Building consumes the highest amount of energy across the world. For sustainable and energy-efficient building, proper insulating material is required for the constructions. Proper utilization of insulating material will reduce the energy consumption of the building. Energy-efficient buildings reduce the dependency on external cooling devices, i.e., air conditioning, and hence reduce energy consumption and maintain indoor thermal comfort without much expense.  The insulation materials can be chosen based on the climatic condition, building design, etc. This study focuses on the area of Bhilai (21.19°N, 81.35°E), Chhattisgarh. The climate of the Bhilai region is tropical. In summers the temperatures of the city reach up to 45°C. As the major component of the heat gains through the roof, the roof insulation is therefore an effective strategy for thermal comfort improvement. In this study, vetiver grass mats, earthen pots, and cocopeat systems were evaluated as roof insulation materials. Two concrete rooms, each measuring 1 m³, were constructed for the experiments conducted in May and June 2025. Instruments such as an infrared thermometer, pyranometer, and thermocouples were employed to monitor temperature profiles and solar radiation. Comparative analysis revealed that the use of vetiver mat as insulation significantly reduced heat gain compared to an uninsulated roof, and using earthen plate and cocopeat as insulation materials thereby lowered energy consumption.  

Keywords

Buildings, Insulation material, Thermal Comfort, Energy consumption, Passive cooling