Health, comfort, energy use and sustainability issues related to the use of biobased building materials

With the exception of wood, the use of natural (biobased) materials (based on hemp, flax, straw or other natural resources) is still limited. Nevertheless, many benefits are attributed to these materials in terms of a healthier and more comfortable indoor climate. Other potential benefits of natural insulation materials that are often mentioned are energy savings and reduced environmental impact. This report focuses on the empirical support for these claims, identifies research gaps and suggests, where appropriate, recommendations for next steps. A number of natural building materials are missing in the Dutch National Environmental Database for construction materials composed by the Dutch SBK Foundation. As this database is a frequently used source for certificates, subsidy schemes and energy labels, inclusion of these materials in the database would be helpful in accessing markets. This requires collaboration within the value chain. Wageningen University & Research