Building Sector Gets a Boost with Empa’s Biochar-based Insulation Material

Biochar is to be used in construction as insulation material and can remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Image: Empa

(IN BRIEF) Empa, a leading research organization, is developing a new type of insulation material made from plant-based raw materials or waste products that can permanently bind CO2 through a special heat treatment. This “biochar” not only acts as a CO2 sink, but can also be used in agriculture to increase soil fertility once the buildings are deconstructed. The building sector is responsible for a significant portion of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and there is great potential to reduce the ecological footprint of buildings with long-term CO2 binding materials. The project has received financial support from various institutions including the Minerva Foundation, ETH Board, Swiss Federal Office of Energy, and the Climate Fund of Stadtwerk Winterthur. Empa researchers believe that biochar-based insulation has the potential to significantly improve Switzerland’s CO2 balance in the future.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜBENDORF, 27-Jan-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Empa, the Swiss research institute for applied materials sciences and technology, is developing a revolutionary new insulation material that not only improves energy efficiency in buildings, but also captures and permanently binds carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The material, known as “biochar,” is made from plant-based raw materials or waste products and is created through a special heat treatment process.

The building sector is a major contributor to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, with buildings accounting for 40% of energy consumption, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 36% of waste generated in the EU. By developing a material that can remove CO2 from the atmosphere over the long-term, Empa’s biochar has the potential to significantly reduce the ecological footprint of buildings.

What’s more, once the buildings have been deconstructed, the biochar can be used in agriculture to increase soil fertility. This not only provides an additional benefit to the environment, but also creates a sustainable use for the material.

“But there is still a lot to do before the idea can be put into practice,” says Empa researcher Jannis Wernery, who leads the team developing the biochar insulation, and is also collaborating with researchers at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) on this new approach. Among other things, it is important to ensure that all the ingredients of the novel insulation materials are suitable for later use as “fertilizer”; a marketable insulation material must, of course, also be able to keep pace with established products in terms of thermal insulation and also guarantee adequate fire protection.

The project has received financial support from various institutions including the Minerva Foundation, ETH Board, Swiss Federal Office of Energy, and the Climate Fund of Stadtwerk Winterthur. Empa researchers believe that biochar-based insulation has the potential to significantly improve Switzerland’s CO2 balance in the future, with an initial analysis showing that a partial replacement of conventional insulation materials with biochar could save a half a million tons of CO2 equivalents annually.

This innovative solution not only addresses the immediate need for energy efficiency in buildings but also addresses the long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, making it a sustainable solution for the future.

Empa Zukunftsfonds: New ways of funding research

Many potentially groundbreaking ideas are born in the minds of researchers at Empa – not all of them can be realized, and for some there is simply no funding. The Empa Zukunftsfonds closes this gap; through professional fundraising, the Empa Zukunftsfonds supports exciting research projects that have not yet received funding elsewhere, as well as particularly promising young talents.

Further information
Dr. Jannis Wernery
Building Energy Materials and Components
Phone +41 58 765 49 46
jannis.wernery@empa.ch

Editor / Media Contact
Rémy Nideröst
Communications
Phone +41 58 765 45 98
redaktion@empa.ch

Empa Zukunftsfonds
Dr. Martin Gubser
Zukunftsfonds
Phone +41 58 765 43 35
martin.gubser@empa.ch

SOURCE: EMPA

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