PD lab: The development of a biobased cladding system

Abstract

The building industry consumes a lot of energy, uses a lot of materials and generates a lot of waste. In order to achieve sustainable development, it has to change its focus from merely the use phase to the complete life cycle of buildings. The PD lab is an experimental platform that does so, by setting its aim to develop a modular and demountable building system that fits in a circular economy. In the spring of 2017, a prototype of the PD lab was built: the PD test lab. The cladding system that was applied, is made of an aluminium sandwich material, which is non-renewable, difficult to recycle and therefore not optimal for application in the circular economy. Biobased materials however are organic, renewable materials and might fit better in a circular economy.

This thesis researches the potentials of biobased materials for application as cladding material by developing a rainscreen cladding system for the PD lab. Based on a material assessment, the bio-composite material ‘Resysta’ is chosen as a starting point for the concept development. For seven aspects of the cladding system, which are: assembly, connection, horizontal joints, vertical joints, sub-construction, panel stiffness and processing technique, concepts are generated. The most suitable aspect concepts are then combined into five total concept. Initially, the total concept of extruded panels is elaborated. However, critical limitations of extrusion are encountered later on in the design process. These limitations are: open ends of the extruded panels and a processing technique which is inflexible, demands high initial investments and allows a maximum panel width of 300 milometers. Instead, the tapered panel total concept is elaborated. Based on the design problems that were found during the construction of the aluminium sandwich cladding system, special attention is given to the functions of drainage, cavity ventilation, aesthetics, assembly, space for adjustment and thermal expansion. Eventually, a biobased cladding system for the PD lab is achieved that fulfils these functions.

In order to bring the PD lab and its cladding system to the next level, further research is necessary on biobased materials, the development of critical cladding parts, processing techniques and the integration of the system in the circular economy.