Energy efficiency in buildings increases thanks to the HIFIVENT project

Tecnalia is coordinating the European HIFIVENT project, which is seeking to develop a new concept of ventilated façade that will improve the energy efficiency of buildings. With this project it will be possible to cut energy consumption while achieving energy savings and interior comfort.

Most of the materials currently being used (aluminium, stone, ceramic, etc.) have a high environmental impact, while wood, the sustainable material par excellence, requires a lot of maintenance to increase its useful service life in exterior applications.

The HIFIVENT project sets out to develop a new system of ventilated façade based on wood plastic composites (WPC), which include in their make-up a large percentage of agricultural/forestry residues, which significantly cuts their carbon footprint. The presence of a polymer material coating the vegetable fibres reduces the treatments that would otherwise be necessary to preserve it.

What is more, the project is devoting special attention to the durability and fire performance of the new façade.

The project's consortium comprises partners across the whole value chain of the product, from the suppliers of the raw material to the manufacturers of the product and the end users:

5 SMEs that complement each other. BAVE (DE), supplier of wood fibre and agricultural residues. PROLABIN (IT), manufacturer of nanoparticle-based flame-retardants. BEOLOGIC (BE), manufacturer of WPC composites. ESCANERO (SP), processor of plastic materials. UXAMA (SP), manufacturer of façades 3 R&D centres with experience in different fields: TECNALIA (SP) in modifications to cellulose fibres, processing and analysis of WPCs, design of the ventilated façades. WKI-FRAUNHOFER (DE), WPCs with long fibres. UNIV. PERUGIA (IT), in biocomposites and modification of nanoparticles.

Provided by Elhuyar Fundazioa