Bio-based materials facing the challenges of the construction industry The use of bio-based materials is often met with skepticism from architects, insurers and contractors in the construction industry, which has led to slow market uptake. This skepticism generally results from a lack of adequate training and support with regard to regulatory frameworks. © ISOBIO Project This was the backdrop of the ISOBIO workshop, held 22 March in Brussels where the project team met with representatives from Earth Building UK and Ireland, BC architects & studies, the ECO-SEE project and the German Association for Building with Earth. The aim was to identify the levers for faster adoption of bio-based material in the construction sector. The workshop was able to pinpoint new ways to improve professional knowledge, develop adequate curricula and set out a suitable legal framework. A further issue to be addressed going forward is how the general public perceive the emerging bio-based construction sector in comparison to the established construction sector. Drawing on its early achievements, ISOBIO gave valuable insights into its testing and prototyping activities with a view to raising awareness and encouraging greater acceptance of bio-based materials. The project partners reiterated their common goal of designing a bio-based product which offers high insulation, low embodied energy and carbon, and hydrothermal efficiency for a greener building and construction industry. A key finding from the workshop was that standard products (panels) made from enhanced bio-based properties could possibly be a leading driver of market uptake for bio-based materials in the industry. Keywords insulation, thermal comfort, energy efficiency, biobased materials, natural construction materials Countries Belgium
