Grant: Alliance Grants

The majority (70-90%) of Canadian buildings that will exist in 2050 are already built, and over 70% of current building stock was constructed prior to the development of the building energy code [1]. Many homes today were built pre-1980s, and typically have high energy use, poor occupant comfort, and extensive need for general repair, leaving three options: 1) do nothing, 2) tear down and build new, or 3) perform a deep energy retrofit (DER). One potential product that can be used within both new and retrofit construction in Canada is Magnesium Oxide (MgO) Board. EIDCA Specialty Products, a Canadian subsidiary of DuPont is partnering with Carleton University's Centre for Advanced Building Envelope Research (CABER) to determine the potential for using MgO board, through their ArmorWall product within the Canadian building sector. Work will include extensive experimental testing within CABER's two-storey pressurized spray rack and guarded hot box, to determine the thermal and hygrothermal performance of the product under a range of climactic conditions and construction types. This data will be used to develop detailed thermal and hygrothermal models of the product and potential construction assemblies, and its long term performance and resiliency will be modelled for locations across Canada and internationally. This will be completed using both current climatic conditions, as well as predicted conditions for 2050 and 2100. These results will inform and refine the use of MgO board within Canadian buildings, allowing the many benefits MgO board provide, including fire resistance and structural performance to be utilized.