Thermal properties of insulation boards made of tree bark & hemp residues

Abstract

Two disparate waste materials were mixed to identify the likelihood of constructing insulation boards. Tree bark and Hemp (cannabis) residues were combined in different proportions and with two dissimilar types of glue. The thermal conductivity (λ) for all boards was measured. Diverse methods of processing the final boards demonstrated altered thermal properties based also on the different density (low and medium). The results have validated the possibility of exploiting local waste materials to produce an eco-friendly, low priced insulation product with competitive (λ) compared to the market products. All materials were collected within a small range to the laboratory (< 100 km). The energy requirements and the carbon footprint of these boards were kept low compared to traditional chemical insulation materials.