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Inês Flores-Colen is an Associate Professor at Construction Section, Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon and a research member at research unit CERIS. She is a civil engineer (1996), with MSc (2002) and PhD in Civil Engineering (2009). She published in the field of construction and civil engineering: 2 books; 7 book chapters (3 national and 4 international); over 50 papers in international journals; 60 reports (technical-scientific dissemination and institutional consultancy); and 35 international congress papers. Her supervision activities include 2 Post-doc researchers (1 finished); 9 PhD students (1 finished); and 80 Masters students. She is the referee of 20 international journals. She participates (ed) in 8 competitively-financed research programs. She is a member of CIB W70 and W86 commissions (in this commission she is the secretary since June 2019). Her research interests are innovative and sustainable construction; pathology, inspection and in-situ testing; maintenance and rehabilitation of constructions; aerogel-based renders and thermal rehabilitation (mortars and ETICS). She is the first author of a national patent PT (108864B) published on July 2019 related to the development of an aerogel-based thermal render.
Project Goal: Development of sustainable solutions with rice husk for walls and acoustic barriers
Current Stage: ongoing
Project Goal: Study descarbonisation and environmental impacts
Current Stage: ongoing
Project Goal: Study the interface of mortars and substrates - performance, durability and at a microstructure level
Current Stage: ongoing
Project Goal: Maintenance planning and risks based on probabilistic methods
Current Stage: ongoing
Project Goal: Study the protective solutions on ETICS - resistance to water, graffiti and biocolonization; define a methodology for durability assessment (accelerated and natural); study LCA and ecotoxicity
Current Stage: ongoing
This paper presents the onsite temperature monitoring of ETICS walls located in a Mediterranean climate, looking to compare different conditions and insulation materials. The walls incorporate several insulation products, including vacuum insulation panels. Different finishing coats and orientations were considered. Additionally, a 2D numerical model was used to simulate the transient thermal behaviour of the case study walls. The results show that walls with a greater insulation capacity finished with a white coloured surface were more likely to develop surface condensations, and consequently, microbiological growth. Black walls showed higher temperature amplitudes increasing the risk of the rendering cracking.
Márcio Gonçalves; Nuno Simões; Catarina Serra; João Almeida; Inês Flores-Colen; Nuno Vieira de Castro; Luis Duarte. Onsite monitoring of ETICS comparing different exposure conditions and insulation materials. Journal of Building Engineering 2021, 42, 103067 .
AMA StyleMárcio Gonçalves, Nuno Simões, Catarina Serra, João Almeida, Inês Flores-Colen, Nuno Vieira de Castro, Luis Duarte. Onsite monitoring of ETICS comparing different exposure conditions and insulation materials. Journal of Building Engineering. 2021; 42 ():103067.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMárcio Gonçalves; Nuno Simões; Catarina Serra; João Almeida; Inês Flores-Colen; Nuno Vieira de Castro; Luis Duarte. 2021. "Onsite monitoring of ETICS comparing different exposure conditions and insulation materials." Journal of Building Engineering 42, no. : 103067.
External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) have been extensively used for either new constructions or building facades retrofitting in the last decades. These systems can provide improved thermal performance to the building envelope. However, their long-term durability remains a pervasive concern, with some systems presenting relevant anomalies after few years from their application. The durability assessment of ETICS is defined by the EAD 040083-00-0404 guideline, which stated an accelerated ageing procedure based on the hygrothermal and freeze-thaw behaviour. Nevertheless, further important environmental urban conditions, such as UV radiation and atmospheric pollutants, as well as bio-susceptibility, are not envisaged in the guideline. This paper presents the results of an experimental campaign with the aim of evaluating the durability of the rendering system of several commercially available ETICS exposed to an innovative accelerated ageing procedure, which consists of hygrothermal cycles, UV radiation and air pollutants (SO2) exposure. Physical and chemical-morphological tests were carried out prior and after each ageing cycle in order to evaluate the durability of ETICS. Biological susceptibility to moulds was also assessed. The experimental results showed that both surface hardness and surface gloss decreased after the combined effect of the hygrothermal, UV, and SO2 ageing cycles, whereas an increase of surface roughness was observed. Substantial colour change for all systems after the ageing procedure was observed, confirming aesthetic alteration. Traces of biological growth were detected on the systems after ageing and the contact angle decreased after the hygrothermal cycles, indicating a lower surface hydrophobicity of the systems.
