FIELD STUDIES OF TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION IN A STRAW BUILDING WALL

Abstract

It is proven that human construction activities affect the environment negatively. The threat of global ecological disaster is one of the most important factors, appearing due to unbalanced human activities and insufficient use of natural resources. In Lithuania there are building materials (bricks, concrete, reinforced concrete and other materials) used for construction of buildings that require a lot of energy. Prices of energy grew up several times in recent years, so the prices of construction materials significantly increased. It is suggested to use more local building materials produced with low energy consumption. The usage of local, renewable raw building materials can reduce CO2 emissions, ambient air pollution. The use of straw bales as construction material has many advantages. Pressed straw can be used as a natural heat insulating material in the construction of buildings in Lithuania, as it does not contradict the essential requirements of the construction of buildings specified in the Law on Construction and other normative documents. The aim of this study is to evaluate the temperature distribution of the wall of a built building made of straw bales during the cold period of the year. Temperature data loggers with thermocouple sensors were used to record the outdoor air, indoor and wall temperatures. Measurements of the temperature of the wall frame of the building filled with straw showed that the temperature field of the wall is in a constant dynamic state. It was found that the temperature of the individual layers of the walls of the building filled with straw varies tendentiously depending on the outdoor air temperature.