Shell insulation
Shells have traditionally been used as insulation under houses. We also applied this form of insulation in 't Centrum, in a thick layer of 60 cm under the floor. If you come to the entrance, you can see them for yourself.
Although shells do not insulate as well as other bio-ecological materials, they do have good insulating properties and can prevent moisture problems in a building's floor structure. However, they need to be applied correctly, by putting them in a sufficiently thick layer under your floor or in your crawl space.
Ecological material
From an ecological point of view, shell insulation has many advantages: it is renewable, localised and non-toxic. We are happy to elaborate on these points.
Aftergrowth
Our oceans are full of countless molluscs, which in turn provide a large number of shells. In fact, marine shells are the external calcium skeleton of these creatures. They consist mainly of lime and other minerals, and they grow with the organism. When the mollusc dies, the shell remains. So as long as the firms that source sea shells adhere to the strictly imposed quotas, shells are basically an inexhaustible resource.
Global warming is also throwing a spanner in the works here. As the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere increases, the oceans also absorb much more CO2. As a result, the PH value of the water drops, and the seas become more acidic. Acid dissolves lime, making it much harder for molluscs to survive in the future. This could therefore make shell mining a lot more difficult.
Local
The shells for sale as building material in Belgium are extracted from the North Sea, Wadden Sea, Zeeland waters and the Oosterschelde. This makes shells a local building material par excellence. This keeps CO2 emissions for transport to a minimum.
No toxic substances
The shells also contain no toxins against pests. Indeed, the sharp corners and edges repel predators and critters without help.
Shell insulation in 't Centrum
A 60-centimetre layer of shells from the Eastern Scheldt was blown under the floor of 't Centrum, with a cementless screed on top. The shells were supplied by Muurtuin. The screed consists of sand (from sewers, among other things), 100% recycled materials recovered from construction and demolition waste, and street sweepings. The screed can be crushed in its next life and reused in the same application with a new binder. The floor finish consists of loose-laid ceramic tiles with a cork underlay or carpet tiles.
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