32 – Plastics in Buildings and Construction

Publisher Summary Modern building construction, for both residential and commercial purposes, is subject to diverse constraints and objectives. In this quest, polymer-based building materials have not only been used as replacements for traditional materials such as brick, cement, concrete, metal, wood, and glass, but they have also been shown to work in a complementary fashion with traditional materials to enhance their performance with unique and innovative applications satisfying the demands of the modern building construction industry. One of the key advantages of plastic materials is their lightweight and their ability to be formed into complex shapes. From polyurethane foam insulation, which is a thermoset, to transparent polycarbonate glazing, which is a thermoplastic, to wood-plastic composites (WPCs) for decking and railing, polymers are used in innumerable applications in the building industry for both structural and nonstructural applications. Insulating materials constitute a major application area for polymers in buildings. Plastics are inherently poor conductors of heat, and most of them are hydrophobic as well. This makes them very attractive starting materials for fabricating thermal and moisture barriers. One of the key advantages of plastic materials is their lightweight and their ability to be formed into complex shapes. Other features include durability, low maintenance, low cost, and availability in a range of shapes and forms, and possessing a wide spectrum of properties.