Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy Perspective
From a construction point of view, neighborhoods with residents living at or below the poverty threshold are characterized by low energy efficiency buildings, in which people live in acoustic discomfort with no viable options for home improvements, as they usually can not afford the materials and la...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/12/5372 |
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| author | Manuela Neri Elisa Levi Eva Cuerva Francesc Pardo-Bosch Alfredo Guardo Zabaleta Pablo Pujadas |
| author_facet | Manuela Neri Elisa Levi Eva Cuerva Francesc Pardo-Bosch Alfredo Guardo Zabaleta Pablo Pujadas |
| author_sort | Manuela Neri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | From a construction point of view, neighborhoods with residents living at or below the poverty threshold are characterized by low energy efficiency buildings, in which people live in acoustic discomfort with no viable options for home improvements, as they usually can not afford the materials and labor costs associated. An alternative to this is to use low-cost insulating elements made of non-conventional materials with acceptable acoustic properties. Given that household materials at their end-of-life (EoLHM) are free of costs and available also to the more disadvantaged population, they can be used to build acoustic panels for such contexts. This approach embraces several benefits since it reduces the amount of waste produced, the footprint deriving from the extraction of new raw materials and, by highlighting the potential of the EoLHM, discourages the abandonment of waste. In this paper, the acoustic properties of EoLHM, such as cardboard, egg-cartons, clothes, metal elements and combinations of them, are investigated by means of the impedance tube technique. The measured sound absorption coefficient and transmission loss have shown that EoLHM can be used for the realization of acoustic panels. However, since none of the analyzed materials shows absorbing and insulating properties at the same time, EoLHM must be wisely selected. This innovative approach supports the circular economy and the improvement for the living condition of low-income households. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:34:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb2088ef5fe64dc8b029c2778adac83d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:34:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb2088ef5fe64dc8b029c2778adac83d2023-11-21T23:26:59ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172021-06-011112537210.3390/app11125372Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy PerspectiveManuela Neri0Elisa Levi1Eva Cuerva2Francesc Pardo-Bosch3Alfredo Guardo Zabaleta4Pablo Pujadas5Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, via Branze 38, 25121 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, via Branze 38, 25121 Brescia, ItalyDepartment of Project and Construction Engineering, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyers Industrials de Barcelona (ETSEIB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Av. Diagonal, 647, 08028 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Project and Construction Engineering, Escola Superior d’Enginyeries Industrial, Aeroespacial yi Audiovisual de Terrassa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Carrer de Colom, 15, 08222 Terrassa, SpainCentre de Diagnòstic Industrial i Fluidodinàmica (UPC CDIF), Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyers Industrials de Barcelona (ETSEIB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Av. Diagonal, 647, 08028 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Project and Construction Engineering, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyers Industrials de Barcelona (ETSEIB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Av. Diagonal, 647, 08028 Barcelona, SpainFrom a construction point of view, neighborhoods with residents living at or below the poverty threshold are characterized by low energy efficiency buildings, in which people live in acoustic discomfort with no viable options for home improvements, as they usually can not afford the materials and labor costs associated. An alternative to this is to use low-cost insulating elements made of non-conventional materials with acceptable acoustic properties. Given that household materials at their end-of-life (EoLHM) are free of costs and available also to the more disadvantaged population, they can be used to build acoustic panels for such contexts. This approach embraces several benefits since it reduces the amount of waste produced, the footprint deriving from the extraction of new raw materials and, by highlighting the potential of the EoLHM, discourages the abandonment of waste. In this paper, the acoustic properties of EoLHM, such as cardboard, egg-cartons, clothes, metal elements and combinations of them, are investigated by means of the impedance tube technique. The measured sound absorption coefficient and transmission loss have shown that EoLHM can be used for the realization of acoustic panels. However, since none of the analyzed materials shows absorbing and insulating properties at the same time, EoLHM must be wisely selected. This innovative approach supports the circular economy and the improvement for the living condition of low-income households.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/12/5372household end-of-life materialsbuilding retrofittingsound insulationsound absorptionvulnerable housescircular economy |
| spellingShingle | Manuela Neri Elisa Levi Eva Cuerva Francesc Pardo-Bosch Alfredo Guardo Zabaleta Pablo Pujadas Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy Perspective Applied Sciences household end-of-life materials building retrofitting sound insulation sound absorption vulnerable houses circular economy |
| title | Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy Perspective |
| title_full | Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy Perspective |
| title_short | Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy Perspective |
| title_sort | sound absorbing and insulating low cost panels from end of life household materials for the development of vulnerable contexts in circular economy perspective |
| topic | household end-of-life materials building retrofitting sound insulation sound absorption vulnerable houses circular economy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/12/5372 |
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