João L. Parracha; Giovanni Borsoi; Rosário Veiga; Inês Flores-Colen; Lina Nunes; Ana R. Garcia; Laura M. Ilharco; Amélia Dionísio; Paulina Faria. Effects of hygrothermal, UV and SO2 accelerated ageing on the durability of ETICS in urban environments. Building and Environment 2021, 204, 108151 .
AMA StyleJoão L. Parracha, Giovanni Borsoi, Rosário Veiga, Inês Flores-Colen, Lina Nunes, Ana R. Garcia, Laura M. Ilharco, Amélia Dionísio, Paulina Faria. Effects of hygrothermal, UV and SO2 accelerated ageing on the durability of ETICS in urban environments. Building and Environment. 2021; 204 ():108151.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoão L. Parracha; Giovanni Borsoi; Rosário Veiga; Inês Flores-Colen; Lina Nunes; Ana R. Garcia; Laura M. Ilharco; Amélia Dionísio; Paulina Faria. 2021. "Effects of hygrothermal, UV and SO2 accelerated ageing on the durability of ETICS in urban environments." Building and Environment 204, no. : 108151.
The increase of awareness with sustainability and the desire of reducing the energy consumption in the construction sector haved increased the application of External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) across Europe in the last decades. Nevertheless, the implementation of appropriate maintenance strategies is still neglected. The aim of this study is to analyse the impact of different maintenance strategies. For that purpose, a condition-based maintenance model, based on Petri nets, is used to evaluate three maintenance strategies: MS1—total replacement only; MS2—combination of minor intervention and total replacement; and MS3—combination of cleaning operations, minor intervention, and total replacement. In the end, a multi-criteria analysis is used to discuss the impact of the three maintenance strategies proposed, evaluating the remaining service life, the global costs over time, the ETICS’ degradation condition, and the number of replacements (end of service life) over the time horizon. For this purpose, a sample of 378 ETICS was analysed, based on in situ visual inspections, carried out in Portugal. The results from this study reveal that maintenance plays an important role to increase the durability of ETICS, and therefore their sustainability. Regular maintenance can promote the extension of the ETICS’s service life between 88% and 159% (between 15 to 27 years), improve the global degradation condition of the ETICS, and reduce the impact on users by reducing the number of deeper interventions. Further research is essential to optimise the maintenance strategies (time interval between inspections, stakeholders’ performance criteria, and environmental exposure).
Cláudia Ferreira; Ana Silva; Jorge de Brito; Ilídio Dias; Inês Flores-Colen. Condition-Based Maintenance Strategies to Enhance the Durability of ETICS. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6677 .
AMA StyleCláudia Ferreira, Ana Silva, Jorge de Brito, Ilídio Dias, Inês Flores-Colen. Condition-Based Maintenance Strategies to Enhance the Durability of ETICS. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (12):6677.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCláudia Ferreira; Ana Silva; Jorge de Brito; Ilídio Dias; Inês Flores-Colen. 2021. "Condition-Based Maintenance Strategies to Enhance the Durability of ETICS." Sustainability 13, no. 12: 6677.
The real performance of renders is influenced by several in-service factors. To analyze this influence two types of mortars - a traditional mortar (1:4 cement:sand in volume) and an industrial one-coat mortar - were applied on ceramic and concrete substrates, whose surface has been previously treated in three different ways: i) without moisture; ii) with double spraying of water, iii) with water immersion for 4 h. Through in-situ testing techniques (ultrasound, pendulum sclerometer and Karsten tube) at 28 and 90 days of age it was possible to discuss how the substrate and its suction influence the experimental results. When evaluating the performance over this period, it was possible to conclude that the applied mortars improved, in general, their mechanical behavior. In terms of preparation of the substrate, a double spray of water on the substrate surface achieved the best performance for both substrates. With the testing techniques it was found that the substrate and its suction had a significant influence on the performance of the applied mortars.
