Abstract
A huge amount of energy is consumed by buildings in Saudi Arabia to cool indoor spaces particularly during summer season. In this regard, attention should be given to the environmental design strategies in the design of buildings during the early stages in order to minimize the cooling load inside buildings. This research considered using straw bale as one of the passive solar design methods that could protect buildings envelope from the harsh outdoor environment. This research assesses the effectiveness of using straw bale as an insulator by conducting field experiments. Two experimental chambers were built to achieve the experiments. The results of the experiments showed several significant benefits in using straw bale in a buildings’ construction, especially in hot and dry climates. Straw bale was able to reduce the indoor air temperature to 5.7 °C and the average reduction was 3 °C during the day. The findings of this research can be used to improve buildings’ design and performance not only in Riyadh City but also in all hot and arid regions.
Recommended Citation
Abanomi, Waleed M.
(2021)
"The Effect of Straw Bale on Thermal Performance of Buildings in Hot and Arid Regions, Riyadh City as A Case Study,"
Emirates Journal for Engineering Research: Vol. 26:
Iss.
3, Article 1.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uaeu.ac.ae/ejer/vol26/iss3/1