Innovative Miscanthus-based materials

Due to the increased environmental problems and the excessive energy consumption in buildings, the development of durable and efficient construction materials is of great interest. Since 1990s, plant biomass has been used to develop bio-sourced insulations to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In this context, the valorization of miscanthus for building applications is the subject of this work.

Due to its rapid growth, reduced carbon footprint and promising thermal properties, miscanthus is an ecological effective alternative to mineral insulators. This article presents in the first part the elaboration of a thermal insulation material based on miscanthus aggregates and potato-based starch as vegetable binder where the hygrothermal properties are presented.

The second part focuses on the investigation of the hygrothermal performance of a miscanthus-based wall under different climatic conditions in France. The overall energy performance, total water content, drying rate and condensation risk are evaluated through numerical simulations using the WUFI®Pro software and mould growth risk assessment is conducted using WUFI®Bio software.