Poliana Bellei; João Arromba; Inês Flores-Colen; Rosário Veiga; Isabel Torres. Influence of brick and concrete substrates on the performance of renders using in-situ testing techniques. Journal of Building Engineering 2021, 43, 102871 .
AMA StylePoliana Bellei, João Arromba, Inês Flores-Colen, Rosário Veiga, Isabel Torres. Influence of brick and concrete substrates on the performance of renders using in-situ testing techniques. Journal of Building Engineering. 2021; 43 ():102871.
Chicago/Turabian StylePoliana Bellei; João Arromba; Inês Flores-Colen; Rosário Veiga; Isabel Torres. 2021. "Influence of brick and concrete substrates on the performance of renders using in-situ testing techniques." Journal of Building Engineering 43, no. : 102871.
External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) are constructive solutions widely used to increase the thermal insulation in new and retrofitted buildings. However, these systems can present several anomalies due to their constant exposure to weathering agents and anthropic factors. Water is generally the major cause of degradation. Thus, the application of water-repellent products can minimize the appearance of anomalies and increase the durability of the systems. In this paper, acrylic-based and siloxane-based hydrophobic products were applied to ETICS, with the aim of assessing the compatibility, effectiveness, and durability of these products. The moisture transport properties and mould susceptibility were assessed through laboratory tests on untreated and treated specimens. The durability of the hydrophobic treatments was also evaluated through artificial aging tests (heat-cold and freeze-thaw cycles). Results show that the protection products generally decreased water absorption, slightly decreased the drying rate, and presented adequate water vapor permeability. After aging, the products still had reasonable effectiveness and, with one exception, improved the water vapor diffusion of the systems. Additionally, ETICS underwent an alteration in the finishing coat (possible modification of the porosity) due to the aging cycles. No clear linear correlation was found between the contact angle values and water absorption results, evidencing the influence of other factors related to the composition of the water-repellent products.
Renata Roncon; Giovanni Borsoi; João Parracha; Inês Flores-Colen; Rosário Veiga; Lina Nunes. Impact of Water-Repellent Products on the Moisture Transport Properties and Mould Susceptibility of External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems. Coatings 2021, 11, 554 .
AMA StyleRenata Roncon, Giovanni Borsoi, João Parracha, Inês Flores-Colen, Rosário Veiga, Lina Nunes. Impact of Water-Repellent Products on the Moisture Transport Properties and Mould Susceptibility of External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems. Coatings. 2021; 11 (5):554.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRenata Roncon; Giovanni Borsoi; João Parracha; Inês Flores-Colen; Rosário Veiga; Lina Nunes. 2021. "Impact of Water-Repellent Products on the Moisture Transport Properties and Mould Susceptibility of External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems." Coatings 11, no. 5: 554.
Silica-aerogel is one of the nanomaterials that contributes to increasing the thermal properties, due to its high porosity and low density, and also low thermal conductivity. The development of innovative thermal renderings is a current trend, but their impact on the hygrothermal performance of façade systems requires additional investigation. The main goal of the present work consists of discussing the hygrothermal performance of a new thermal aerogel-based render when applied as a component of a multilayer coating system. To achieve this objective, relevant hygrothermal properties were determined. An accurate analysis of the hygrothermal impact, considering different European climates, was also performed. A clear improvement of the thermal conductivity of the new render, at dry-state, (0.029 W/m.°C) was found. As the observed high open porosity (≈83%) leads to a high capillary absorption coefficient (0.129 kg/m2.s1/2), the prevention of moisture-related risks is a critical issue. Due to the high increase of the thermal conductivity (up to 400%), when saturated, the application of finishing materials is therefore decisive for the successful use of these renders in building envelopes. The numerical simulations highlighted significant hygrothermal risks at higher latitudes, observed by relevant temperature differences across the render thickness and significant external condensation potential.
