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Durum-Wheat Straw Bales for Thermal Insulation of Buildings: Findings from a Comparative Energy Analysis of a Set of Wall-Composition Samples on the Building Scale

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  • Domenico Palladino

    (DUEE Department, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, Santa Maria di Galeria, 00123 Rome, Italy)

  • Flavio Scrucca

    (SSPT Department, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, Santa Maria di Galeria, 00123 Rome, Italy)

  • Nicolandrea Calabrese

    (DUEE Department, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, Santa Maria di Galeria, 00123 Rome, Italy)

  • Grazia Barberio

    (SSPT Department, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, Santa Maria di Galeria, 00123 Rome, Italy)

  • Carlo Ingrao

    (Department of Economics, University of Foggia, Via Romolo Caggese 1, 71121 Foggia, Italy)

Abstract

The urgent need to make buildings more performant in energy and environmental terms has led to the increasing study of recycled and natural materials as viable solutions. In this context, the present study aims at comparing the energy performance of innovative wall-sample solutions (with recycled polyethylene-terephthalate panels or durum-wheat straw bales) with a basic one. Energy evaluations were performed in Piazza Armerina (a city of Sicily–Italy), where the chosen material is widespread, by applying two calculation methods: a monthly average-energy-calculation approach, mandatory by Italian regulations (UNI TS 11300), and an hourly energy-calculation procedure (EN 52016). The results documented that: (i) the new innovative wall-sample allows for significantly reducing heat loss (heating of 4–10% and cooling of 40–50%) (ii) a lower primary-energy demand was obtained by adopting the new calculation procedure of EN 52016 (energy decreasing of 20–24%); (iii) significant differences in terms of heat-loss (of 10–36%) and heat-gain (up to 75%) calculations were found for the two calculation methods. This puts emphasis upon the importance of properly selecting a calculation method by accounting for all of those key variables and features that are representative of the energy system being investigated.

Suggested Citation

  • Domenico Palladino & Flavio Scrucca & Nicolandrea Calabrese & Grazia Barberio & Carlo Ingrao, 2021. "Durum-Wheat Straw Bales for Thermal Insulation of Buildings: Findings from a Comparative Energy Analysis of a Set of Wall-Composition Samples on the Building Scale," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:17:p:5508-:d:628614
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Domenico Palladino & Silvia Di Turi & Iole Nardi, 2021. "Energy and Environmental Effects of Human Habits in Residential Buildings Due to COVID-19 Outbreak Scenarios in a Dwelling near Rome," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-24, November.
    2. Robert Dylewski & Janusz Adamczyk, 2022. "Building Energy: Economics and Environment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-2, October.
    3. Flavio Scrucca & Domenico Palladino, 2023. "Integration of Energy Simulations and Life Cycle Assessment in Building Refurbishment: An Affordability Comparison of Thermal Insulation Materials through a New Sustainability Index," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.

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