Innovative use of textile waste in greenhouse construction: thermal impacts on hydroponic agriculture

Abstract

The integration of recycled waste materials into construction offers a dual benefit of mitigating environmental pollution and reducing energy demand. This study assesses the thermal efficiency of agricultural greenhouses built with textile fiber-reinforced cement blocks as a substitute for traditional outer materials. We looked at three types of greenhouses: a transparent greenhouse (T_Gh), a sandwich-panel greenhouse (PS_Gh), and a cement-block greenhouse (CB_Gh) that used 30% textile fiber by sand volume. Experimental monitoring was carried out in seven climatically varied locations of Tunisia, supplemented by verified numerical simulations. The findings indicate that CB_Gh and PS_Gh display analogous thermal characteristics, sustaining temperature variations within 2 °C. Both designs significantly reduced severe daily changes compared to T_Gh. CB_Gh, on the other hand, lowered daytime peaks and raised nighttime minima to make the thermal stability better. These discoveries were corroborated by computational simulations tested against experimental data. Using automated blinds made things even better, lowering the highest temperatures in CB_Gh and PS_Gh by 10–18% per year and 16–17% each day. Energy simulations revealed that CB_Gh lowered energy consumption by 20% and greenhouse gas emissions by around 15% relative to T_Gh, while ensuring thermal comfort comparable to PS_Gh. The economic analysis showed that both systems are financially sound: PS_Gh has higher long-term returns and efficiency, while CB_Gh is a more cost-effective choice with good profitability. In general, these results show that textile fiber-reinforced blocks are a thermally efficient and environmentally friendly way to build greenhouses in a variety of climates. They also promote circular economy principles by turning textile waste into high-performance building materials.