Applicability of innovative building materials for wall structures to maximise the energy efficiency of buildings in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The CO2 emission is increased globally and the building sector is playing as the major industry with approximately a half percent. The carbon emission of building materials is directly affected by the energy efficiency of the building. Energy has become a limited resource in the whole world and all the sectors try to minimise their consumption to overcome the energyrelated issues. Also, the selection of building materials for wall structure is playing a major role due to the highest surface area, to make a better indoor environment within the specified and required level of performance. As a result, Innovative Building Materials (IBMs) for wall structure has emerged. Even though it is currently practiced worldwide, it is not much familiar in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this research aims to identify the applicability of IBMs for wall structures of buildings in Sri Lanka. Primarily, a comprehensive literature survey was done. Three expert semi-structured interviews were carried out for the pilot survey as the foundation for data collection. Then, a questionnaire survey was done among building-related professionals and collected data were analysed using the Relative Important Index (RII). As the finding result, hollow blocks and EPS wall panels only familiarising in Sri Lanka. Finally, challenges and strategies to overcome when selecting IBMs for the wall were recognized.