Advances in Bio-Based Materials for Construction and Energy Efficiency

Fernando Pacheco Torgal is a Principal Investigator at C-TAC, University of Minho. He holds the title of Counsellor (Top 0.5%) from the Portuguese Engineers Association and has been consistently recognized as a Scopus Highly Cited Scientist in the global rankings by Stanford University. With over 300 publications to his name, he has carried out in-depth peer reviews of more than one thousand scientific papers and assessed nearly one hundred research grant proposals across 15 countries. He serves on the editorial boards of nine international journals and has been involved in editorial decisions for several hundred manuscripts. In addition, he has edited 33 international books, many of which are available in the libraries of prestigious institutions such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. Ir Prof. Dan Tsang is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Pao Yue-Kong Chair Professor in the State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization at Zhejiang University in China. Dan was a Professor and MSc Programme Leader at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Visiting Professor at the University of Queensland in Australia and Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, Visiting Scholar at Stanford University in the US and IMETE Scholar at Ghent University in Belgium, and postdoctoral fellow at Imperial College London in the UK. He has more than 20 years of R&D experience, published more than 600 articles in the top 10% journals, and was selected as Stanford University's Top 2% Scientists (Lifetime) and Clarivate's Highly Cited Researchers in the academic fields of Engineering as well as Environment & Ecology. Dan’s team aspires to develop green technologies for long-term decarbonization and promote resource circularity and sustainable development. Dan also serves as the founding Editor-in-Chief of npj Materials Sustainability (Nature Portfolio), Chairman of the Hong Kong Waste Management Association (2023-2025), and Chairman of Waste Management Subcommittee of the Advisory Council on the Environment (2023&2024) of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

• 1. An introductory overview of bio-based construction materialsPART I Bio-based materials and biotechnologies for infrastructure applications2. Performance of asphalt mixtures with partial replacement of fossil binders by bio-based binders3. Nanocellulose fibers and crystals as emulsifying agents4. Concrete with plant-based biomass aggregates and biomass ash5. Geopolymer activator using rice husk ash6. Utilization of agricultural waste-based materials in geopolymer7. Performance of concrete using bacteria and bio-fibers8. Fire performance of hemp concrete9. Performance of cementitious composites incorporating flax fibers10. Properties and environmental performance of concrete modified with a bio-additive based on Opuntia ficus-indica11. Performance of cementitious composites incorporating nanocellulose fibers12. Performance of cementitious composites based on spent coffee ground13. LCA of wall infill made with agriculture wastePART II Bio-based materials and biotechnologies for building energy efficiency14. Thermal insulating lightweight aerogels based on nanocellulose15. Thermal performance and durability of hemp shiv and recycled cardboard fibers16. Thermal performance of hemp clay walls17. Thermal performance of mortars with agricultural waste18. Thermal performance and cost efficiency of hemp filled bricks19. Physical characterization of two Native Chilean Macroalgae: Luga (Sarcothalia crispata) and Sargazo (Sargassum) for their use as thermal insulation material in sustainable housing20. Optimizing passive building walls using PCMs and bio-based hygroscopic materials21. Performance of dry-assembled wooden walls with bio-PCM22. Innovative urban sustainability: Low-maintenance photobioreactor facades in architectural design