Smart Biobased Construction (SmartBioC) for climate-positive solutions
Archila, Hector
Authors
Hector Archila Santos Hector.Archila@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Construction Techology and Materials
Abstract
Smart Biobased Construction (SmartBioC) for climate-positive solutions. SmartBioC aims to speed up the uptake of circular biobased materials to provide zero-carbon, healthy and socially and economically viable solutions for the construction industry. This research project is redefining performance indicators used to assess sustainable building choices, and it is implementing smart digital technologies to enable widespread use of biobased materials and building components. SmartBioC investigates the overarching human, social, natural, financial and manufactured impacts (capitals) of specific biobased materials and building components, and implements user-friendly digital tools, building information modelling (BIM) and serious games within a decision-making platform. A multicriteria assessment method provides a simple, traffic light scoring system, similar to the food labelling system (Figure 1a), to wholistically compare the human, social, natural, manufactured and financial impact of biobased and conventional building systems. Figure 1. a) SmartBioC food labelling-like scoring system. b) Radar-graph for Impact/Capital results of four build-ups The results from the multicriteria assessment method generally show how the positive impacts of three alternative biobased building solutions developed by SmartBioC are more widely distributed among the five capitals than the traditional (baseline) solution considered (Figure 1b). The presentation will expand on the composition of the biobased building systems as well as the values and methodology used to develop the scoring system and the overarching implications and benefits of adopting this approach. SmartBioC building systems such as the 'Fast-Growing Biobased Build-up' is mainly composed of short and fast-rotation biobased materials which take between 5-months (hemp) and 6 years (bamboo) to mature and, with the right processing, to be ready for use in long-lasting construction applications. In the Fast-Growing wall build-up (Figure 2) an engineered bamboo 'I-joist type' box (1) forms the wall structure which is infilled with Hemp-flax insulation (2). Hemp plasterboard (3) provides the internal finish whilst thermally modified bamboo (4) provides the external cladding. Relatively fast-growing softwood battens (5) are used to support both the plasterboard internally and the external cladding. Biobased solutions present a unique opportunity to achieve a carbon neutral and biodiverse built environment that prioritises health and wellbeing of building users and supports local businesses and communities worldwide. SmartBioC's research approach is working towards a new future in building to enable a climate positive built environment. a) b) Figure 2. Fast-growing biobased wall build-up
Presentation Conference Type
Keynote
Conference Name
3rd International Conference on Sustainable Structures (ICSUST3)
