Energy Efficiency in Building Installations using Thermal Insulating Materials in BRAZIL NORTHEAST more

ABSTRACT
This paper presents a solution for improvement of energy efficiency in buildings by using thermal insulation materials. The application was tested in areas of northeast Brazil where the average temperature reaches 34°C. The research considered building materials from the region such as: (a) gypsum, that is abundant in nature and found in several deposits in Brazil and it is absorbent of water; (b) vermiculite, a mineral composed of hydrated silicates of aluminum and magnesium; (c) EVA, an ethylene-vinyl acetate produced in large quantities as residue from expanded sheet cuttings in the shoe industry. The thermal conductivity of each material was measured but the comparison of the thermal behaviour of the two walls is based on calculation only. The application of these materials in plates coated with a layer of air showed, compared to conventional walls, 38% reduction in heat load per square meter when using vermiculite-composed plaster and 41% reduction when using gypsum or EVA composition.

Keywords: Energy efficiency in building; Thermal insulating; Thermal non-conventional materials