Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) between standard gypsum ceiling tile and polyurethane gypsum ceiling tile

In this paper, the LCA of two gypsum ceiling tiles is compared, the first one is a traditional gypsum tile and the second is a new eco ceiling tile in which polyurethane foam waste has been incorporated. Both tiles were made at one of the largest gypsum tile factories in Europe. The life cycle assessment has been considered from cradle to grave for which the corresponding production stages have been defined. This includes the extraction and transportation of raw materials, the manufacturing process, transportation to the client, the use of the product and the end of its useful life. The results show that the tile with polyurethane has a better environmental performance than the standard commercial ceiling tile. This is quantified as a 14% reduction in energy consumption, a 14% reduction in CO2 emissions and a 25% reduction in water consumption compared with the standard tile, all the while maintaining the technical performance. An analysis of the results suggests that the new eco product has a competitive advantage on the market thanks to its environmental improvements and good technical performance.This study was carried out within the framework of the LIFEREPOLYUSE Recovery of polyurethane for reuse in eco-efficient materials. LIFE 16 ENV/ES/000254 Project. LIFE 2016. Environment Life Programme. European Commission. The authors are also grateful to the BU070P20 Project funded by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) of the EU and the Junta de Castilla y León (Spain). In addition, the authors are grateful to the European Social Fund (European Union) and the Education Board of the Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) for funding the investigation

Characterization properties and fire behaviour of cement blocks with recycled polyurethane roof wastes

In accordance with the European politics of reducing the amount of polymers and plastics wastes, the inclusion of compounds such as roof wastes as recycled and reusable materials to replace variable amounts of aggregates is interesting in the production of new construction materials due to their physical and chemical behaviour. Prefabricated mortar blocks have made with Portland cement, sand, water and grinded roof polyurethane based wastes from the automobile industry that replace in different amounts part or all of the aggregates. To try to avoid the mechanical resistance limitation due to the use of roof wastes, the chemical properties of the binders have been modified with non-ionic surfactants that improve the effect on the hydration of the clinker. This variation produces an important change in the mechanical resistance to achieve recycled structural materials with a density between 18.7% and 62.7% lower compared to conventional lightweight mortars. In addition, these surfactants improve other properties including workability, compaction of the matrix, prevent the disintegration of the particles and help to improve the mechanical properties and durability against fire to reinforce the materials. These eco-mortars have a good behaviour against temperature of the final envelope, measured in terms of non-combustibility test. With these results, the use of roof wastes can be consider as a sustainable alternative to the materials currently used and then with them we can be able to contribute to a more ecological business model in the building sector.The non-combustibility tests were carried out at the AFITI LICOF laboratories in Toledo (Spain), entity recognized by National Accreditation Body (ENAC Accreditation No. 41/LE104 of Reaction to Fire, Fire Resistance and Fire Extinguishing Systems and Equipment tests)

Systematic Review on Inclusive Education, Sustainability in Engineering: An Analysis with Mixed Methods and Data Mining Techniques

In the last few years, research in the field of sustainability has experienced a significant increase in interest between sustainability and other areas (inclusive education, active methodologies, and society). Moreover, the use of mixed research methods (quantitative and qualitative) along with the application of data mining techniques, enables the analysis of information and the connection between the different studies. The objectives of this paper were: (1) To establish the results of the research related to the concepts of sustainability, inclusive education, and disability. (2) To study the key concepts that are detected in the articles selected with respect to the concepts of sustainability, inclusive education, disability, and their relations. In order to do so, two studies were carried out (quantitative and qualitative). In the first study, K-means and heat map clustering techniques were applied. In the second study, the technique of text mining was applied. One hundred and thirty-three scientific papers were studied, of which 54 fulfilled all the inclusion criteria. Three clusters were found in the first study; cluster 1 included the categories: inclusive society, educational innovation, and active methodologies. Cluster 2 included active methodologies and society and economy and cluster 3 included inclusive society and society and economy. In the second study, the highest Krippendorff’s Alpha coefficient were found in articles that linked sustainability with social transformation stemming from a change in education by means of the use of active teaching methods and technological resources. The research moves towards the development of competencies in sustainability at all stages of the educational system, and in all areas of knowledge.European Project “Enabling professionals and families to transfer SU Stainable knowledge and Skills to down syndrome individuals” 2018-ES01-KA201-050639 COORDINADOR 7

Placas de yeso laminado aligeradas con residuos poliméricos reforzadas con fibras de polipropileno. Fabricación y puesta en obra

