Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

Global climate change and the high level of fossil energy consumption have introduced changes affecting all sectors of the economy, including the building construction industry. In addition, rising energy costs and consumer awareness of energy conservation have created a surge in sustainability in home construction, particularly the use of bio-based insulation materials. These materials can regulate building's indoor temperature and humidity due to their hygrothermal performance. They are also non-toxic and non-allergenic, making them safer and healthier options for building occupants. This starkly contrasts synthetic materials, which pose severe hazards to human health and the environment due to their non-biodegradable, non-renewable, and non-recyclable nature despite their excellent thermo-mechancial properties. While bio-based materials are safer and more sustainable than their synthetic counterparts, there are still many unknowns about the performance, durability, and safety of these materials, as well as the potential environmental impacts of their production and use. Much of the research on bio-based insulation is still in early stages and thus, further research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and limitations of bio-based insulation materials in order to develop new and improved materials that meet the needs of the construction industry while minimizing their environmental impact. Since 2002, Cenith Energy (CE) Corporation has been making significant contributions to sustainable energy solutions and innovative residential designs in Canada and beyond. The development of bio-based insulation will be an essential part of smart home innovation and CE aims to delve into this market, developing both partial and fully bio-based formulations for home insulation applications with the applied research and development support from Lambton College (LC). The results from this collaborative research will lead to stable, environmentally sustainable, and robust formulation development that meets all specifications. This will facilitate the scaling up of formulations to commercial quantity production and fully integrate novel and sustainable insulation materials into smart homes. The development and commercialization of multiple sustainable products will allow CE to create replacements for the use of traditional thermoset plastics-based insulation, increase revenue, and create significant jobs for CE's new production lines.