STUDY ON GRASS AS HEAT INSULATION MATERIAL

Abstract

In tropical countries, like East Africa, daylight and night darkness have comparatively equal time span, and the temperature in most cases is higher than 25°C. During the day, heat generation from sun rays is normally absorbed by concrete and masonry elements which are the main construction materials for buildings and paved slabs like parking lots and pedestrian walkways in urban areas. The absorbed heat is later on released by the paving materials into the surrounding air, thus causing unbearable discomfort to people. This study assesses the suitability of grass as heat insulation material that can find use in paving bricks so as to minimize heat absorption and emission into the air. Tests conducted have revealed that grass is a good heat insulator material almost equal to the standard insulation material. The bricks in which grass was embedded showed less heat absorption and cooled faster than normal solid paving bricks. It was thereupon concluded that grass is a suitable heat insulation material and that embedding grass in paving bricks reduces heat in the walkways and parking lots as well as in buildings in the vicinity.