Thermal properties of new ceramic biomaterial for building façades

Abstract

The selection of materials for a building facade is based on the dimensions of sustainability: environmental, economic and social dimensions, which form the basis of design and construction in terms of environmental conservation and energy efficiency. Furthermore, this implies the formula for maintaining balance: comfort in the indoor environment, care for nature, minimal economic expenses. This paper focuses on the investigation of a new material composed of bio and recyclable materials: clay, sawdust, and slag, i.e. materials found in abundance in nature as well as materials left out of use. The selected materials offer significant potential for use in construction industry, for building façades. Laboratory testing of the thermal properties of the new material, particularly of the thermal conductivity λ (W/m·K) that is crucial for thermal comfort in buildings to promote energy efficiency, has been performed. Three sets of samples (9 samples in total) with different proportions of the constitutive materials were tested using the Heat Flow Meter (HFM) instrument. Based on the results obtained, several conclusions have been drawn to demonstrate the potential for interaction among used materials, offering advancements in terms of thermal properties. Namely, thermal conductivity of the tested samples varies between 0.14 W/m·K and 0.18 W/m·K, depending on the density of the samples. This value is 7-9 times lower than the thermal conductivity value of traditional clay full bricks without voids and cavities and indicates new possibilities for energy efficient facades, promising environmental preservation, harmonization with nature, offering the solution with the slag and sawdust deposition.