J. Maia; M. Pedroso; N.M.M. Ramos; P.F. Pereira; I. Flores-Colen; M. Glória Gomes; L. Silva. Hygrothermal performance of a new thermal aerogel-based render under distinct climatic conditions. Energy and Buildings 2021, 243, 111001 .
AMA StyleJ. Maia, M. Pedroso, N.M.M. Ramos, P.F. Pereira, I. Flores-Colen, M. Glória Gomes, L. Silva. Hygrothermal performance of a new thermal aerogel-based render under distinct climatic conditions. Energy and Buildings. 2021; 243 ():111001.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. Maia; M. Pedroso; N.M.M. Ramos; P.F. Pereira; I. Flores-Colen; M. Glória Gomes; L. Silva. 2021. "Hygrothermal performance of a new thermal aerogel-based render under distinct climatic conditions." Energy and Buildings 243, no. : 111001.
The production of Portland cement (OP) is commonly associated to significant level of energy consumption and gas emissions. The use of calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSA) can be a sustainable alternative binder, since its production releases about half of the CO2 emissions and its clinker requires 200 °C lower temperatures, when compared to OP. Furthermore, CSA has fast setting time and achieves higher strength in shorter periods, as well as reduced shrinkage. This paper discusses the incorporation of CSA in rendering mortars and basecoat mortars for ETICS (External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems). The physical-mechanical properties of mortars made with OP and CSA cements were experimental evaluated. The results showed that the introduction of CSA generally improves shrinkage, compressive strength, water absorption at low pressure, enhances the tensile bending strength and decreases the setting time. The amount of CSA introduced into the mixture significantly affected the properties of the cement matrix.
Tiago Trigo; Inês Flores-Colen; Luís Silva; Nuno Vieira; Ana Raimundo; Giovanni Borsoi. Performance and Durability of Rendering and Basecoat Mortars for ETICS with CSA and Portland Cement. Infrastructures 2021, 6, 60 .
AMA StyleTiago Trigo, Inês Flores-Colen, Luís Silva, Nuno Vieira, Ana Raimundo, Giovanni Borsoi. Performance and Durability of Rendering and Basecoat Mortars for ETICS with CSA and Portland Cement. Infrastructures. 2021; 6 (4):60.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTiago Trigo; Inês Flores-Colen; Luís Silva; Nuno Vieira; Ana Raimundo; Giovanni Borsoi. 2021. "Performance and Durability of Rendering and Basecoat Mortars for ETICS with CSA and Portland Cement." Infrastructures 6, no. 4: 60.
Façades, as the most external building envelope component, are subject to different ex-ternal environmental loads, such as: Temperature, precipitation, damp, and wind. Therefore, the contribution of environmental actions to the occurrence of defects in façades claddings is an important subject of study since these actions strongly affect the degradation process and natural ageing of these components during their service life. In this study, a methodology to support decision-makers in the process of selecting a façade cladding system and the maintenance strategy to implement is presented and discussed. This methodology covers the performance of four façade claddings (ceramic tiling systems (CTS), natural stone claddings (NSC), external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS), and architectural concrete façades (ACF)) over time, according to three environmental exposure variables (exposure to damp, distance from the sea, and orientation). The databases were established based on the diagnosis of the degradation condition of these claddings in-service conditions, in Portugal. The results reveal that the environmental exposure variables have a significant impact on maintenance requirements and costs. For all the categories of the environmental exposure condition variables, under all scenarios, ETICS is the least favorable constructive solution while CTS is the most advantageous solution. Furthermore, the results show that properly implemented maintenance activities enhance the performance level of building components, which positively affects their degradation behavior over time.
Cláudia Ferreira; Joana Barrelas; Ana Silva; Jorge de Brito; Ilídio Dias; Inês Flores-Colen. Impact of Environmental Exposure Conditions on the Maintenance of Facades’ Claddings. Buildings 2021, 11, 138 .
