BioCompass

Sustainability assessment to overcome barriers to renewable construction

NetComposites and BRE are leading a new LINK collaborative research project funded through the renewable materials programme. The project will focus on assessing the environmental credentials of naturally derived construction materials. The work will address the problem faced by the construction industry in that there is limited understanding of the environmental performance of these relatively new materials making like for like comparisons difficult.

The project team, comprising experts from the construction sector and natural materials industry, will produce information, guidance and tools that are crucial for the environmental understanding of these materials and their comparison to conventional alternatives. This will enable companies throughout the sector to make well-informed decisions about the likely benefits of crop-based materials without the cost and time requirements of conducting detailed life-cycle impact studies. It will also allow the industry to deal with clients on a more informed basis, further stimulating the growth of materials derived from crops.

Website:
www.biocompass.org.uk