Scientific Research and Technological Development Project (IC&DT) – Indoor air quality regulation through the usage of eco-efficient mortars, REF.ª INDEEd – SAICT/23349/2016, supported by the budget of the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program, by the Regional Operational Program of Lisbon, in its FEDER component, and by budget of Foundation for Science and Science, in its OE component.
The INDEEd project involved the following entities: Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa (ISEL); Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia of NOVA University of Lisbon (FCT NOVA); Instituto Politécnico de Tomar (IPT); Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal (IPS); Aldeias de Pedra company; and is coordinated by Professor Maria Idália Gomes (ISEL). This project, having a budget of € 150.000, has duration of 18 months, running from March 19, 2018 to September 17, 2019, with a 6 months extension, ending in March 17, 2020.
Mission:
The mission of the INDEEd project is to research, understand and disseminate scientific knowledge in the area of indoor air quality regulation potentially promoted through the use of eco-efficient mortars/coatings, such as earth mortars – assessing their capacity for capture pollutant gases in the indoor areas.
General goals:
- Study the materials in their mechanical, physical and chemical characteristics, more specifically indoor eco-efficient coating mortars, in order to analyze their ability to capture the indoor air pollutants, for assess their ability to reduce the concentration of these pollutants
- Understand the nature of indoor air pollutants such as aerosols particles (PM10 and PM2.5), carbone dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Study the relationship between indoor air pollutants and the eco-efficient mortars, focusing on optimization of indoor air quality
- Determine to what extent eco-efficient mortars/coatings, such as earth mortars, contribute for capturing pollutants in the indoor environment and how they behave, from mortar coatings commonly used in the contemporary construction in Portugal, such as cement and gypsum;
- Analysis of its ability to regulate temperature, relative humidity and indoor air quality promoted by eco-efficient mortars (earth-based mortars) compared to cement and gypsum-based mortars
- Creation of an on-line database with the dissemination of the results obtained during the investigation, in order to ensure a wide dissemination;
- Present strategies for the construction of buildings in order to reduce the human exposure to environments with poor indoor air quality, and consequently, reduce the risk to the health of the occupants, with a view to improving the indoor conditions of habitability in Portugal, in relation to the indoor air quality, in residential and public buildings, such as schools, nurseries, hospitals, health center, nursing homes, among others
- Optimize the relationship between indoor air concentration and the various pollutants present inside residential and public buildings during spring/summer and autumn/winter with the application of several eco-efficient mortars
