Envisaging Sustainable Building Materials for Earthen Construction Practices

There is an increasing awareness for adapting bioclimatic construction practices using agro-based green building materials to reduce the global warming impacts pertaining to the construction sector. In addition, lightweight construction is an emerging field of infrastructural development aiming to reduce the deadweight of the building by employing low density materials. Unlike conventional building blocks, the lightweight materials can be prepared in larger size and integrated easily to reduce the overall cost of construction. However, there is a need to identify cheaper and energy-efficient materials to minimize the net carbon emissions and to optimize the functionalities for any specific applications. The present study deals with the preparation of lightweight panels from agricultural by-products such as coconut fibres and paddy straws by optimizing their mixture proportioning and internal pattern of arrangement after pre-treatment with polyethylene glycol. Based on the test results, the concrete panels made of paddy straw have shown the highest reduction in weight compared to the conventional specimens (by 40%) and specimens with coconut fibre (by 25%). The results indicate that the concrete specimens made of the selected agro-based materials have improved mechanical (strength and durability), thermal and bioclimatic properties. The reduction in carbon emission depicts the critical dependency of bioclimatic construction on the selection of green materials. Therefore, a design methodology for sustainability assessment of agro-based building materials is formulated here in order to justify their suitability as green building materials.

Section: Thermal Properties Of Light Weight Panelsmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…The coconut fibres are effectively used in composite design for lightweight construction. The fibrous parts of the plants have been successfully employed in many temporary constructions as well as an effective ingredient for composite formation (such as concrete cement mortar) [13][14][15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioclimatic aspects of recycled agricultural materials for sustainable green construction

Jayaraman,

Parthasarathy,

Vignesh

et al. 2023

“…With mounting public awareness and governmental push, recycling initiatives, especially for materials like paper, plastic, and metal, have significantly expanded. The benefits extend beyond waste reduction, creating job opportunities and promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns [17][18][19][20].…”

Section: Co-processing and Recyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Waste to Wealth: A Futuristic Outlook for Waste Utilization in India

Balaganesh,

Vasudevan,

Natarajan

et al. 2023

India, having one of the largest agro-basedeconomies in the world, produces a significant amount of wastes, both from farming activities and agro-based industries. These wastestreams pose critical environmental and public health challenges that necessitate efficient management strategies.The present review examines the current status and future perspectives of waste utilization in India. We have attempted to criticallyidentify the most prominent features of effective waste management and the constraints in resource recovery for achieving the sustainable development goals. This review provides an overview of the prevailing practices in waste utilization, highlighting various methods employed and the types of industries that can benefit from this approach. In particular, techniques such as co-processing, recycling, waste-to-energy conversion, and industrial symbiosis to be extensivley made accessible to maximize the value derived from wastes. Some of the major challenges we identified include limited awareness, inadequate infrastructure, and regulatory gaps, which can significantly hinder the optimal utilization plans. To address these challenges, the review proposes potential strategies such as awareness campaigns, infrastructure development, technology transfer, and policy strengthening both at community and organizational levels. The findings of this review canshed light on the current landscape of waste utilization in India and present pathways for a more sustainable and efficient approach in the near future.

“…are known for their elastic and thermal stability when used as insulation and envelope materials. The criticality of cement consumption in concrete production is found to be addressed partially, at least in mini-scale, by a careful replacement with various industrial and agro-based by-products [2][3][4][5]. Among these, though it is superficially beneficial to promote recycling of industrial by-products and waste products in construction, a broader approach can be visualized in the upcycling of agro-wastes because of their abundancy, low cost and large-scale positive environmental impacts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Upcycling agro-waste fibres for cleaner production of concrete – technical feasibility and environmental considerations

Jayaraman,

Balaji,

Sowsuriya

et al. 2023

The construction sector is actively adapting various measures such as use of green materials, optimization of design, activities and clean technology for the reuse of waste materials to reduce the environmental footprints. Among the green materials, replacement of concrete constituents has tremendous impact on the overall environmental benefits. The recycling of agro-waste fibres in concrete construction is comparatively less attempted due to the limitations in their applications. Present study focuses on comparative evaluation of proportioning coconut fibre and sisal fibre in concrete as singular and binary mixtures. The mechanical properties of the agro-waste fibre reinforced concrete in various proportions (from 0.5% to 2.5%) revealed a substantial increase in the compressive, tensile and flexural strength values. The binary mixture with a maximum value of 1.5% is found to be the best performing combination. The associated environmental impacts were identified using a two-step cause-evidence-impact methodology, suggesting the identification of critical steps in reducing environmental pollution and increasing the benefits.