Thermal characterization of straw-based panels made out of straw and natural binders

This study investigates the possibility of using crop straw combined with natural binders as building construction material. The straw as a renewable material may have potential in reducing building energy demand. Four types of binders were used to produce composite panel samples. The Guarded Hot Plate method is used to characterize thermal properties and identify the best straw-binder mixture of the composite. The result showed that gypsum-based composite showed the best thermal properties suggesting that straw-based composite panels can be used in light weighed building construction.