Thermal conductivity of experimental wall constructions of renewable insulating materials

Global scale environmental problems and economic issues are the main aspects what point out exigency to do research in the construction of renewable building materials. Renewable building materials are those materials that can be regenerated quickly enough and in theory, their production could be carbon-neutral. In order to evaluate the thermal efficiency of renewable materials in the framework systems of building envelope structures, test samples were made with the filling of renewable materials. The aim of the work is to find out the thermal conductivity coefficient
of these natural composites and to compare them. Different size test samples were created for determination of thermal conductivity coefficient: 1.type as reference value: (width x height x depth) 290 x 290 x 30 mm; 2.type as experimental construction value (imitation of real wall construction): (width x height x depth) 980 x 980 x (165; 250; 345) mm. In this research as renewable insulating materials were used: maple leaves, legume (Galega orientalis), the composition of hemp shives (Bialobrzeskie) and sapropel with lime. A renewable insulating materials (also known as eco-thermal insulating) as alternative building materials discussed in this research work meets the requirements of the normative documents of the Republic of Latvia on sustainable construction principles. The analysis of results indicates significant difference among investigated materials – 0.040 W m-1K-1 lowest obtained value of thermal conductivity coefficient.