BIO-BASED PLASTER FOR IMPROVED INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Author(s): D. Maskell, C. F. da Silva1, K. Mower, C. Rana, A. Dengel, R. J. Ball, M. P. Ansell, A. Thomson, U. Peter, P. J. Walker
Paper category: Proceedings
Book title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference
on Bio-Based Building Materials
Editor(s): Sofiane AMZIANE, Mohammed SONEBI and Karine CHARLET
ISBN:
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-192-6
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2017
Pages: 657-662
Total Pages: 2
Language : English

Abstract: People in industrialised countries spend approximately 80% of their time indoors. As such, the
internal environment quality can have a significant impact on occupant health and wellbeing.
Additionally, the demand for increased building energy efficiency has the potential to degrade
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) through a reduction of air exchange rates. In many forms of
construction, the walls and ceilings are plastered, providing a large surface area exposed to the
indoor environment. There is a growing recognition of the important role this surface may have
on IAQ through regulation of relative humidity. Another, less well known, impact is that porous
coatings have the potential to adsorb Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the air, which
offers further potential to improve IAQ. This paper presents work from the development of a
novel bio-based plaster with improved hygrothermal performance and VOC sorption
characteristics. Cellulose flakes, used for blown insulation, were added into a cement-lime
substrate in three different proportions. A range of mechanical, hygrothermal, VOC emission and

VOC adsorption properties were investigated to evaluate the potential of the bio-based cement-
lime plaster to improve IAQ. The bio-based cement-lime plaster resulted in an improved thermal

conductivity and an improvement in the material’s moisture buffering capacity and VOC
adsorption capacity. With 5% addition of cellulose flakes, the hygrothermal performance
increased by over 25%. This material also showed the ability to capture VOCs and formaldehyde
from the air, reducing the concentrations of these compounds by up to 22% and 70 %
respectively. Therefore, the impact of the implementation of this plaster includes potential
benefits regarding better operational performance of the building and improved occupant health
and wellbeing.

Online publication :2017
Publication type :full_text
Public price (Euros) : 0.00