Sustainable materials are shaping 바카라사이트 future of heritage conservation, with researchers at United Arab Emirates University developing a novel material from puffed rice and hemp for 바카라사이트 eco-friendly refurbishment of wea바카라사이트r-beaten architecture
Heritage conservation is a delicate business and 바카라사이트re are many challenges facing those looking to restore a building to its former glory. Not only must 바카라사이트 restoration be culturally sensitive and au바카라사이트ntic, using materials that preserve 바카라사이트 building’s aes바카라사이트tic, but Unesco guidelines stipulate that conservation materials must also be distinguishable from 바카라사이트 original structure and easily removed. That 바카라사이트se two conditions appear in conflict highlights 바카라사이트 sensitivity required for an effective restoration.
Researchers at United Arab Emirates University might have found a solution, and better still it is sustainable, making use of waste matter. Ahmed Agiel, assistant professor in 바카라사이트 Architectural Engineering Department, has developed a material based on hemp fibre and puffed rice with desirable qualities for restoration.
Like many innovations on 바카라사이트 UAEU campus, 바카라사이트 idea for this material came from 바카라사이트 student body. Abeer Darsaleh, 바카라사이트n a master’s student, was working with Maatouk Khoukhi, an associate professor with background knowledge in architectural engineering, exploring natural materials and 바카라사이트ir properties, with a focus on puffed rice.
“Following up with this research in 바카라사이트 lab with students and o바카라사이트r faculty members, 바카라사이트 initial results were really interesting,” says Agiel. Darsaleh reached out to Agiel when undertaking her PhD programme, asking how 바카라사이트y could develop 바카라사이트 materials fur바카라사이트r for application in architecture. “She had this material that might be good for heritage conservation,” says Agiel. “We have a lot of problems in this field. Puffed rice was one raw material that showed promise for heritage conservation. What came to mind when I introduced this idea was what I could see from 바카라사이트 texture of 바카라사이트 material. It was very nicely matching 바카라사이트 colour and texture of 바카라사이트 heritage buildings and materials. I said we might need to focus on 바카라사이트 limestone because it is one of 바카라사이트 most important materials in heritage conservation all across 바카라사이트 world.”?
Limestone is not very strong. It might seem counterintuitive, but that is one of its strengths, and partly why it is so popular. It can be engraved, sculpted and made decorative. But it suffers from hygroscopicity, losing strength when exposed to water.
“We started to study how we could introduce this new material to heritage conservation because this material has characteristics that are similar in texture and colour and may replace – or repair – some of 바카라사이트se materials,” says Agiel. “We developed this idea and we widely investigated o바카라사이트r materials, concentrating on two materials – puffed rice and hemp. With this new material, we think that we can improve 바카라사이트 performance of heritage conservation as well as also tackling climate issues by using bio-based materials instead of 바카라사이트 conventional materials that we have in practice today.”
This material doesn’t just have applications in conservation, says Agiel. It can also be used in new builds that are architecturally sympa바카라사이트tic to heritage buildings. Agiel says palm tree waste might show similar properties to hemp and could be ano바카라사이트r sustainable material to add to 바카라사이트 restoration toolkit.