AMA StyleCláudia Ferreira, Joana Barrelas, Ana Silva, Jorge de Brito, Ilídio Dias, Inês Flores-Colen. Impact of Environmental Exposure Conditions on the Maintenance of Facades’ Claddings. Buildings. 2021; 11 (4):138.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCláudia Ferreira; Joana Barrelas; Ana Silva; Jorge de Brito; Ilídio Dias; Inês Flores-Colen. 2021. "Impact of Environmental Exposure Conditions on the Maintenance of Facades’ Claddings." Buildings 11, no. 4: 138.
Following the trend of energy-efficient construction, renders with thermal insulation properties have been studied for replacing conventional renders. However, there are still few studies on the durability of these renders that may become a barrier for their implementation. In this study, the performance of lightweight renders for thermal insulation to accelerated aging cycles and freeze/thaw cycles is discussed. For this purpose, renders with regranulated expanded cork (GEC), silica aerogel (SA), and expanded polystyrene (EPS) were produced and tested for compressive strength, ultra-sound velocity, Young’s modulus, and thermal conductivity before and after accelerated aging cycles (hygrothermal, IR and freeze/thaw cycles). With this study, a comparison between the influence of different aggregates on renders is carried out in order to understand their effect on different properties of renders.
André Morgado; António Soares; Inês Flores-Colen; Maria Veiga; Maria Gomes. Durability of Thermal Renders with Lightweight and Thermal Insulating Aggregates: Regranulated Expanded Cork, Silica Aerogel and Expanded Polystyrene. Gels 2021, 7, 35 .
AMA StyleAndré Morgado, António Soares, Inês Flores-Colen, Maria Veiga, Maria Gomes. Durability of Thermal Renders with Lightweight and Thermal Insulating Aggregates: Regranulated Expanded Cork, Silica Aerogel and Expanded Polystyrene. Gels. 2021; 7 (2):35.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndré Morgado; António Soares; Inês Flores-Colen; Maria Veiga; Maria Gomes. 2021. "Durability of Thermal Renders with Lightweight and Thermal Insulating Aggregates: Regranulated Expanded Cork, Silica Aerogel and Expanded Polystyrene." Gels 7, no. 2: 35.
A holistic understanding of the correlations between supply and demand in buildings forms the basis for their performance assessment. This paper aims to reinterpret a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that influence users’ satisfaction from different perspectives. Fieldwork was carried out in an office building following a detailed review on KPIs by conducting user surveys. This study highlights the need to organize specific indicators to focus on the usability of workplaces and, where and when required, through an iterative process, understand the user perception of performance indicators in usage conditions. This methodology is applicable for organizations to understand the main existing in-service problems, and could improve the building’s performance over time. Survey results showed that hygiene was the most recognizable influence on users’ satisfaction and indoor air quality was the less well-known in the assessment results. User perception results can be compared to other office buildings results to benchmark good practices and should also be investigated for the post-COVID-19 period.
Teresa Pestana; Inês Flores-Colen; Manuel Pinheiro; Seyed Sajjadian. User Perception on Key Performance Indicators in an In-Service Office Building. Infrastructures 2021, 6, 45 .
AMA StyleTeresa Pestana, Inês Flores-Colen, Manuel Pinheiro, Seyed Sajjadian. User Perception on Key Performance Indicators in an In-Service Office Building. Infrastructures. 2021; 6 (3):45.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTeresa Pestana; Inês Flores-Colen; Manuel Pinheiro; Seyed Sajjadian. 2021. "User Perception on Key Performance Indicators in an In-Service Office Building." Infrastructures 6, no. 3: 45.
