Florent Gauvin

Florent Gauvin serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of the Built Environment at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) since 2019, specializing in Building Materials within the Building Physics and Services research group. His work bridges laboratory testing and real-world applications to develop sustainable alternatives for conventional building materials.

Academic Background:

• BSc in Chemistry from Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, Scotland)
• MSc in Material Chemistry from Université Grenoble Alpes (Grenoble, France, 2012)
• PhD in Civil Engineering from Sherbrooke University (Sherbrooke, QC, Canada, 2016)

Research Interests: Dr. Gauvin pioneers bio-based material innovation for circular construction. His core work involves valorizing local biomass (hemp, miscanthus, cattail) in cementitious systems, developing bio-insulation solutions like hempcrete and mycelium composites, and enhancing material properties through photocatalytic/super-hydrophobic functionalization. Research emphasizes recyclability, waste reuse, and surpassing conventional material standards while supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Publication Trends: Recent works (2024-2025) focus on industrial waste upcycling—particularly wind turbine blades and mineral wool—into functional construction materials. Key themes include mechanical performance validation, thermal conductivity optimization, and environmental impact assessment of bio-composites, reflecting strong alignment with circular economy principles in the built environment.

Scientific Awards:

• Master Lecturer of the year 2019 (Department of the Built Environment)
• Bachelor Lecturer of the year 2022 (Department of the Built Environment)
• Best Teacher Award 2023 (TU/e's Best Bachelor Teacher)

Advising and Grants: Supervises numerous student projects across bachelor/master levels as documented in TU/e's repository. Currently leads the Blades2Build project (2023-2026, grant 101096437), a European-funded initiative investigating cementitious mortar integration of wind turbine blade waste, involving cross-disciplinary industry collaborations.

Labs and Teams: Operates within TU/e's Building Physics and Services research group, conducting advanced material characterization and real-world testing of bio-composites. His team focuses on scalable production methods for sustainable materials including aerogel composites and functionalized fiber systems.