Effect investigation of application of fired clay hallow bricks filled with compacted wheat straw as heat insulation

Wheat straw is one of the wastes produced in agricultural section that is burned in the farmlands entering huge greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The aim of this study is to evaluate thermal energy loss from external walls of a building constructed using fired clay hollow bricks filled with compacted wheat straw. Hence, fired clay hollow bricks compared to those filled with compacted wheat straw (having a density of 0.156 g cm-3) were used to build up the walls of an experimental container model outdoor and thermal energy loss throughout the walls of it were evaluated. Comparison of thermal properties of the constructed walls using non insulated fired clay hollow bricks or insulated with compacted wheat straw including: thermal conductivity, heat flow rate and heat transfer coefficient showed decreasing from 0.2 to 0.04 W m-1 ºC-1, 18.36 to 6.98 W m-2 and 1.7 to 0.41 W m-2 °C-1, respectively, for insulated walls. The results revealed a decreased thermal energy loss between 72 to 81 percent from walls of the building constructed once compacted wheat straw with the compaction degree applied.