Thermal transmission reduction through bio-based insulated walls, weather-based data analysed for passive cooling in tropics
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Abstract
An experimental and analytical investigation on the potential of bio-based insulation on heat transmission reduction and natural ventilation for passive cooling in the tropics was carried out. Thailand has a tropical climate that is commonly hot and humid all year around. Wall insulation can reduce heat transmission into buildings, resulting in lowering energy demand for cooling as well as providing occupant comfort. Biologically based insulations can be employed to not only provide good thermal characteristics, comparable with conventional commercial products, but are also environmentally friendly. In this article, simple bio-based insulation materials were produced from bamboo fibers and blady grass fibers and their thermal conductivities were compared to commercial insulation. The thermal characteristics of insulated walls using natural fiber materials and commercial materials was tested, in a hot and humid outdoor climate, and compared. Finally, weather data from three cities in Thailand was analyzed to examine the wind speed and direction for locating the optimal building opening for passive ventilation. In brief, the bio-based insulation had quality equal to the commercial materials in terms of thermal conductivity and density, the building insulation could prevent heat gain through the walls by as much as 33% with indoor temperatures 2.4°C lower than the base case, according to the experimental results of the bamboo fiber insulation. The prevailing wind for the three case study provinces in Thailand varied depending on their topography; however, it was found the southern wind was the strongest in all three regions.
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