Comparative Study of the Impact of Bio-Sourced and Recycled Insulation Materials on Energy Efficiency in Office Buildings in Burkina Faso

Abstract

This research presents a comparative study of different bio-sourced and recycled insulation materials and their impact on energy consumption of office buildings located in Ouagadougou, a city with a dry hot climate. A thorough assessment of the country’s meteorological and urban development data from 2004 to 2018 was conducted for climatic data. EnergyPlus was used for thermal comfort based on the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers Standard (ASHRAE) 55 adaptive comfort model and energy analysis by calculating and comparing the yearly energy consumption, heat transfer through the building envelope, and discomfort degree hours. A four-story “H”-shaped office building made of cement blocks with a fixed north–south orientation and a 30% window-to-wall ratio served as the base case for this study to perform two rounds of multiple simulations and evaluate the most effective insulation material. First, exterior walls were insulated, and then the roof and inner floors were insulated using the best material from the first round. The findings confirmed hemp wool as the best performing bio-sourced insulation material, which reduces by 25.8% and 17.7% the annual cooling energy demand at 114,495 kWh and the annual energy consumption at 203,598 kWh, respectively, contributing to saving up to 43,852 kWh in annual energy consumption. Hemp wool impacted wall, roof, and internal floor heat transfer by reducing them by 90.86% at 12,583 kWh, 85.1% at 6666 kWh, and 88.1% at −2664 kWh, respectively, while the discomfort degree hours were reduced by 17.6% at 9720.12. The outcomes provide patterns, explanations, and inferences that may be generalized to other projects in Burkina Faso, especially, and sub-Saharan African countries, in general, where most buildings are not well insulated. The availability of these bio-based and recycled insulation materials may also serve as proof to foster a circular economy in the Burkina Faso construction industry.

A Sustainability Analysis Based on the LCA–Emergy–Carbon Emission Approach in the Building System

“…In Romania, researchers extensively discussed the transformation of inefficient buildings into smart buildings to achieve low-carbon and high-efficiency structures [86]. A comparative analysis of energy consumption before and after the use of novel insulation materials has been conducted, contributing to the exploration of innovative energy-saving systems for buildings [87]. Utilizing the Web of Science core collection database, research related to energy and buildings has been analyzed, indicating significant interest and recognition among scholars [88].…”

Reusing Thermal Insulation Materials: Reuse Potential and Durability Assessment of Stone Wool Insulation in Flat Roofs

“…2 Triple density: SW boards with a more pressure-resistant top layer and a very hard top layer [48]. 3 Dual density: SW 1 This flat roof was insulated with two layers of stone wool insulation; the upper layer with a slope (a) was attached on the bottom layer (b) that was attached on the vapor barrier. 2 Triple density: SW boards with a more pressure-resistant top layer and a very hard top layer [48].…”

“…2 Triple density: SW boards with a more pressure-resistant top layer and a very hard top layer [48]. 3 Dual density: SW boards with a more pressure-resistant integrated top layer [46,47]. 4 Mono density: SW boards with only one density layer.…”

“…However, there is an emerging trend towards the adoption of more environmentally sustainable alternatives. Several studies have already compared different recycled or bio-based insulation materials and composites [2,3], with hemp, cellulose, wood fiber, mycelium [4], reed [5], wheat [6], and straw [5,6] being well-performing insulation options. Moreover, the production of insulation materials is not confined to natural sources alone; there is a growing trend of valorizing waste streams for the creation of new thermal and acoustic insulation materials.…”