Assessment of mussel shells building solutions: A real-scale application

The construction sector is a key generator of greenhouse emissions, so the use of alternative low-emission building materials is a growing tendency. This work describes and analyses an innovative sustainable building that includes mussel shells in all its constructive elements. This material is a by-product of the canning industry that is nowadays landfilled. Mussel shells were used as aggregate in the concrete strip footing (foundation) and in the exterior and interior coating mortars (walls), and as loose-fill material for the whole envelope insulation (floor, walls, and roof). The results from both the laboratory and the constructive process were useful to improve the solutions and to develop a building with low energy consumption. Finally, the energy demand of the building was assessed using the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) software and the blower door test was carried out to measured air tightness. It can be concluded that mussel shell materials meet the requirements of Passive House standard for energy efficient buildings: simulation results showed a primary energy consumption of 86 kWh/(m2yr), that is a 28.3% lower than the value fixed by the standard. •Mussel shells were used as aggregate in the concrete foundation and for the coating mortars.•The whole envelope insulation was solved with mussel shells as loose fill material.•Applicability of all mussel shell solutions has been demonstrated.•U-values of building solutions with mussel shells meet the energy efficiency standard.•The experimental building achieved very low energy consumption.