Development of Lightweight Calcium-Magnesium based Panels (LCMP) as a Thermal Insulation for Structures

Buildings are consumers of large amounts of energy in all countries. In regions with tough climate conditions, a good percentage of the total energy consumption is due to cooling and heating of the buildings. The most important factor of saving energy in buildings is to be aware of thermal properties of the construction materials. The correct and effective use of thermal insulation in buildings contribute towards reducing the required air-conditioning or central heating system size with further reduction in the annual cost of energy. In addition, it could help in achieving thermal comfort without reliance on electrical or mechanical air-conditioning, in particular, during inter-season times. The amount of energy savings as a result of using thermal insulation differ according to the building type, the location of building (climatic conditions), and type of the insulation material used. The objective of this research is to investigate the lightweight calcium-magnesium based panel (LCMP) as a thermal insulation in buildings and also comparing the costs of some ordinary insulation materials such as: polystyrene, polyurethane, mineral wool and etc. Thermal resistance (R), thermal conductivity ( ), thermal conductance (1/R) and thermal transmittance (U factor) are main thermal factors of LCMP as a thermal insulation material that measured separately. Also these factors measured for a wall containing combination of LCMP and masonry materials. Experiments on fire resistance, compressive strength, water absorption and pulse velocity of LCMP were carried out. Results show that the main thermal factors of LCMP are acceptable as per the standards and building codes. Reaction of LCMP in case of fire indicates that it is fire resistant. Water absorption of LCMP is slightly high. LCMP is also a fragile material which is not strong enough to be used as a structural material. However, it is suitable to be used as a thermal insulation for buildings. Pulse velocity test shows that LCMP samples have a good uniformity. The cost of manufacturing LCMP is 128 $/ m 3. When compared to other thermal insulation material prices, the price of LCMP is reasonable. Keywords: Lightweight Calcium-Magnesium Panels, Lightweight Panels, Saving Energy, Thermal Conductivity