TITLE:
Biosourced Materials for Thermal Insulation in Housing: The Case of Rice Straw and Reed Mat
AUTHORS:
Mouctar Mahamat Zakaria, Bozabe Renonet Karka, Amir Moungache, Mahamat Barka
KEYWORDS:
Bio-Based Materials, Rice Straw, Reed Mat, Insulation, Thermal Properties
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.15 No.9,
September
11,
2025
ABSTRACT: This study investigates the application of innovative ecological solutions involving bio-sourced materials, specifically rice straw and reed mat, for the thermal insulation of buildings. The objective is to optimize energy requirements and reduce ambient temperature loss within residential structures. To this end, an experimental cell constructed from fired clay bricks, measuring 1.60 m × 1.50 m × 1.55 m, was developed to showcase the performance of these materials. Focusing on a vertical wall and the roof insulated with rice straw and reed mat, results for the vertical wall—composed of fired clay brick, reed, rice straw, reed, and finished with a clay plaster, demonstrate that the surface heat transfer coefficient (U-value) is 0.24 W/m2K, meeting the recommended limit. This configuration exhibits the thermal characteristics of an effective insulator. Consequently, there is no water condensation within the wall, and the moisture content is conducive to human comfort, with anticipated improvements in overall summer comfort. The findings indicate that this wall possesses high thermal resistance and minimizes heat transfer from the exterior to the interior. For the roof, two scenarios were analyzed: one without insulation and one with insulation. The U-value of the uninsulated roof is 1.6 W/m2K, which exceeds the recommended threshold of 0.24 W/m2K; however, after insulation, the U-value decreases to 0.24 W/m2K. Based on these results, it can be concluded that a sheet metal roof insulated with rice straw effectively serves as a thermal insulator.