Innovative and sustainable building components. Study case: Rubber and plastic roofing tiles

Currently, the excessive generation of waste constitutes one of the most serious environmental problems, aggravated by social consumption models. At the Experimental Center for Economic Housing, a research institute dependent on the Association of Economic Housing - AVE and the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research - CONICET, one of the research areas called the New Materials Area - NM, focuses on the use of waste for the production of construction components, and subsequent transfer. The components developed are innovative due to their composition, as they utilize urban and industrial waste. This waste comes from the separate collection of household waste, or from the scrap resulting from the production process. These components have been used to build homes that are ecologically sustainable, technically sound, and low cost. To date, the following have been developed: PET bricks, fungal mycelium boards, Tetra Pak panels, plastic lumber, WEEE bricks, etc. Another development is the production of roof tiles and ridge tiles made from recycled rubber and plastic. This technology is manufactured using two abundant waste materials: rubber and polyethylene. They offer excellent technical advantages: lower specific weight, low water absorption, resistance to hail, flexing, and freezing, and low thermal conductivity. They have a certificate of technical suitability and a patent.

Sanchez Amono María Paz is an Architect, graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Catholic University of Córdoba, and holds a Diploma in Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies from UNC-EnteBioCba. She completed her PhD in Materials Engineering at the National Technological University-FRC. She has worked as a Labeler for the Housing Labeling Program at the National Energy Secretariat and serves as an Assistant Researcher in the New Materials Area at CEVE, CONICET’s Center for Experimental Housing for Affordable Housing. In addition, she is an undergraduate and graduate professor. Her roofing tile project has obtained a certificate of technical suitability and a patent, received funding from the 3C Acceleration Fund, and was awarded Best Tire-Derived Product at the 2021 Recircle Awards.