Experimental Study on the Thermal Performances of Innovative Material for Building Construction

¹ Team of Research in Energetics, Renewable Energies and Materials (3ERM), Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Polydisciplinary Faculty, B.P. 592, Beni Mellal 23000, Morocco
² Geosciences, Geonvironnement and Civil Engineering Laboratory, Cadi Ayyad University, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, B.P. 549, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
³ Industrial Engineering and Surface Engineering Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 22 May 2026

Abstract

Improving the thermal insulation and energy efficiency of building envelopes has become a key objective worldwide, with significant progress achieved in recent years. This study aims to evaluate the influence of integrating eco-friendly components and passive strategies on the energy performance of buildings. An experimental investigation was carried out on a novel earth-based composite incorporating processed volcanic rock to examine its effect on thermal behavior. The developed material consists of soil reinforced with volcanic rock at incorporation rates of 5% and 10%. The objective is to characterize the thermal properties of these composites. The obtained results indicate that increasing basalt content progressively reduces thermal conductivity while enhancing heat capacity, thereby improving the overall insulating performance of the material. These findings emphasize the potential of locally sourced volcanic resources for the development of sustainable building materials with enhanced thermal efficiency.