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2026, Vol: 15, Issue: 1
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Technical Note
Online Published: 27 Dec 2024
 


Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate

Mohammed Benfars, Abdelmounaim Alioui, Youness Azalam, Mourad Kaddiri, Mustapha Mabrouki.


Abstract
The roof is the most exposed element of a building's envelope and significantly contributes to cooling loads in hot climates. Effective thermal insulation of the roof can substantially reduce energy consumption for cooling and help achieve sustainability goals. This theoretical study focuses on the thermal and energy performance of an eco-friendly insulation material, aiming to determine the optimal thickness for the roof of a traditional residential building in the semi-arid climate. The study evaluated the effectiveness of an insulation material composed of 60% cardboard and 40% straw, with varying thicknesses. TRNSYS software was used to simulate the thermal behavior of the building. The study's results reveal that the optimal thickness is 4 cm, providing the best thermal performance by reducing maximum indoor temperatures by 2.67°C during the hottest months, leading to a 37.93% reduction in annual cooling energy demand. Furthermore, the 4 cm panels represent the best compromise between thermal performance, resource efficiency, and economic feasibility. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights for the design of more energy-efficient buildings through optimized thermal insulation. Future research should explore additional factors influencing building performance, such as the long-term durability of materials in different climates, as well as the impact of building occupancy and orientation. Although this study has certain limitations in its analysis of specific parameters and alternatives, it makes a significant contribution to understanding the performance of buildings with ecological insulation.

Key words: Thermal simulation, Thermal insulation, Energy efficiency, Ecological panels, Sustainable building.


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Benfars M, Alioui A, Azalam Y, Kaddiri M, Mabrouki M. Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate. Sol. Energy Sustain. Dev.. 2024; 14(2): 78-88.

doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

Web Style

Benfars M, Alioui A, Azalam Y, Kaddiri M, Mabrouki M. Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate. https://www.jsesd.org/?mno=302658321 [Access: November 12, 2026].

doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Benfars M, Alioui A, Azalam Y, Kaddiri M, Mabrouki M. Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate. Sol. Energy Sustain. Dev.. 2024; 14(2): 78-88.


doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Benfars M, Alioui A, Azalam Y, Kaddiri M, Mabrouki M. Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate. Sol. Energy Sustain. Dev.. (2024), [cited November 12, 2026]; 14(2): 78-88.


doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

Harvard Style

Benfars, M., Alioui, . A., Azalam, . Y., Kaddiri, . M. & Mabrouki, . M. (2024) Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate. Sol. Energy Sustain. Dev., 14 (2), 78-88.


doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

Turabian Style

Benfars, Mohammed, Abdelmounaim Alioui, Youness Azalam, Mourad Kaddiri, and Mustapha Mabrouki. 2024. Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate. Solar Energy and Sustainable Development, 14 (2), 78-88.


doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

Chicago Style

Benfars, Mohammed, Abdelmounaim Alioui, Youness Azalam, Mourad Kaddiri, and Mustapha Mabrouki. "Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate." Solar Energy and Sustainable Development 14 (2024), 78-88.


doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Benfars, Mohammed, Abdelmounaim Alioui, Youness Azalam, Mourad Kaddiri, and Mustapha Mabrouki. "Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate." Solar Energy and Sustainable Development 14.2 (2024), 78-88. Print.


doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Benfars, M., Alioui, . A., Azalam, . Y., Kaddiri, . M. & Mabrouki, . M. (2024) Impact of Ecological Thermal Roof Insulation on the Energy Efficiency of Conventional Buildings in a Semi-Arid Climate. Solar Energy and Sustainable Development, 14 (2), 78-88.


doi:10.51646/jsesd.v14iSI_MSMS2E.401

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