Construction has begun on the first building in the country to be made from a scientifically upgraded version of the centuries-old material of cob.
The single-storey building on the University of Plymouth campus will act as a classroom and laboratory with researchers monitoring the performance of the new walling material, as well as demonstrating it to future building designers, contractors, housing associations and interested stakeholders.
The construction is the latest phase of the award-winning CobBauge project, which is investigating whether an optimised version of cob can become a sustainable solution for a new generation of energy-efficient housing. Cob has a low embodied energy and is viewed by many as supporting the move to a net zero future.
The project is being led by the University and its Sustainable Earth Institute, along with partners in England and France. These include Ecole SupĂ©rieure d’ingĂ©nieurs des Travaux de la Construction (ESITC), Parc naturel rĂ©gional des Marais du Contentin et du Bessin (PnrMCB), Earth Building UK and Ireland (EBUKI), UniversitĂ© de Caen and Hudson Architects.
Principal Investigator Steve Goodhew, Professor of Environmental Building, in the School of Art, Design and Architecture, said: âThis is the start of an exciting new applied research phase for CobBauge, where we have an opportunity to put into practice the findings from the laboratory. We will create a living lab and demonstration site that will become the centre of attention for a wide range of people â from construction professionals to built environment students.â
The first phase of CobBauge set out to develop a new method of using cob that will meet with thermal regulations on both sides of the Channel. Through an intensive laboratory process, the researchers studied a range of different soil and fibre mixes, and created a unique double-layered composite wall that combines a denser mix with a lighter weight version of the material, for a combination of strength and insulation.
Having established that the method met the required standards â both reducing the energy needed for heating homes, and mitigating against overheating during warmer conditions â the project has moved on to the second phase. This focuses upon investigating the performance of the new building, using a range of sensors to measure energy use and analysing its life cycle and indoor air quality.
With planning permission secured, construction of the 45-square-metre building, located next door to the Universityâs Sustainability Hub, commenced in June, and has reached the point where the walls are now in place. It is expected to be completed in early spring 2022, with the work being carried out by the award winning Chris Noakes (Eco Contractor) and the Universityâs Estates team.
âThe location for the CobBauge building effectively creates a sustainability research âquarterâ on our campus,â said Professor Will Blake, Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute.
âStudents and visitors to the site will be able to engage with this potentially industry-influencing ongoing research project, right next door to our hub, which itself is at the forefront of the Low Carbon Devon programme. It exemplifies the Universityâs commitment to a net zero carbon future.â
The CobBauge project, funded by Interreg V France (Channel) England, has captured the attention of major organisations in Europe, Australia and the United States of America, and was a winner at the European Commissionâs RegioStars awards in Brussels, 2019, beating more than 30 entries to triumph in the sustainability category.
