Swarn Veer Singh Jaral
Due to the contribution of sustainable resources and energy, the development and deployment of green construction materials play a significant role in the field of green building. An inventive way to conserve resources and energy is to employ green building materials. The most prevalent type of greenery is green roofing, which is more common in European, North American and certain tropical Asian nations. The development of green roofing technology is regarded as being at the top of the international rankings in Germany. In comparison to a conventional construction, a green building consumes less water, maximizes energy efficiency, protects natural resources, produces less waste and offers healthier places for inhabitants. While there are other benefits as well, green roofs are often created to improve the homes energy efficiency. Green buildings, which are thought of as a natural cooling mechanism, have a powerful capacity to reduce energy consumption and lessen the impact of heat islands through many processes. The thermal comfort of a house, which reflects a human’s level of enjoyment, is one of the major factors affecting how much energy it uses. But one of the advantages of green buildings is energy savings. Greening roofs may significantly impact the size of the building and the climate because they make up 20-25% of the total urban space. The addition of layers has boosted thermal insulation while adding a layer, such as insulation boards, has larger insulation effectiveness. The insulation of the roofs may lessen heat transmission and raise the temperature inside, making it an effective method for environmentally friendly construction.
According to research on thermal insulation in different kinds of green roofs, there is a potential for energy savings of 20-30% on an extended size, 60-70% on a semi-intensive scale and 45-60% on an intense scale. In a humid, tropical setting, the hypothesis of buildings with insufficient thermal insulation combined with green roofs revealed that roofs with poor thermal insulation, thicker substrates and low planting densities do not provide a suitable level of internal cooling.
Therefore, to maximize passive cooling of green roofs in a humid-tropical environment, insulation, plant density and layer thickness are all required. It is clear that cork insulation, a naturally renewable resource, is the greatest choice for insulation in green buildings since it may be used in place of polymeric insulation.
Jammu and Kashmir is noted for many beautiful features, including natural renewable high altitude trees. Tree bark is a natural sustainable material that is organic. It is a more ecologically friendly material than glass, plastic and metals, which cause pollution and pose health risks. It is also an important component of nature-based themes aimed at boosting inhabitants’ psychological well-being. Wood and wood products are also used as flooring and bedding materials in animal husbandry, where they contribute to promote animal health and well-being.
Meanwhile, due to its porosity and hygroscopic nature, the safety of wood material in hygienically critical locations is being questioned. The low density, relatively good resistance to microorganisms, low thermal conductivity and high heat storage capacity of bark make it appealing for use as insulation. Bark is also an economically promising resource because it is a byproduct of timber manufacturing and is rarely used for higher value-added items. As a result, it has great properties such as low density, high extract concentration, good thermal insulating characteristics and low flammability. So using the renewable bark of the tree to make insulation panels and use in buildings is the ideal alternative for energy savings, improved interior cooling, eco-friendliness, economic effectiveness and ease of availability etc.
(The author is a PhD Scholar in Mechanical Engineering)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
