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Environmental issues are becoming increasingly important, and researchers are developing new technologies and models to reduce environmental impact. The circular economy is a production and consumption model that involves sharing, borrowing, reusing, repairing, reconditioning and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. This study focuses on the concept of reuse and, specifically, how to reduce waste generated by pandemics through recycling and reusing facemasks made of polyamide fabric. Facemasks can be reused to refurbish buildings in low-income contexts. To assess the reutilization potential of recycled bulk polyamide fiber, thermal, acoustic, and fire performance properties were assessed experimentally. The results show that they are comparable to commercial insulation materials such as glass wool and mineral wool in terms of thermal conductivity, while also demonstrating good sound absorption performance at medium and high frequencies (greater thickness and density will increase the amount of insulation and sound absorption). The material’s fire performance is similar to that of other synthetic insulation materials, such as EPS. However, the performance is worse than for common organic insulation materials, such as cellulose. Finally, a lowcost, self-portable insulation panel concept designed for indoor installation was tested for material performance. Considering these properties, this solution may represent a significant opportunity to enhance thermal and acoustic comfort in vulnerable energy-poor households, bringing clear environmental benefits and positive social implications., This research was partially funded with grants from the Centre for Development Cooperation – Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya for the local cooperation project “REEhabilitant el Raval” (grants 2020-D005, 2021-K003 and 2022-C007), by the Catalan agency AGAUR through its research group support program (2021 SGR 00341), and by the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering of the University of Brescia through the MetATer PRD project. The authors would like to thank Prof. Edoardo Piana for access to the applied technical physics laboratory at the University of Brescia, and to Dr. Laia Haurie for access to the materials laboratory at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and for their valuable advice., Peer Reviewed, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.1 - Per a 2030, assegurar l’accés de totes les persones a habitatges i a serveis bàsics adequats, segurs i assequibles, i millorar els barris marginal, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles, Postprint (published version)

Referring to the circular economy model, end-of-life household materials (EoLHM) such as packaging, and clothes, could be converted into building elements – for example panels - with thermal and acoustic properties. Given the high availability almost anywhere, EoLHM represents an alternative to commercial insulating materials that, even though relatively cheap, cannot be afforded by disadvantaged people. The panels are intended for the refurbishment of existing buildings and, therefore, to be installed indoor. This paper presents a multidisciplinary analysis aimed at the characterization of polyamide 6.6 waste from the production of non surgical face masks. The analysis focuses on thermal and acoustic aspects that have determined experimentally by means of the hot plate with guard ring test, and the impedance tube technique respectively. Then, the influence of the panel position on the indoor operative temperature and the reverberation time has been analysed numerically. Results show that, from the thermal and acoustic point of view, this waste is suitable for the realization of building panels and the performance depends on the density and the thickness of the material. However, aspects such as the fire-resistance and the containment of the material need further investigation., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Este documento tiene como objetivo investigar la posibilidad de convertir materiales domésticos al final de su vida útil (EoLHM), como ropa o embalajes, en materiales aislantes térmicos y acústicos de bajo costo para la mejora del confort térmico y acústico en edificios, especialmente para hogares vulnerables en riesgo de padecer pobreza energética. Con este propósito, se presentará una revisión de la literatura y un análisis del comportamiento acústico y térmico de diferentes EoLHM con el objetivo de identificar una solución adecuada a instalar paredes verticales interiores garantizando una mejora de las condiciones acústicas y térmicas de la vivienda. ). Desde el punto de vista acústico, el mejor compromiso entre absorción acústica y pérdida de transmisión se ha obtenido para muestras hechas de cartón, pero también se han obtenido resultados interesantes para muestras hechas con dos hueveras, especialmente en términos de pérdida de transmisión. Asimismo, se ha demostrado que las prendas de ropa de mayor densidad aseguran un mejor rendimiento acústico. Desde el punto de vista térmico, la instalación de paneles de ropa y cartón determina respectivamente una reducción de la transmitancia térmica periódica y la transmitancia térmica. Sin embargo, debido a su mayor densidad, los paneles hechos de ropa son más efectivos. El resultado más importante de esta investigación es la comprensión de que la conversión de EoLHM en materiales aislante es posible, e implica una reducción directa de la producción de residuos, con claros y evidentes beneficios ambientales y positivas implicaciones sociales., Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.1 - Per a 2030, assegurar l’accés de totes les persones a habitatges i a serveis bàsics adequats, segurs i assequibles, i millorar els barris marginal, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.3 - Per a 2030, augmentar la urbanització inclusiva i sostenible, així com la capacitat de planificar i gestionar de manera participativa, integrada i sostenible els assentaments humans a tots els països, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.5 - Per a 2030, reduir de forma significativa el nombre de morts causades per desastres, inclosos els relacio­nats amb l’aigua, i de persones afectades per aquests, i reduir substancialment les pèrdues econòmiques directes causades per desastres relacionades amb el producte interior brut mundial, fent un èmfasi especial en la protecció de les persones pobres i de les persones en situacions de vulnerabilitat, Postprint (published version)

