aim of the research is [...] Read more.
Phase change materials (PCMs) are materials with the ability of absorption of latent heat based on a phase change. PCMs are able to store and release a large amount of energy at certain temperatures melting or freezing. The aim of the research is to verify whether this phenomenon (material) can be used within an external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS). This is particularly the usage of PCMs in the base coat. The research is focused on two main areas. The first area concerns the water condensation on the surface of the ETICS and the associated phenomenon of algae attack. The second area concerns the warming of ETICSs with the use of dark color shades. Practical experiments showed a positive effect of PCMs on the heat-storage properties of the ETICS base coat. It was also experimentally verified that the PCM sample did not condense water vapor on the sample surface compared to the reference sample. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insulation Materials for Energy Conservation in Buildings)
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14 pages, 2532 KiB  
Article
Exceeding the Applicability Limit of Aerogel Super Insulation Materials in Different Environmental Conditions
by Ákos Lakatos
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(21), 7824; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10217824 - 04 Nov 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2004
Abstract
Newly designed and constructed buildings are subjected to increasingly strict regulations which emphasize the minimization and, where possible, the elimination of wasteful energy consumption, thus resulting in a decrease in emissions. Thermal insulation materials have an important role in making better use of [...] Read more.
Newly designed and constructed buildings are subjected to increasingly strict regulations which emphasize the minimization and, where possible, the elimination of wasteful energy consumption, thus resulting in a decrease in emissions. Thermal insulation materials have an important role in making better use of the primary energy delivered to consumer systems, be it by an industrial process or building services systems or in residential and commercial buildings. It is well declared that buildings account for about 30% of total energy consumption, while they contribute to about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. High-performance insulation has great potential to achieve the European Commission’s ambitious goals for reducing the thermal loss of buildings. A new class of super insulation materials (SIMs) could play an important role in the future of insulations (e.g., fiber-reinforced silica aerogel). This material is grouped with super insulation materials by the sixty-fifth annex of the International Energy Agency. However, due to their short presence on the market, we do not know much about their long-term performance, and if their properties change with time, the question is how and in which direction they do. This is why their artificial aging is so important through thermal annealing, in addition to exposing them to high humidity and low temperatures. In this paper, the application of measurement results after the artificial aging of fiber-reinforced silica aerogel will be discussed. In order to see the changes in the thermal insulation capability of the materials, 13 different cases of environmental exposures are discussed. These cases will be presented to see possible changes in the thermal insulation performance of the aerogel after treating it in different climatic conditions. Firstly, samples were exposed to humidity treatments at 296 K with different relative humidities (0, 35, 50, 65, 80 and 90%) until they reached equilibrium moisture contents. Secondly, the samples were heat treated once for 6 weeks at 343 K, then for 1 day at 373, 423, 453 and 483 K. Moreover, we wanted to see the effects of frost, and thus we executed a freeze–thaw cycle on the samples for 25 days between 258 and 303 K. After these curing procedures, the thermal conductivities of the samples were measured with a heat flow meter, according to the ISO 8301 standard. The measured thermal conductivity values after heat treatment, wetting and freezing were used for building energetics calculations, with a special focus on the thermal transmittance of two different hypothetical building structures (brick- and concrete-based walls) covered with the mentioned insulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insulation Materials for Energy Conservation in Buildings)
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