Heat and Moisture Flow in Frame Walls insulated with Natural Materials. Initial laboratory Studies

Abstract

Circular economy and emission reduction are crucial in modern construction trends. Timber construction fits well with these goals. The use of low-processed plant-based materials as thermal insulation additionally reduces the carbon footprint of the building sector. The authors conducted hygrothermal laboratory tests in timber frame walls filled with loose natural materials, such as wood wool, hemp, and flax fibers. The walls were placed in a climatic chamber between a warm and a cold environment. They were tested in two configurations: with and without a vapour barrier membrane. The tests involved recording changes in temperature and relative humidity in the embedded thermal insulation. Preliminary results indicated sorption response and moisture influence of thermal conductivity of used materials. Varied response of natural-based materials offers a tool to different moisture regulation strategies of timber constructions with biobased materials. Measurement was done by developed system based on SHT21 sensors. The compliance of data is compared with commercial datalogger solution. Result suggest cost effective solution for larger experiments with many measurement points.