Presentation at the DigitalFUTURES world – Soft Materials Edition
April 26, 2021
Fibre Highways – research update
May 5, 2021
The Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment were awarded funding for the project “RESPIRE: Passive, Responsive, Variable Porosity Building Skins”, led by Ben Bridgens, Helen Mitrani and Jane Scott. The Leverhulme Trust awarded Newcastle University a £328,800 Research Project Grant to support the 3 year project.
Project vision
To create a new generation of low-cost, low-environmental impact, responsive building skins that moderate internal temperature and humidity by varying their porosity. The transformative approach of the Respire project would improve internal air quality and eliminate the need for energy-intensive, high-maintenance mechanical ventilation systems, enabling fully passive, zero-energy buildings.
Buildings require heating and/or cooling, along with provision of fresh air to prevent damp and maintain a healthy internal environment, resulting in significant energy input and associated carbon emissions. Current best practice is to provide high levels of insulation and airtightness. However, this approach requires mechanical ventilation and control systems to work effectively. Providing suitable ventilation without these systems would reduce the cost, complexity and emissions in the construction, operation and maintenance of buildings. It would also increase occupant comfort and internal air quality by reducing levels of carbon dioxide and pathogens including the coronavirus.
The project proposes to use moisture-responsive materials in combination with insulation to produce building skins that allow variable levels of ventilation, depending on the humidity of the environment inside and outside the building. For example, if the inside of the building is humid, pores will open in the skin, increasing airflow. Alternatively, if the outside of the building is moist, pores will close, keeping the internal environment dry. With careful placement of these skins around a building, comfortable internal conditions can be maintained, with no ongoing carbon emissions.
Respire will take advantage of the natural moisture-responsiveness of some abundant organic materials. Wood, hydrogel (made from seaweed), wool and flax fibres all swell and shrink in response to varying levels of moisture and these can be used to produce novel breathing building skins with low cost and environmental impact.
About the Leverhulme Trust
The Leverhulme Trust was established by the Will of William Hesketh Lever, the founder of Lever Brothers. Since 1925 the Trust has provided grants and scholarships for research and education. Today, it is one of the largest all-subject providers of research funding in the UK, distributing approximately £100m a year. For more information about the Trust, please visit www.leverhulme.ac.uk and follow the Trust on Twitter @LeverhulmeTrust.
