Physical properties of straw bale and its effect on building energy conservation and carbon emissions in different climatic regions of Iran

Straw has been used as a building material for many centuries, and due to its outstanding physical properties such as great thermal and acoustical insulation, energy efficiency and low embodied carbon emission, it has become more popular within the last decade. In this study, first the physical properties of straw bale such as apparent density, thermal conductivity, short-term water absorption and compressive strength are measured through laboratory tests. Based on experimental data, Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE) database and using EnergyPlus software, the energy performance and carbon emissions of three different types of straw bale buildings in four climatic regions of Iran are evaluated, and the results are compared to that of a conventional building in the same climates. The results show that using straw bale as a construction material, the energy consumption of buildings will reduce up to about 83.12%. Additionally, it was observed that the straw bale buildings, can decrease embodied carbon up to 76% compared to the conventional buildings. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.