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The objective is to evaluate the potential of the thermal insulation application of sisal fibre in the form of a nonwoven material. The thermo -physical and microstructural characteristics of sisal/nonwoven wool were determined experimentally. Also, the tensile strength of sisal/nonwoven wool was systematically evaluated. The thermal conductivity coefficient of the fabricated sample is 0.038 W/(m. K) and is comparable and very satisfactory compared to traditional materials. This work results show high potential for the applicability of nonwoven designs from sisal fibre in the building. Exceptional thermal performance, low density, fire resistance, and air permeability factors have confirmed that this is a promising product for the thermal insulation market. The thermal performance of the developed material, integrated into an exterior wall and exposed to the climatic conditions of the Mediterranean climate, was performed. It was found that the wall made with the developed nonwoven designed from sisal fibre material provides a 78% reduction in annual cooling energy needs and a 76% reduction in annual heating needs. The specific cost of the developed insulation materials is studied, and the results show that the designed insulation can be a competitive solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid spread of COVID-19 caused a significant impact on many sectors, including the energy demand in building due to the quarantine. This paper overviews the impact of the restriction's measures caused by the spread of COVID 19 on energy consumption in a residential building for three building constructions under six climatic conditions referring to the representative zones of the recent Moroccan climatic zoning. The three-building constructions are Reference House without any passive energy efficiency, Insulation House equipped with thermal insulation in external wall and roof and PCM House equipped with PCM (Phase Change Materials). The three houses are simulated by means of dynamic simulation using TRNSYS software. The quarantine in which the occupants have to stay all-time at home is compared to an ordinary occupancy scenario in terms of energy demand to reach the desired thermal comfort. The major finding of this work is that quarantine can significantly impact the cooling loads than the heating demand depending on building constructions and climatic conditions. The rising-rate in annual energy needs is the range of 10 %-35 %. The impact of the number of occupants is also investigated in respect to the two occupancy scenarios, the three-building constructions and under the six climatic conditions. The results show that when increasing the number of the inhabitants from 2 to 4, under the quarantine period, the energy demand of the PCM house is increased to 50 % depending on the climatic zones., Competing Interests: The authors whose names are listed immediately below certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers' bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (© 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)