Eco-Friendly Sandwich Panels for Energy-Efficient Façades

Susana P. B. Sousa (), Helena C. Teixeira, Giorgia Autretto, Valeria Villamil Cárdenas, Stefano Fantucci, Fabio Favoino, Pamela Voigt, Mario Stelzmann, Robert Böhm, Gabriel Beltrán, Nicolás Escribano, Belén Hernández-Gascón, Matthias Tietze and Andreia Araújo ()
Additional contact information
Susana P. B. Sousa: INEGI—Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Campus da FEUP, R. Dr. Roberto Frias 400, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Helena C. Teixeira: INEGI—Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Campus da FEUP, R. Dr. Roberto Frias 400, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Giorgia Autretto: Technology Energy Building Environment (TEBE) Research Group, Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
Valeria Villamil Cárdenas: Technology Energy Building Environment (TEBE) Research Group, Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
Stefano Fantucci: Technology Energy Building Environment (TEBE) Research Group, Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
Fabio Favoino: Technology Energy Building Environment (TEBE) Research Group, Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
Pamela Voigt: Faculty of Engineering, Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur Leipzig (HTWK Leipzig), Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 132, 04277 Leipzig, Germany
Mario Stelzmann: Faculty of Engineering, Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur Leipzig (HTWK Leipzig), Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 132, 04277 Leipzig, Germany
Robert Böhm: Faculty of Engineering, Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur Leipzig (HTWK Leipzig), Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 132, 04277 Leipzig, Germany
Gabriel Beltrán: Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón—ITA, Materials and Components Division, C/María de Luna 7-8, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Nicolás Escribano: Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón—ITA, Materials and Components Division, C/María de Luna 7-8, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Belén Hernández-Gascón: Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón—ITA, Materials and Components Division, C/María de Luna 7-8, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Matthias Tietze: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Institute of Concrete Structures, Technische Universitat Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Andreia Araújo: INEGI—Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Campus da FEUP, R. Dr. Roberto Frias 400, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-25

Abstract: To meet the European Green Deal targets, the construction sector must improve building thermal performance via advanced insulation systems. Eco-friendly sandwich panels offer a promising solution. Therefore, this work aims to develop and validate a new eco-friendly composite sandwich panel (basalt fibres and recycled extruded polystyrene) with enhanced multifunctionality for lightweight and energy-efficient building façades. Two panels were produced via vacuum infusion—a reference panel and a multifunctional panel incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) and silica aerogels (AGs). Their performance was evaluated through lab-based thermal and acoustic tests, numerical simulations, and on-site monitoring in a living laboratory. The test results from all methods were consistent. The PCM-AG panel showed 16% lower periodic thermal transmittance (0.16 W/(m 2 K) vs. 0.19 W/(m 2 K)) and a 92% longer time shift (4.26 h vs. 2.22 h), indicating improved thermal inertia. It also achieved a single-number sound insulation rating of 38 dB. These findings confirm the panel’s potential to reduce operational energy demand and support long-term climate goals.

Keywords: modular construction; thermal properties; sound insulation; sandwich panels; sustainable façades (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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