In façades design, the selection of constructive solutions plays an important role. The materials used should withstand the expected degradation agents and mechanisms. However, this choice is still based on intuitive criteria. To support decision-makers in the cladding system selection process, this study considers the behaviour of the constructive solutions over time, their maintenance needs, and costs on a multi-criteria analysis methodology. For that purpose, six façade claddings are evaluated: ceramic tiling systems; natural stone claddings; rendered façades; painted surfaces; ETICS; and architectural concrete façades. The databases were established based on the diagnosis of the degradation of these claddings in real in-service conditions, in Portugal. The findings of this study provide an objective framework for selecting façades claddings’ solutions. The results reveal that, according to the different criteria and preferences of the owners/managers of the buildings, different solutions can be achieved, allowing selecting more suitable and economical materials and maintenance strategies. By comparing to the most usually selected conditions of constructive solutions (initial costs and no preventive maintenance), the maintenance strategy can be changed if the weight of the durability and performance criteria is, at least, 1%, and the constructive solution can be changed if the weight is, at least, 17%.
Cláudia Ferreira; Ilídio S. Dias; Ana Silva; Jorge de Brito; Inês Flores-Colen. Criteria for selection of cladding systems based on their maintainability. Journal of Building Engineering 2021, 39, 102260 .
AMA StyleCláudia Ferreira, Ilídio S. Dias, Ana Silva, Jorge de Brito, Inês Flores-Colen. Criteria for selection of cladding systems based on their maintainability. Journal of Building Engineering. 2021; 39 ():102260.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCláudia Ferreira; Ilídio S. Dias; Ana Silva; Jorge de Brito; Inês Flores-Colen. 2021. "Criteria for selection of cladding systems based on their maintainability." Journal of Building Engineering 39, no. : 102260.
The diagnosis of the building’s façades pathology is extremely important to support rational and technically informed decisions regarding maintenance and rehabilitation actions. With a reliable diagnosis, the probable causes of the anomalies can be correctly identified, and the correction measures adopted can be more compatible with the existing elements, promoting the durability of the façades. Visual inspection is the most common approach to identify anomalies in a building’s façade and, in many cases, this technique is sufficient to support the decision to intervene. However, the pathological phenomenon is complex, and the anomalies observed may indicate the presence of other defects, or some anomalies may not be visible in a simple visual observation. This study intends to discuss the application of emerging technologies on the diagnosis and anamneses of building’s façade, in order to automatise the collection of reliable on-site data and, thus, reduce the uncertainty of the diagnosis. The use of these techniques can help existing inspection methodologies, already tested, based mainly on the visual assessment of the buildings’ elements degradation condition.
Ilídio Dias; Inês Flores-Colen; Ana Silva. Critical Analysis about Emerging Technologies for Building’s Façade Inspection. Buildings 2021, 11, 53 .
AMA StyleIlídio Dias, Inês Flores-Colen, Ana Silva. Critical Analysis about Emerging Technologies for Building’s Façade Inspection. Buildings. 2021; 11 (2):53.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIlídio Dias; Inês Flores-Colen; Ana Silva. 2021. "Critical Analysis about Emerging Technologies for Building’s Façade Inspection." Buildings 11, no. 2: 53.
In condition-based maintenance plans, the schedule of inspections is an important step. Condition-based actions are performed according to prescribed condition criteria (i.e., condition, cost, availability, among other factors), and the main purpose of inspections is to evaluate the façade’s condition and plan its correction in order to reduce the risk of failure of the cladding. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to implement multi-objective optimization to understand whether there is an optimal time interval for performing the inspections. For that purpose, a Petri-net condition maintenance model is used to assess the influence of different maintenance plans on the overall degradation of natural stone claddings. In this model, the maintenance activities can only be performed after an inspection has been carried out. The definition of the best maintenance policy results in a conflict of objectives. Owners/managers seek to achieve a maintenance strategy that minimizes service life costs and maintain the cladding in a safe and minimal degradation condition. Multi-objective optimization procedures are capable of considering several conflicting objectives. In this paper, the objective functions considered are minimization of the service life costs, maximization of the efficiency index, maximization of the service life, and minimization of the total number of replacements over the time horizon.
Cláudia Ferreira; Ana Silva; Jorge De Brito; Ilídio S. Dias; Inês Flores-Colen. Optimization of Inspection Period in Natural Stone Claddings. Applied Sciences 2020, 10, 8236 .
