Final Report Summary - PLASTER+ (Innovative production of high quality indoor earth plaster by adding cattail fibre)
The development of innovative and sustainable construction materials without toxic chemicals became a major scientific objective during the last years. Ecological and health awareness arose, while sustainable architecture became a dominant trend. Moreover, the EU policy on health and chemicals resulted in many of the currently used toxic building materials being no longer acceptable.
Therefore, the use of unhealthy cement, lime or gypsum based plasters ought to be replaced by earth plasters with adequate reinforcement. The new products should exceed the conventional materials' technical performance while being certified for their sustainability and safety. However, most of them were not competent. The existing technology was unable to produce qualitative plasters in a sufficient quantity to meet the demand; furthermore the developed products could not meet the existing qualitative standards.
The PLASTER+ project aimed to develop, test and optimise a high quality, innovative and cost effective healthy indoor earth plaster reinforced by cattail fibre without any chemical additives. Moreover, the project aimed to develop and test a highly automated prototype plant with minimum maintenance requirements, in order to improve the production process of common earth plasters and increase their competitiveness on the national and international markets. The developed product had improved technical characteristics compared to the conventional gypsum-lime plasters.
The PLASTER+ project was completed successfully and helped to:
1. promote an innovative, sustainable and healthy building material;
2. offer a profitable alternative to existing plasters;
3. create a building material supportive of passive solar design;
4. promote a new plaster market with a high employment potential;
5. facilitate nutrient up-cycling by utilising cattail from natural waste water recycling plants;
6. increase the added value of such plants by using their end product as raw material.
The market requirements and the potential production of cattail in Europe were defined at the project beginning and the prototype components were developed and installed. The initial approach of constructing two separate prototypes for cattail fibres' separation and plaster fabrication was replaced by the development of a single modular and transportable production unit. The target was to create a system similar to the one employed in the concrete industry.
The process was evaluated and optimised and the cattail fibre properties were also assessed. The quality of the final product was monitored and tested. The plaster was biodegradable and could be reused without impacts on its technical performance. Its remaining quantities after construction could serve as compost additives. The potential health effects of the proposal were additionally evaluated, with the analyses showing good skin tolerance and indoor suitability.
Various dissemination activities were undertaken during the PLASTER+ execution. A website was constructed and regularly updated and the product was also presented in the involved partners' sites. Moreover, documented material was produced and distributed in conferences, seminars and exhibitions.
Therefore, the use of unhealthy cement, lime or gypsum based plasters ought to be replaced by earth plasters with adequate reinforcement. The new products should exceed the conventional materials' technical performance while being certified for their sustainability and safety. However, most of them were not competent. The existing technology was unable to produce qualitative plasters in a sufficient quantity to meet the demand; furthermore the developed products could not meet the existing qualitative standards.
The PLASTER+ project aimed to develop, test and optimise a high quality, innovative and cost effective healthy indoor earth plaster reinforced by cattail fibre without any chemical additives. Moreover, the project aimed to develop and test a highly automated prototype plant with minimum maintenance requirements, in order to improve the production process of common earth plasters and increase their competitiveness on the national and international markets. The developed product had improved technical characteristics compared to the conventional gypsum-lime plasters.
The PLASTER+ project was completed successfully and helped to:
1. promote an innovative, sustainable and healthy building material;
2. offer a profitable alternative to existing plasters;
3. create a building material supportive of passive solar design;
4. promote a new plaster market with a high employment potential;
5. facilitate nutrient up-cycling by utilising cattail from natural waste water recycling plants;
6. increase the added value of such plants by using their end product as raw material.
The market requirements and the potential production of cattail in Europe were defined at the project beginning and the prototype components were developed and installed. The initial approach of constructing two separate prototypes for cattail fibres' separation and plaster fabrication was replaced by the development of a single modular and transportable production unit. The target was to create a system similar to the one employed in the concrete industry.
The process was evaluated and optimised and the cattail fibre properties were also assessed. The quality of the final product was monitored and tested. The plaster was biodegradable and could be reused without impacts on its technical performance. Its remaining quantities after construction could serve as compost additives. The potential health effects of the proposal were additionally evaluated, with the analyses showing good skin tolerance and indoor suitability.
Various dissemination activities were undertaken during the PLASTER+ execution. A website was constructed and regularly updated and the product was also presented in the involved partners' sites. Moreover, documented material was produced and distributed in conferences, seminars and exhibitions.