From a construction point of view, neighborhoods with residents living at or below the poverty threshold are characterized by low energy efficiency buildings, in which people live in acoustic discomfort with no viable options for home improvements, as they usually can not afford the materials and labor costs associated. An alternative to this is to use low-cost insulating elements made of non-conventional materials with acceptable acoustic properties. Given that household materials at their end-of-life (EoLHM) are free of costs and available also to the more disadvantaged population, they can be used to build acoustic panels for such contexts. This approach embraces several benefits since it reduces the amount of waste produced, the footprint deriving from the extraction of new raw materials and, by highlighting the potential of the EoLHM, discourages the abandonment of waste. In this paper, the acoustic properties of EoLHM, such as cardboard, egg-cartons, clothes, metal elements and combinations of them, are investigated by means of the impedance tube technique. The measured sound absorption coefficient and transmission loss have shown that EoLHM can be used for the realization of acoustic panels. However, since none of the analyzed materials shows absorbing and insulating properties at the same time, EoLHM must be wisely selected. This innovative approach supports the circular economy and the improvement for the living condition of low-income households., Peer Reviewed, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::1 - Fi de la Pobresa, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::1 - Fi de la Pobresa::1.5 - Per a 2030, fomentar la resiliència de les persones pobres i aquelles que es troben en situacions vulnerables, i reduir-ne l’exposició i vulnerabilitat als fenòmens extrems relacionats amb el clima, així com altres crisis i des­astres econòmics, socials i ambientals, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.1 - Per a 2030, assegurar l’accés de totes les persones a habitatges i a serveis bàsics adequats, segurs i assequibles, i millorar els barris marginal, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::12 - Producció i Consum Responsables, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::12 - Producció i Consum Responsables::12.5 - Per a 2030, disminuir de manera substancial la generació de residus mitjançant polítiques de prevenció, reducció, reciclatge i reutilització, Postprint (published version)

In a world increasingly aware of the environmental cost of the current production/ consumption model, the use of sustainable practices to reduce our environmental impact as a society becomes imperative. One way to reduce this impact is to increase the reuse of materials that are considered, by current definitions of ”waste”, at their end of life. End-of-Life Household Materials (EoLHM) can be defined as household waste materials that still possess exploitable properties, thus making them suitable for reuse. There are several studies in the literature that address the recycling of these materials. When it comes to their reuse, unfortunately, only a limited number of studies are available. This paper aims to fill this gap by investigating the possibility to convert EoLHM, such as clothes or packaging, into low-cost thermal insulating materials for the improvement of the indoor thermal comfort in buildings, especially for households at risk of suffering from energy poverty. For this purpose, a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative analysis of both commercial and EoLHM are proposed. Commercial thermal insulating materials analysis is used as a reference to measure the performance of EoLHM. Important aspects to be considered when choosing suitable EoLHM for a smart conversion and reuse are also investigated. The most important outcome of this investigation is the comprehension that the conversion of EoLHM into insulating material is possible, and it implies a direct reduction in waste production, with environmental benefits and positive social implications. However, some aspects such as adaptability, life expectancy, collection and storage are, at present, in need of further thinking and development to make the EoLHM reuse and re-conversion processes viable on a large (neighborhood/city) scale., Peer Reviewed, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::1 - Fi de la Pobresa::1.5 - Per a 2030, fomentar la resiliència de les persones pobres i aquelles que es troben en situacions vulnerables, i reduir-ne l’exposició i vulnerabilitat als fenòmens extrems relacionats amb el clima, així com altres crisis i des­astres econòmics, socials i ambientals, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.1 - Per a 2030, assegurar l’accés de totes les persones a habitatges i a serveis bàsics adequats, segurs i assequibles, i millorar els barris marginal, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::1 - Fi de la Pobresa, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.3 - Per a 2030, augmentar la urbanització inclusiva i sostenible, així com la capacitat de planificar i gestionar de manera participativa, integrada i sostenible els assentaments humans a tots els països, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.6 - Per a 2030, reduir l’impacte ambiental negatiu per capita de les ciutats, amb especial atenció a la qualitat de l’aire, així com a la gestió dels residus municipals i d’altre tipus, Postprint (published version)

This paper investigates the possibility to realize solutions for buildings thermal and acoustic refurbishment by using end-of-life household materials, such as cardboard, clothes, and egg-boxes. These solutions can be installed to improve the indoor quality in neighborhoods populated by people below the poverty threshold. The considered end-of-life household materials and their combination have been analyzed from the acoustic and thermal points of view. First of all, the sound insulation and the sound absorption properties have been determined by means of an impedance tube. Then, the summer and the winter thermal performances, when coupled to different wall systems, have been investigated analitically. The results suggest that good thermal and acoustic characteristics can be achieved in a contained thickness by coupling end-of-life household materials., Peer Reviewed, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::1 - Fi de la Pobresa, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::1 - Fi de la Pobresa::1.5 - Per a 2030, fomentar la resiliència de les persones pobres i aquelles que es troben en situacions vulnerables, i reduir-ne l’exposició i vulnerabilitat als fenòmens extrems relacionats amb el clima, així com altres crisis i des­astres econòmics, socials i ambientals, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.1 - Per a 2030, assegurar l’accés de totes les persones a habitatges i a serveis bàsics adequats, segurs i assequibles, i millorar els barris marginal, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.3 - Per a 2030, augmentar la urbanització inclusiva i sostenible, així com la capacitat de planificar i gestionar de manera participativa, integrada i sostenible els assentaments humans a tots els països, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles::11.6 - Per a 2030, reduir l’impacte ambiental negatiu per capita de les ciutats, amb especial atenció a la qualitat de l’aire, així com a la gestió dels residus municipals i d’altre tipus, Postprint (published version)