AMA StyleCláudia Ferreira, Ana Silva, Jorge De Brito, Ilídio S. Dias, Inês Flores-Colen. Optimization of Inspection Period in Natural Stone Claddings. Applied Sciences. 2020; 10 (22):8236.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCláudia Ferreira; Ana Silva; Jorge De Brito; Ilídio S. Dias; Inês Flores-Colen. 2020. "Optimization of Inspection Period in Natural Stone Claddings." Applied Sciences 10, no. 22: 8236.
This work is within the scope of thermal retrofitting, applied to old buildings’ façades (built between 1700 and 1960) located in Mediterranean climates, such as Portugal. The aim is to increase the sustainability of existing buildings, by reducing their energy consumption needs, for heating and cooling, and the corresponding gaseous emissions, while increasing their users’ comfort. Firstly, an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of several thermal insulation solutions for façades was carried out, supported in current literature. Then, a survey of real retrofitting scenarios and interviews with experts was completed, to allow the selection of the most adequate thermal insulation techniques. Finally, as a result of this study, the discussion of retrofitting strategies was carried out to support the designer’s decision process, based on a flowchart with complementary tables, discussing the best thermal retrofitting technique to be implemented on old buildings’ façades, case-by-case.
Diana Corrêa; Inês Flores-Colen; José Dinis Silvestre; Marco Pedroso; Rita Andrade Santos. Old Buildings’ Façades: Fieldwork and Discussion of Thermal Retrofitting Strategies in a Mediterranean Climate. Designs 2020, 4, 45 .
AMA StyleDiana Corrêa, Inês Flores-Colen, José Dinis Silvestre, Marco Pedroso, Rita Andrade Santos. Old Buildings’ Façades: Fieldwork and Discussion of Thermal Retrofitting Strategies in a Mediterranean Climate. Designs. 2020; 4 (4):45.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDiana Corrêa; Inês Flores-Colen; José Dinis Silvestre; Marco Pedroso; Rita Andrade Santos. 2020. "Old Buildings’ Façades: Fieldwork and Discussion of Thermal Retrofitting Strategies in a Mediterranean Climate." Designs 4, no. 4: 45.
The environmental impact reduction has a growing prominence in building constructions. One of the solutions to that is external wall coating mortars with improved thermal performance, which can be produced with incorporation of lightweight aggregates. To obtain a mortar with the demanded hardened characteristics (physical and mechanical), their fresh properties must be acceptable. This study is focused on the fresh state properties of mortars with improved thermal performance. The mixes were produced with incorporation of different lightweight aggregates (expanded clay, expanded cork granules), a main binder (cement), supplementary materials as partial replacement of cement (fly ash, air lime) and admixtures (air entraining agent, water retaining agent). In this paper, the selected mortars with acceptable workability were tested for fresh density, flow, air content, and water retention. Lastly, the relationship between the fresh and hardened properties (obtained from a previous study) was assessed to highlight the importance of fresh properties. In conclusion, the mortars’ fresh behaviour was mainly influenced by the incorporation of different lightweight aggregates and admixtures. In addition, an optimization was carried out to select the most adequate thermal mortars for the external wall coatings from two perspectives, namely the overall performance (fresh properties, compressive strength, capillary water absorption, thermal conductivity) and the individual thermal performance.
R. Carrajola; A. Hawreen; I. Flores-Colen; J. de Brito. Fresh properties of cement-based thermal renders with fly ash, air lime and lightweight aggregates. Journal of Building Engineering 2020, 34, 101868 .
AMA StyleR. Carrajola, A. Hawreen, I. Flores-Colen, J. de Brito. Fresh properties of cement-based thermal renders with fly ash, air lime and lightweight aggregates. Journal of Building Engineering. 2020; 34 ():101868.
Chicago/Turabian StyleR. Carrajola; A. Hawreen; I. Flores-Colen; J. de Brito. 2020. "Fresh properties of cement-based thermal renders with fly ash, air lime and lightweight aggregates." Journal of Building Engineering 34, no. : 101868.