CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS: APPLICATIONS OF AGRICULTURAL WASTES AS NATURAL THERMAL INSULATION MATERIALS – CASE STUDY OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

The mitigation of consumed energy in future buildings through all their life stages, including embodied energy from construction till demolition, is one of their essential challenges [1]. This energy consumption is directly proportional with the characteristics of buildings’ envelope. Without a doubt, thermal insulation is considered one of the optimum solutions to reduce energy consumption resulted from heat gain in summer, or heat loss in winter [2]; as it is the most effective tool for the designer, as well as the contractor to attain high energy efficiency in buildings [3]. In fact, the need for buildings’ construction appeared when pre-historic humans felt the urge to protect themselves from wild animals and extreme weather conditions as cold winters and hot summers; in other words, insulation from surroundings. Consequently, one of the crucial requirements for buildings’ construction is the presence of proper thermal insulation [4]. Buildings’ thermal insulation is ordinarily produced by using materials that are non-renewable. Hence, these materials have tremendous destructive effects on the environment. The concept of “Sustainability” in buildings’ and cities’ design process is a huge motivation for researchers to develop thermal insulation materials’ types using natural or recycled materials [1]. Thus, the concept of circular economy can be employed through the usage of these waste materials; where its significance is obvious in the production of value added natural materials from wastes [5]. Therefore, the study analyzes, examines, and addresses the different impacts of conventional thermal insulation materials and investigates the use of natural ones instead, to attain sustainability.