Life Cycle Assessment of Composites April 2005

1. Life Cycle Assessment of CompositesApril 2005 Paul Thistlethwaite Environment Division / Centre for Sustainable Construction

2. Presentation content • BRE Methodology and the Green Guides • Green Guide to Composites Project • Aims and Objectives • Funding and Structure (partners) • How work was carried out • Paper guide • Web tool • Open discussion and web tool examples

3. Green Guide to Specification • Simple to use • Element based • Environmental impacts of building elements • Based on LCA • A,B,C rating

5. The Ecopoint and A, B and C ratings

6. Derivation of Ecopoints Issues Measurement Weighting E C O P O I N T S

7. Compass Project Introduction • Composite materials more widely used in varied markets • More emphasis on environmental aspects of manufacturing • Sustainability • Environment • Society • Economy

8. Aims • Build guides around simple scoring method for those new to sustainability • Paper and web based (free) • To be used by SME companies • Ensure guide is applicable to wide range of products, processes and methods • Locate existing and new data for the guide • Implications of different material and processing choices

9. Funding and Structure • DTI - Sustainable Technologies Initiative • Principle partners • BRE • NetComposites • Steering group members and contributors in kind Composite Tooling and Structures Curv Composites DTI Engineered Composites Fibreforce Composites Hexcel Composites Klargester Environmental Lotus Engineering Menzolit UK Michael Stacey Architects Network Group for Composites in Construction (NGCC) Plastech Thermoset Techtronics Polymer Engineering Polynorm Reichhold Saint Gobain Vetrotex Taylor Woodrow Vestas Blades UK

10. How the work was carried out • Data collection • Environmental • Social • Models creation • LCA • Publishing

11. Data collection What • Questionnaire (standard) – input materials, energy, transport, water consumption, emissions, general process activity. • Social risk, remuneration How • Piloted data capture first • Data from partner organisations • NetComposites as data collectors

12. Variables to be accommodated in model • Component • Process • Materials • Matrix • Fibre • Pre-impregnated materials • Sub-Process variations

13. Production Stages and LCA framework

14. COMPONENT PROCESS RESIN FIBRE PRE-MADE COMBINATIONS (+MASS RATIOS) MODULES QUESTIONS ECOPOINTS Creating the models RATING (A-E)

15. Components • 1m2 double curvature panel (example) • Constant bending stiffness • Base line 4mm thick - 20% fibre volume fraction • Alternative thickness calculated • Mass of fibre and matrix calculated and used in data • Small complex panel • Constant volume • Volume base 770cm3 • 1m wide x 8m long sandwich panel • Constant bending stiffness • 4mm skins and 25mm thick core base

16. Processes • Hand Lay-up • Spray-up • Vacuum Bag Moulding • Resin Infusion • Resin Transfer Moulding • Autoclave Moulding • Pultrusion • Compression Moulding

17. Matrices, Fibres and Pre-impregnated Matricies • Polyester • LS Polyester • Filler options • Epoxy resin • Polypropelene Fibres • CSM • Glass rovings • Woven glass • Hemp • Carbon Pre-impregnated • SMC • GMT • LFT • PP/PP • Twintex

18. 1m2 Double Curvature Panel

19. Example of a model

20. Hand Lay-up Base Case • Polyester Resin (20% volume fraction) • Chopped strand mat (Glass) (80% volume fraction) • No filler • Normal mould release • Gelcoat brushed • Manually cut fabric • Closed mechanical resin mixing • Resin applied by brush • Consolidate with roller • Cure at room temperature • Trim by hand • Post cure at room temperature • Clean mould

21. Social impacts

22. Social data collection and assumptions • Exposure to toxic chemicals eliminated with use of PPE • Best case is to reduce need for PPE in workplace • PPE only used when all other measures to limit exposure eliminated • Reduction of toxic substances • Reduce emissions • Minimise operator to exposure

23. Social data

24. Remuneration • Salary details collected • Social indicator • Single geographical area • Separated by process • Graded A-E

25. Publication - paper based guide • Guide divided into sections • Part 1. Introduction • Part 2. How the Green Guide was compiled • Part 3. Stages of composite production • Part 4. Composite processes • Part 5. Green Guide ratings for composites

26. Part 3 Stages of the Composite Production • In all sections full descriptions given • Charts giving an example of impact within a process • Recommendations on sustainable improvement • Such as inclusion of filler to reduce the amount of resin present

27. Production Stages - All

28. Individual

29. Part 4 Composite Processes • Listing of the eight processing methods to be studied • Base case scenario chosen and studied • Full description of the process and parameters • Pie chart breakdown of the impacts • Gives an easy pictorial representation • Analysis

30. Double Curvature Panel: Hand Lay-up • Consider typical process • Model as base case • Adapt base case for individual options • Calculate impact of options • Evaluate significance of variations • Focus on significant options only

31. Base case and other models

32. Hand Lay-up base case impacts

33. Pultrusion base case impacts

34. Part 5Green Guide Ratings for Composite Products • Green Guide ratings for Composite Products • A double curvature panel • A flat panel • A small complex moulded component • Full assessment of the case models • Summary ratings

35. Diagram example of composite table

36. Web based guide • Interactive version of the guide • Comparisons between the processes modelled by the partners • Hosted on the NetComposites site and linked to BRE • Allows more options than paper based guide