La continua demanda en los países industrializados, así como en aquellos en vías de desarrollo, de materias primas, energía y agua, conlleva un permanente incremento en la generación de residuos. La gestión de estos residuos, tanto industriales como de ámbito urbano, provoca graves problemas, entre los cuales destaca el notable impacto ambiental debido al depósito en vertederos de la mayoría de estos residuos, y la enorme carga económica de su gestión-eliminación. Esta Tesis Doctoral plantea un estudio pormenorizado de la posibilidad de incorporación de diversos residuos poliméricos de origen industrial (espumas de poliuretano, poliamida), para la elaboración de nuevos productos prefabricados a base de yeso de uso en edificación, buscando así una salida a estos residuos industriales, al mismo tiempo que se mejoran las propiedades del prefabricado (placas de yeso laminado). En una primera fase se trabaja con mezclas en distintas concentraciones de residuos poliméricos, estudiando sus propiedades en estado fresco y en estado endurecido, hallando la relación agua/yeso, los tiempos de principio de fraguado, su densidad, capacidad de retención de agua y absorción por capilaridad, la dureza Shore C, resistencias a flexión y compresión, la adherencia y la permeabilidad al vapor de agua. Realizando la caracterización térmica, referida a valores de reacción al fuego, tga y resistencia térmica de las mezclas con mejores prestaciones a nivel físico-mecánico. Se seleccionan las dosificaciones con mejores resultados con el fin de elaborar placas de yeso laminado, las cuales se someten a un programa de ensayos para tratar de identificar sus propiedades y características, además de sus cualidades y limitaciones. Estos ensayos permiten conocer su resistencia a flexión, su dureza superficial, la capacidad de absorción de agua de la placa y la densidad del material. También se trabaja con la incorporación de fibras con el objetivo de mejorar el comportamiento mecánico de las placas y su resistencia al impacto. Es importante la simulación de puesta en obra del material, que permite confirmar la viabilidad de uso del material en un sistema de placa de yeso laminado para tabiquería. Además el estudio económico avala como las placas fabricadas en esta investigación son competitivas respecto a las placas comerciales. El análisis del reciclado de las placas de yeso laminado fabricadas, tiene como objetivo dar una solución al cierre del ciclo de vida de los residuos que integran el material investigado

Sustainable Polyurethane Plasterboard for Construction

The introduction of polyurethane waste from the production of cars into gypsum plasterboards in its matrix is studied. This new plasterboard is compared to commercial gypsum plasterboard; therefore, the doses and the uses of both materials are the same. The prefabricated material is entirely characterized under the Standard EN 520:2005+A1 by the following tests: bulk density, maximum breaking load under flexion stress, total water absorption and surface hardness. The results indicate that the use of polyurethane waste makes the plasterboard lighter as the density of the polyurethane is lower than the gypsum one. The water absorption increased when the amount of residue increased. The lower density leads to a higher porosity, what permits a higher absorption of water and much better thermal isolation. It also reduces its mechanical performance while preventing the board from breaking since only small cracks appear. Besides, the elastic properties of the polyurethane make the surface hardness decrease. With respect to mechanical properties, plasterboard is susceptible to the mechanical impact damage. Although the flexural strength of the plaster specimens decrease as the amount of the waste increase, it remains within the minimum reference value required by standard. Non-combustibility test is determinate on the basis of experimental data obtained according to Standard EN 13501-1. Turning waste into a resource is one key to a circular economy, the employ of this polyurethane waste for the fabrication of plasterboards could contribute to maximize the reuse of this kind of waste. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Lightweight Recycled Polyurethane Mortar Placement: A Case of Success

The objective of this case study is based on establishing the real possibilities for the placement of cement mortars lightened with recycled shredded polyurethane, and their performance over a very long period of time, several years. Multiple types of mortars have been designed and dosed to be used as masonry base and resurfacing mortars. On site, therefore, it has been used as joint mortar and rendering mortar in a small shed. Mechanical flexural and compressive strength tests have been carried out on the samples made in the laboratory and on the samples taken from the mortar mixed on site. Adhesion tests have also been carried out on mortars applied as coatings, both exterior and interior. Organoleptic and other aptitude tests complete the study. The results show that this type of material is viable for application as a support for traditional coatings and finishes. This is a good advance in the real viability of reusing inert polymeric wastes in the construction sector, with the consequent environmental benefit, and in the line of contributing to the sustainability of the sector applied to construction materials. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd

