A recycling project for Posidonia as an insulating material. In addition, the project is characterized by a surprising and intelligent reuse of materials and old carpentry. A well-deserved Fad 2018 Award.
Description of project by Life Reusing Posidonia
The Prototype consists of 14 public housing units in Formentera Island and aims to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a multifamily residential building reducing the associated ecological footprint by the following percentages:
- 50% Energy consumption during CONSTRUCTION.
- 75% Energy consumption during USEFUL LIFE.
- 60% Consumption of WATER.
- 50% Production of WASTE.
The main innovative aspect is the 50% reduction of CO2 emissions during the execution of works.
In order to do it, a proper selection of materials is proposed, preferably low embodied energy materials, recovering, insofar as possible, vernacular architecture techniques:
2. Local renewable green or raw materials.
3. Non local renewable green or raw materials with ecological label.
4. Recycled materials or materials from other areas requiring low-consumption industrial processes.
For instance, it has been used dry Posidonia Oceanica for thermal insulation λ=0,044W/mK, natural hidraulic lime NHL-5 for structures because the lime needs no petrol for its production, and reused windows and bed strips from waste. So we propose a change of paradigm:
“Instead of investing in a chemical plant located 1.500km away, we invest the same budget to local unskilled labor, which should extend the Neptun grass to dry under the sun and compact it in pallets, achieving 15cm of insulation in roof. Moreover, it turns out that sea salt acts as natural biocide product and is completely environmentally friendly.”
This model of local architecture, where the project becomes a map of resources of the area, shows that far away from large cities, the most sustainable systems are at hand and we are letting them disappear: the local artisan industry of organic production with raw materials of Km 0.
This approach links environmental issues with the cultural tradition of each region, not only achieving an improvement in air quality and the prevention of global warming but also a recovery of the cities landscape quality.
However, in large European capitals, the large volume of work and the practical disappearance of local handicrafts necessitate the requirement of ecological production labels in 100% of the consignments, or at least the optimization of the solutions reducing consumption of materials and energy.
The proposal includes the construction of a prototype building, consisting of 14 social housing units in Formentera, and the monitoring with the collaboration of University of the Balearic Islands to verify the comfort obtained with the aim of providing verified data to the institutions related to the building sector.
The project links Heritage, Architecture and Climate Change with the aim to recover the traditional constructive techniques in the contemporary research for sustainable solutions.
One of the solutions to be highlighted is the recovery of dry posidonia as insulation on the roof, which reminds us that we DON’T INHABIT A HOUSE, BUT AN ECOSYSTEM.
The building is Energy Class A. In summer, the cooling is provided passively by harnessing the breeze. All the windows exposed to sunlight have solar protections.
The structure is made of load-bearing walls with non reinforced lime foundations and laminated wood slabs. The organization of spaces and formal decisions are the result of knowledge of the advantages and limitations of materials, which are more fragile because they are natural. This fragility becomes a design opportunity.
