Green Building is being transformed from a buzzword to a sophisticated approach using technology that redefines how we make and live in buildings that both:
- reduce buildings’ energy consumption and
- provide for building energy production.
The focus of the Green Building industry will continue its switch from new building design and construction to the greening/rehabilitation of existing buildings.
Green Building refers to a structure and its operation that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized Green Building certification system. More than 90 countries with established Green Building organizations, on all continents, will drive considerable Green Building growth.
Who would have thought that artificial, primarily Polyethylene (PE) plastic playing field turf could be efficiently recycled? This additional Green Building benefit makes artificial turf an even better environmental choice over traditional grass due to it not requiring:
- watering,
- mowing, or
- related maintenance.
Currently, 50+ U.S. high school and college artificial turf fields are being reclaimed and processed by TenCate Turf Recycling Solutions, who deliver it to Cyclyx International, Texas for pre-processing before it ultimately goes to ExxonMobil Baytown, Texas for recycling avoiding landfill discarding. This recycled material can then be repurposed into an artificial ground cover or other outdoor athletic applications such as batting cages.
TenCate/Cyclyx/ExxonMobil Reclaiming PE Artificial Turf
Let’s review two green building materials, one process-oriented, and two application technologies in detail.
Teknor’s PVC Range for Residential Decking
Teknor Apex has commercialized Weatherguard® Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) outer skin compounds, concentrates, and additives for Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) green building decking and related applications, expanding upon earlier Polyethylene (PE) systems. PVC-related decking surface benefits include:
- improved weatherability,
- impact resistance,
- scratch lowering,
- colorability/texturizing for aesthetic woodgrain appearance,
- stain maintenance, and
- flame retardance.
Teknor’s Weatherguard® PVC technology is also applicable to vinyl alloy, acrylonitrile styrene acrylonitrile (ASA), and even acrylic plastic materials.
Teknor Apex’s Weatherguard® Capstock Compounds for WPC Residential Decking based on PVC
Polypropylene with Tacuma Fruit Waste for Wood Plastic Composites
Brazilian State University of Amazonas researchers have developed a Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) based on Polypropylene (PP) filled with discarded fiber waste from the widely eaten Tacuma fruit. Left unused, this lignocellulosic fiber easily generates a half million tons of residue per month in Brazil that in turn would be burned and pollute the environment. No coupling agents are used in the 10-50 weight% Tacuma fruit powder PP WPC, where 20 weight% is optimal for green building applications.
Brazilian State University of Amazonas Develop Waste Fiber Tacuma Fruit for WPC
The Tacuma PP WPC is ideal for outdoor decking/steps/banisters, and indoor partitions and furniture as it possesses:
- good elastic modulus,
- coefficient of friction, and
- ages well with a low water absorption of 1.5.
Mixaco’s Process-oriented Technology for Blending Materials
Mixaco’s HM/KM wood mixing equipment system is ideal for the high-volume blending of materials such as:
- polylactic acid (PLA) and
- cellulose fiber.
Finely ground wood fiber powders require less energy in mixing to achieve blend uniformity. Wood moisture absorption requires continual in-process dehumidifying. Mixaco’s Heating Mixer (HM) and High-Efficiency Horizontal Cooler system (KM) is designed to handle the mixing of wood or following other natural fibers such as flax with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA), related green building polymers.
Mixaco’s HM/KM Wood Mixing Equipment System for a 60% PLA/40% cellulose fiber (Top) Regulates Process Parameters (Bottom) Including Hot Mixer RPM (blue), Hot Mixer Temperature (red), and Hot Mixer Torque (green)
NUDEC Develops an Enclosure Construction Sheet with SABIC’s Polycarbonate
SABIC’s LEXAN™ Polycarbonate (PC) for enclosure construction sheet is being developed by Spanish manufacturer NUDEC. This product line is based on renewable feedstock from their TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio that has a carbon footprint reduction of 61% with an accompanying 35% fossil depletion reduction, as detail defined by Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). NUDEC is thus able to claim an International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Plus (ISCC PLUS) certified renewable PC sheet product, with the PC being supplied by SABIC’s Cartagena, Spain facility.
SABIC’s ISCC PLUS Certified Renewable LEXAN™ PC Enclosure Sheet Developed by NUDEC
Solmax’s Pit Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) Device with HDPE Liner
Solmax, a Canadian-based geomembrane manufacturer, has commercialized a next-generation Pit Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) device. The High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) liner is grey-white in color for solar Ultra Violet (UV) heat reflection into the pool water up to 194°F (90°C). The key features of HDPE liner include:
- 1.5 millimeters thick,
- barrier impermeable,
- UV radiation and weather resistant,
- lay flat installation capability, and
- high weld strength at geomembrane section seams.
Solmax has installed a 161,500 ft2 (15,000 m2) reservoir for PTES storage, designed to store 700 MW of energy on the Tibetan Plateau. Two-way heat exchangers transfer the thermal energy to and from an energy storage plant for residential distribution or further storage in the pool.
Solmax’s HDPE Geomembrane Pit Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) Unfilled Water Pool Liner