Assessment of Thermophysical Properties of Typha Fiber Insulation Panels for Sustainable Buildings

¹ Mohammed First University, Mechanics and Energy Laboratory, BV Mohammed VI B.P. 524 Oujda 60000 Maroc.
² Private University of Marrakech, Km 13, Amezmiz Road, BP 42312, Marrakech, Morocco

^* Corresponding author: boutahar.laaouar@ump.ac.ma

Abstract

The building sector consumes more energy than any other industry, with heating and cooling alone accounting for over 50% of total use in residential and commercial settings. While conventional insulators such as EPS, XPS, glass wool, and mineral wool deliver low thermal conductivity, their petrochemical origins incur high embodied carbon and poor end-of-life options. This study evaluates Typha angustifolia fiber panels—bonded with a cellulose-dissolved polystyrene binder—as a sustainable envelope material. Composite specimens incorporating coarse (5–10 mm) and fine (≤1 mm) Typha fibers were cast and cured, then characterized for thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and bulk density. Coarse-fiber panels achieved the lowest conductivity (0.087 W/m·K) at 236 kg/m³, while fine-fiber panels maximized heat capacity (1168 J/kg·K) at 254 kg/m³. These trends confirm that fiber particle size strongly influences thermophysical behavior. The results demonstrate that Typha-based composites can rival conventional insulators in thermal performance while using renewable, low-carbon inputs. Future work will address bending strength, fire retardancy, and scale-up processing to validate industrial feasibility.