Using sustainable natural resources to replace oil-based materials in the construction industry is vital. But how can we overcome the barriers to successfully bring them to market asks Mizi Fan, Professor of Civil Engineering, Brunel University…
Across Europe a number of different regions are each trying to develop effective routes to market for sustainable construction materials such as flax and hemp. With each region doing their own thing the same barriers tend to crop up time and time again. This results in lost time and money as well as putting off potential innovators because of perceived complications.
Using sustainable natural resources to replace oil-based materials in the construction industry is vital; not only helping to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and resources but also creating a better, healthier living environment. To get to the stage where these materials are as affordable and of as high quality as traditional building materials – and where there is a strong market demand – we need to take a transnational approach to bring together expertise and experience to create real, workable solutions to the current barriers.
At Brunel University we are leading a new European funded project called Grow2Build which brings together partners in the UK, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Germany. The aim of this project is to develop an extended transnational partnership and innovation network to strengthen the synergy between primary production, primary/secondary transformation, manufacturing and end-use of hemp and flax products in the construction industry.
Within this project there are three core challenges that need to be addressed: quality of product, efficiency of supply chain and market demand.
Quality of product
There are numerous types of materials that can be developed from flax and hemp for use in the construction industry including insulation materials and fibre composites. However in order to ensure that the performance of these materials matches that of the oil-based equivalents there needs to be investment in improving the quality of the materials. Currently farmers and processors generally lack the technical knowledge on how to achieve the necessary standards needed to sell their flax or hemp products to the construction market.
There are two important elements of the supply chain that need to be addressed to improve the overall quality of the materials produced. The first is in the optimisation of cultivation and processing techniques to homogenise and improve the fibre quality of these materials. Secondly, there needs to be an investment in product innovation to improve the overall performance of the finished product. For example, a specific focus on performance in terms of fire and moisture resistance is particularly important in the context of the construction industry.
Ultimately the industry should be looking to place more flax and hemp products into existing building quality labels to begin to build trust amongst professionals in the construction industry.
Efficiency of supply chain
For this project we have focused on flax and hemp for use in building materials because we believe that there is a strong market out there and also that this area can provide significant economic returns to the region. According to an Ernst and Young report for the European Commission, hemp and flax leads to four times as much regional employment per hectare than wheat, and creates five times as many jobs at the first processing stage.
One element of the project is looking at facilitating product chain development to support the growth of this regional economy. This involves not just the setting up of new product chains but also scaling up existing chains and networks. Small initiatives on product chain development have taken place in each of the key regions with locally available knowledge on the subject but, because each of these projects were dealing with the same challenges, transnational cooperation is needed to move faster in the development process.
We are convinced that all links in the product chain need to be strengthened in order to achieve the necessary outcomes. One way of strengthening all elements of the product chain is to focus on dialogue and communication between links. Significant value is added if all links in the chain have a clear view about the possibilities and challenges facing not only themselves but also other elements of the chain. This shared understanding will then hopefully create a more cooperative and supportive environment moving forward.
Market demand
Whilst the industry is improving product quality and efficiency of product chains there needs to be a simultaneous focus on driving market demand. Particularly in the current uncertain economic climate, it is important that entrepreneurs have the confidence to invest in the development of the product chain and that consumers have the confidence in the suitability of the products for the required purpose.
The only way to build confidence is through information, sensibilisation and guidance. There is a clear need to promote the use of building materials based on flax and hemp to architects, building contractors, local government, end consumers etc. In the Grow2Build project we will be doing this primarily through a series of workshops, building scans and building project guidance supporting by a mobile exhibit. For example, public buildings can act as a reliable example for the wider public looking for reassurance on new technologies. In this project we will also formulate a blueprint of a charter for local governments to use flax and hemp building products in their public building projects.
The industry also needs the support of national and European governments to create a policy environment which supports and encourages investment in sustainable materials for construction. To do this we need to raise awareness of the opportunities for developing the bio-economy and more specifically the economy of sustainable building materials, and what the needs are to enable the fulfilment of these opportunities.
For further info, contact Professor Mizi Fan – email: mizi.fan@brunel.ac.uk
*Grow2Build is an Interreg IV B Project co-financed by EU. ERDF
