Sustainable panel materials

The ecological challenges and the effects of conventional materials on healthy living require a rethink that focuses on sustainable alternatives

Use of clay building boards in the Reinbeckhallen in Berlin. © Lemix

Building boards are a central component of the modern construction industry, especially in drywall construction. Panel materials are widely used, for example for wall and ceiling cladding and flooring, and are characterized by their versatility and ease of processing. These properties enable efficient and time-saving construction processes and contribute significantly to the widespread use of these materials.

However, the most commonly used materials, such as plasterboard, pose significant environmental challenges. A key component of these boards is often FGD gypsum, a by-product of flue gas desulphurization in coal-fired power plants. Currently, around half of the gypsum required in Germany is covered by FGD gypsum. However, with the planned end of coal-fired power generation by 2038, this resource will no longer be available as a raw material source. This could lead to a significant increase in the extraction of natural gypsum, which would cause serious environmental damage, for example through large-scale interference in landscapes and ecosystems.

There are also health aspects: Binding agents are used for some conventional boards, e.g. made of wood-based materials, which contain formaldehyde, for example, and are harmful to the environment and can pollute indoor air. Chemical impregnations to improve moisture and fire protection also pose a risk. In view of these challenges, a rethink towards sustainable alternatives is urgently needed. The following section presents solutions that enable the construction industry to act in a more resource-conserving and climate-friendly manner.

Clay building boards

Clay building boards are versatile and offer a sustainable alternative for drywall construction. They are ideal for cladding interior walls, timber frameworks, ceiling cladding and for all loft conversions. They also make a valuable contribution to improving heat insulation in summer. They can also be used as dry plasterboards, facing formwork or installation walls and can be used in both new builds and renovations. Another advantage of clay building boards is their high moisture balancing potential. Thanks to their natural sorption capacity, they regulate humidity and create a balanced indoor climate. They can also absorb and neutralize air pollutants and odours. The boards are classified as non-flammable in accordance with fire protection class A1.

The drying of clay building boards can be made CO2-neutral through the use of solar energy. Depending on the manufacturer, earth building boards are made from natural materials such as building loam, clay, hemp, reed, wood fibers and jute or glass fiber fabrics and are available in different thicknesses. The use of clay building boards eliminates the need for undercoats and additional drying times and the fine plaster layer can be applied directly. Another approach is clayboards, which have been specially developed for drywall construction. These boards combine the advantages of clay with simple processing: like conventional drywall boards, they are mounted on wooden or metal stud frames and filled with a clay joint compound. Their production is CO2-neutral and uses sustainable energy. They are also fully recyclable and compostable.

Straw building boards

Straw building boards are made from grain straw that is pressed together under high pressure. The straw’s own lignin serves as a binding agent. A coating of recycled cardboard gives the boards additional stability, and the straw and cardboard are bonded using formaldehyde-free glue. The boards also offer a high level of sound insulation and can improve the indoor climate thanks to their ability to temporarily absorb moisture. The fire behavior of the boards corresponds to the classification of building material class B2.

According to the manufacturer, the surface chars when exposed to direct flames and the spread of fire is significantly inhibited by the high resistance of the boards. This effect results from the strong compaction of the compressed straw, which significantly limits the oxygen access for the fire. Since straw is a rapidly renewable raw material, is a by-product of agriculture and the boards are fully recyclable, they are an ecological alternative to conventional drywall boards. With double planking, self-supporting partition walls can be built without additional supporting structures. Different types of plaster can be used to design the surface, as is common with conventional plasterboard. 

Hemp building boards

Hemp building boards are made from hemp hurds, an annually renewable raw material that is enriched with natural minerals. The boards are CO2-neutral, fully recyclable and breathable, making them a sustainable choice for modern building projects. Their high sorption capacity allows them to regulate humidity while providing efficient thermal and acoustic insulation. They are also mold resistant and classified as flame retardant. These versatile properties make hemp building boards ideal for use in interior walls, ceilings, loft conversions and for renovation and prevention in areas prone to moisture.

Wood fiber boards & OSB alternative

Wood fiberboards combine the functions of plaster base and thermal insulation in one product and are characterized by their high compressive strength, which makes them suitable for numerous applications. They are used, for example, as thermal insulation boards in floor structures or as plaster base boards in interior areas. Due to their diffusion-open and capillary-active properties, they can regulate moisture and thus contribute to a balanced indoor climate. At the same time, their thermal properties provide effective heat protection in summer. After installation, the boards can be provided with a thin layer of reinforcement and then finished with a fine plaster. Some manufacturers combine wood fiber layers with honeycomb-like recycled cardboard structures to create high-performance interior wall systems. These panels can either be fully glued or screwed to substructures, allowing them to be flexibly adapted to different structural requirements.

There are now also alternatives to conventional OSB boards, such as wood chipboards, which are produced sustainably and with low emissions. These wood-based panels are partly made from recycled wood and are characterized by their high bending and transverse tensile strength in both directions as well as their excellent moisture resistance. The randomly scattered chips are bonded using formaldehyde-free gluing. In addition, the boards are suitable for load-bearing purposes in damp areas and thus offer an environmentally friendly and low-emission alternative to classic OSB boards.

Mushroom mycelium as a binder

A promising approach in the development of bio-based building boards is the use of fungal mycelium as a binding agent for biogenic raw materials, such as those obtained from by-products or agricultural waste. Instead of conventional glues, the mycelium of fungi serves as a natural binding agent that binds wood fibers and other plant materials together, thereby creating a completely biodegradable and stable material. Research into such building boards, especially wood-based ones, is being carried out at the Professorship of Sustainable Construction at KIT in Karlsruhe, among others.

The aim of this work is to establish mycelium-based building materials not only for smaller applications, but also as an environmentally friendly alternative. The possibility of replacing conventional cement-bound building materials, for example, with mycelium-bound solutions offers promising prospects for more sustainable construction. Mycelium-based boards could revolutionize the building materials industry by significantly reducing resource consumption and environmental impact. These materials are not only convincing due to their biodegradability, but also due to climate-friendly production and their potential versatility in construction.

Relevant files & links

https://www.baubook.at/natureplus/?SW=32

https://www.baunetzwissen.de/gesund-bauen/fachwissen/baustoffe/ausbauplatten-1529773

https://www.bund.net/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/detail/news/abbau-von-naturgips-in-deutschland-verbaende-legen-positionspapier-vor/

https://lemix.eu

Click on the button to load the content from www.rapidolehm.de.

Load content

https://www.baustoffwissen.de/was-sind-strohbauplatten-31102023

Click on the button to load the content from www.vonhanf.de.

Load content

https://zimmerer-treff.com/blog/detail/3216/die-nachhaltige-alternative-zu-osb-

https://www.espazium.ch/de/aktuelles/baupioniere-aus-dem-untergrund

Author

Barbara Beetz

Source

natureplus, press release, 2025-01-22.

Supplier

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Lemix
natureplus e.V. Internationaler Verein für zukunftsfähiges Bauen und Wohnen

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