Thermal Realm Analysis of a Reinforced Envelope Greenhouse

Transforming waste into building insulation provides a viable solution to address the issues of energy scarcity and pollution. This research examined the potential of textile fiber waste as a thermal reinforcing material in cement blocks with the aim of improving the microclimate of the greenhouse. This study involved a comparative analysis of thermal performance in two different agricultural greenhouses. First, a one-year experimental study of a transparent greenhouse was carried out. A numerical model was then developed to evaluate the thermal conditions in an agricultural greenhouse constructed with cement blocks reinforced with textile fibers. The findings showed that the fiber-enhanced greenhouse had lower daytime temperature variations than the transparent one, while the reference greenhouse had the lowest nighttime temperatures. An economic analysis showed that a fiber-enhanced greenhouse has a payback period of 2.5 years. Overall, this study demonstrates an approach to improve the thermal environment of an agricultural greenhouse by incorporating a new thermal reinforcing material in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.