Re-P-Tile

Recycling PVC into a facade Tile

Master thesis (2024)

Authors

R. Kumaraswamy Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

T. Bristogianni Architectural Technology - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
O. Ioannou Architectural Technology - Architecture and the Built Environment (graduation committee member)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
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Published Date

21-06-2024

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

“Waste does not start as waste; instead, it is useful material in the wrong place” as explained by philosophy professor Michael Thompson in his book Rubbish Theory (Thompson, 1979). With the increasing population, industrialization, and rising human standards of living, waste generation is also increasing. The UNEP’s Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 projects that by 2050, the world’s waste generation will have increased from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes, emphasizing the need to transition from the garbage era to one where waste is transformed into resources. A breakdown of world’s municipal solid waste composition in the report indicates that a large amount of waste comprises of food and garden waste, paper and cardboard waste, glass, metal, and plastics. While food and garden waste, paper and cardboard are biodegrade and ,glass and metal have infinite recyclability, the major issue arises with plastic, which is a growing global concern. Plastic has become essential in daily life due to its cost benefits, but the complexity of recycling lies in identifying its diverse compositions, contaminants, and fillers. The construction and demolition industry significantly contributes to Europe’s plastic waste generation.

The thesis entitled “Re-P-Tile” focuses on the challenges that hinder the recycling process, specifically targeting the PVC waste stream in the construction and demolition industry. The aim of the thesis is to find alternative utilisation paths of this waste, by crating architectural products.

To fully understand the complexity of the plastic waste management problem, particularly in Europe, a literature review was conducted. This review involved examining online data and consulting with research experts, industry professionals, and fellow master thesis students. The study aimed to identify the challenges associated with recycling plastic and analsye plastic material flow. All types of resins were evaluated, with an analysis of material properties including the cost of virgin plastic, mechanical properties, flammability, and waste production percentage and PVC was chosen to study further.

Based on the identified plastic waste streams, PVC was found to generate greater amounts of waste than other resins, with particular concern regarding construction and demolition waste.PVC windows and pipes have material qualities that allow for their disassembly and segregation at the source, making them suitable for cascade recycling to manufacture other components instead of ending up in landfills. The idea of recycling PVC windows with UV-resistant chemicals and sewage pipes with calcium carbonate fillers is an example of transforming waste into a treasure.

Considering the high quality of PVC waste of windows and pipes, the second part of this thesis is dedicated to exploring the potential of recycling PVC for developing architectural components for cladding purpose. The thesis aimed to engineer a PVC sheet material as an architectural component. The composition, impurities, additive content, and thermal behavior of the waste samples were experimentally characterised, along with experimenting with different production tests to find a feasible production technique. A heat press was used to produce the tiles, and the influence of the production parameters was optimized. This included optimizing operational parameters such as temperature, pressure, and dwell time, as well as the effect of shred size and composition. The samples were evaluated for mechanical strength testing through the application of ASTM 970 standard procedures, microscopic visualization, and UV resistance testing.

The findings of these experiments indicate the material’s potential to be used as a façade panel, offering an alternative to conventional cladding materials. The mapping of waste management hierarchy and the carbon footprint assessment of the material, benchmarked against conventional materials, show promising results for the application of this material as a façade panel. The design freedom of the panels could potentially be used for dual façade cladding, particularly for artistic expression. For instance, these panels can produce an expressive visual statement on facades that incorporate dynamic wind or movement and can function as a screen on a white surface. After all, a façade is a canvas for expression, much more than just the exterior of a structure.