Heat-insulating perlite plasters

The main aspect in the design of building envelopes is that cladding meets the requirements of the thermal protection of buildings and the relevant class of energy efficiency. Many design options for cladding are designed and built. One of such is the multi-layer enclosing structures, where the main emphasis is made on the layers of the foundation and insulation, not taking into account the layer of exterior finishing, which increases the amount of heat loss through cladding and worsens the overall quality of cladding, since the foundation and insulation layers have a sufficiently low density and good vapor permeability, and the finishing layer is denser and not sufficiently vapor permeable. Theoretical methods of studying the data in regulatory documents and the research methods for the perlite materials make it possible to use heat-insulating perlite plasters as an outdoor finishing layer to solve the problems of the increase in the heat loss and of structural moisture. They have low density, as compared to other finishing materials, and good vapor permeability. After analyzing the basic materials for the facing of the cladding structures, which are currently used, we find that perlite plasters have several advantages that improve thermal and operational performance: they do not affect the increase in the heat loss from cladding, and protect the structure from excessive moistening. The use of heat-insulating perlite plasters for the exterior finishing of buildings can be not only an additional measure for thermal insulation of external walls, but it can also enhance the sound insulation of rooms, and can be used as the coating protecting against rodents, fungi and mold in humid rooms, and can protect buildings from undesirable cold bridges.