Location
Nessmith-Lane Atrium
Session Format
Poster Presentation
Research Area Topic:
Engineering and Material Sciences - Civil
Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors
C. Manoosingh (Georgia Southern University)
Abstract
Construction and demolition waste accounts for 52 % of the total landfilled space. While many advances in disassembly sequencing in buildings have been proposed to recycle concrete, steel, and tile associated with construction and demolition waste, the insulation contained within every building persists as a significant environmental challenge to recycle and reuse. Adding to this problem is the fact that when petroleum based foams are incinerated, it emits carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, isocyanine, acrylonitrile, and hydrogen cyanide in levels exceeding those allowed by the EPA, posing a significant threat to the environment and human health. Design for Disassembly (DfD) approach is taken address this challenge, and an alternative insulation system is proposed for further development and assessment. The proposed system utilizes the structure of pre-fabrication panels to employ an insulation system with complimenting manufacturing and disassembly processes to optimize the ability to reuse the proposed material in its totality with minor reprocessing required. Currently, even when deconstruction techniques are employed for homes, there are two primary issues associated with material recovery: lack of access to material, and the adhesive and varied nature of the material itself.
This work proposes a redesign insulation system in an effort to curtail each of the technological and logistical problems inherent to insulation recycling. The redesigned system utilizes a ground blend of cotton stalks, and organic waste matter and cement compressed into a hexagonal shape with snap and fit interlocking blocks to fit standard pre-fab panel size. Insulation technology comprised of both benign material with a viable disassembly and reprocessing methods has not been yet been proposed in literature, and is not currently available on the market. This work also presents preliminary assessment of the proposed design across three criteria: technical performance (thermal and structural testing), environmental sustainability (life cycle assessment) and economic efficiency (disassembly quantification, cost-benefit analysis). The scalability potential, and the prospective applicability to other wall elements presents a unique opportunity to shift current paradigms in the area of pre-fab construction manufacturing, and construction waste management.
Keywords
Georgia Southern University, Research Symposium, Cotton waste, Thermal insulation solution, Recycling, Waste
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Start Date
4-16-2016 2:45 PM
End Date
4-16-2016 4:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Ghosh, Debalina, "Accelerated Insulation Recycling System (AIRS)" (2016). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 42.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2016/2016/42
Accelerated Insulation Recycling System (AIRS)
Nessmith-Lane Atrium
Construction and demolition waste accounts for 52 % of the total landfilled space. While many advances in disassembly sequencing in buildings have been proposed to recycle concrete, steel, and tile associated with construction and demolition waste, the insulation contained within every building persists as a significant environmental challenge to recycle and reuse. Adding to this problem is the fact that when petroleum based foams are incinerated, it emits carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, isocyanine, acrylonitrile, and hydrogen cyanide in levels exceeding those allowed by the EPA, posing a significant threat to the environment and human health. Design for Disassembly (DfD) approach is taken address this challenge, and an alternative insulation system is proposed for further development and assessment. The proposed system utilizes the structure of pre-fabrication panels to employ an insulation system with complimenting manufacturing and disassembly processes to optimize the ability to reuse the proposed material in its totality with minor reprocessing required. Currently, even when deconstruction techniques are employed for homes, there are two primary issues associated with material recovery: lack of access to material, and the adhesive and varied nature of the material itself.
This work proposes a redesign insulation system in an effort to curtail each of the technological and logistical problems inherent to insulation recycling. The redesigned system utilizes a ground blend of cotton stalks, and organic waste matter and cement compressed into a hexagonal shape with snap and fit interlocking blocks to fit standard pre-fab panel size. Insulation technology comprised of both benign material with a viable disassembly and reprocessing methods has not been yet been proposed in literature, and is not currently available on the market. This work also presents preliminary assessment of the proposed design across three criteria: technical performance (thermal and structural testing), environmental sustainability (life cycle assessment) and economic efficiency (disassembly quantification, cost-benefit analysis). The scalability potential, and the prospective applicability to other wall elements presents a unique opportunity to shift current paradigms in the area of pre-fab construction manufacturing, and construction waste management.