Towards an ecological transition in the construction sector through the production of new eco-efficient products

The economic model of the construction sector is becoming more circular by emphasizing sustainability at all stages from the design, the production phase, the installation, the use, the removal and finally its transport to landfill. This work analyses the influence of added polyurethane foam waste from refrigerated industry on the technical properties (bulk density, water vapor permeability, and reaction to fire performance). The environmental properties were also measured through a comparative Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) between the traditional gypsum ceiling tile and a new organic one. The re-use of polyurethane waste in ceiling tiles causes technical improvements. The most relevant improvements noticed are the decrease in the density (28%), reduction in thermal conductivity (27%) and A1 classification for fire reaction. The comparative (LCA) between both tiles shows that the new product that incorporates polyurethane waste has significant improvement in CO2 (14%) and lower use of energy during the manufacturing process (14%). The following impact categories were also reduced: 9% in the case of the acidification of the ground and water, 9% for eutrophication and 31% reduction for non-hazardous waste. This work intends to reduce the carbon footprint and increase the sustainability of polyurethane gypsum products

Economic sustainability assessment of a gypsum ceiling tile with polyurethane foam waste

The amount of plastics deposited in the environment is constantly increasing. To improve their circularity, numerous research lines emerge, such as the creation of new construction materials that incorporate polymeric waste. This practice manages to extend the life cycle of the waste, avoids the consumption of limited natural resources and gives the product additional characteristics. The re-use of polyurethane foam waste as a substitute for gypsum in ceiling tiles carries technical improvements such as a decrease in the weight of the material and in its thermal conductivity, maintaining a positive fire reaction performance. The goal of this work is to analyse its economic viability. For this, the financial assessments of the PU-Gypsum product and its standard alternative are compared. The results show that the Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) of the new precast is 6% cheaper. Despite the fact that the waste processing entails an extra cost, this is widely offset by the increase in the factory’s production capacity due to its shorter drying time. The manufacturing stage represents 3/5 of the total cost for both materials. The PU-Gypsum precast is an ideal market alternative to the traditional gypsum one with improved properties and proficient in an economic level

Design and study of prefabricated materials for use in the interior construction and energy rehabilitation of the built heritage

The research developed studies the design of gypsum mortars dosed with valued polyurethane (PU) foam residues, with the aim of obtaining environmentally friendly building materials with improved thermal properties. Based on previous laboratory studies, suitable dosages of plaster-based mortars have been designed, using A1 (E-35) and B1 (yg) plaster as a binder, together with polyurethane (PU) foam and water residues. The corresponding characterization tests have been carried out, both in the fresh and hardened state, following the standards determined by the European Regulation of application. The results show that plaster-based mortars have good technical performance, similar to those of standard reference mortars. On the other hand, some thermal properties of mortars designed to know their behavior as insulating material have been studied. The Coefficients of Thermal Conductivity, Thermal Effusivity and Thermal Diffusivity have been studied. The results obtained allow us to affirm that the designed gypsum-based conglomerates show a good thermal behavior, retain heat and emit it to the environment slowly, which allows obtaining more efficient walls from the point of view of thermal comfort and the habitability conditions of buildings. Although more specific complementary studies have to be done, the first results show that the use of polyurethane (PU) foam residues in the design of plaster mortars can be a competitive advantage as an environmentally efficient construction material

Guía de buenas prácticas para la contratación ética de servicios y bienes, que promueva la sostenibilidad

Con esta guía, de carácter marcadamente práctico, la Universidad de Burgos refuerza su compromiso por la Sostenibilidad y el Desarrollo Humano Sostenible, recogidos en sus estatutos, en la Declaración de la CRUE de 2005 de las Universidades sobre compra verde, y en la Declaración Institucional de la UBU a favor del Comercio Justo y el Consumo Responsable. El documento presenta una primera sección de referencias legales que avalan la incorporación de aspectos sociales, éticos y medioambientales en los procedimientos de adjudicación contractual. Exponiendo a continuación las ventajas de este tipo de contratación, así como una serie de pautas para incluir cláusulas de Comercio Justo en las diferentes fases del proceso de contratación. También se incluyen ejemplos de contratos de servicios o suministros en los que se pueden insertar criterios éticos, así como una relación de consejos para una compra responsable y sostenible.Ayuntamiento de Burgos, a través de la Convocatoria “Proyectos de Educación para el desarrollo y la Ciudadanía Global, año 2021”, de la Gerencia Municipal de Servicios Sociales, Juventud e lgualdad de Oportunidades