Assessing the thermal performance of building walls containing eco-friendly composite materials: A combined numerical and simulation approach

Abstract

This study investigates the thermal performance of construction materials, such as mortar and plaster, thermally enhanced with bio-based materials, including Alfa Fibers, Ferula Communis, and Coffee Grounds. The research is divided into two main tasks: the first involves a numerical analysis of multilayer walls using the implicit finite difference method to discretize the heat equation through MATLAB, while the second consists of dynamic thermal simulations of building envelope via TRNSYS software. The aim is to determine the impact of these composites on enhancing thermal inertia and reducing energy consumption for thermal comfort. Economic and environmental impacts, are also assessed. However, the results demonstrate that these composites significantly improved decrement factors and time lag, reduce thermal fluctuations in summer and provide thermal benefits in winter. Additionally, dynamic simulations show a reduction in energy consumption to maintain comfort, while economic and environmental analyses confirm that integrating these composites leads to notable savings in project costs and reductions in $C{O}_2$ emissions, offering a sustainable solution for energy efficient buildings.