ADVANCING RESOURCE CIRCULARITY IN SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: A CASE STUDY ON VALUE-ADDED RICE STRAW-BASED COMPOSITE ECO-BRICK INNOVATION IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

The growing urbanisation of Sri Lanka's building sector has made it difficult to strike a balance between sustainable resource management. The huge volume of agricultural waste produced by present techniques leads to environmental, social, and economic sustainability challenges through direct open burning and landfill buildup. To improve resource circularity in Sri Lanka's sustainable building construction sector, this study investigated the feasibility of transforming waste rice straw into a value-added composite eco-brick with a lower production cost. The study employed an experimental research methodology that facilitates the discovery of material properties through testing and an understanding of material feasibility studies for sustainable construction. To improve the strength of rice straw material and increase its natural properties, selected additives were blended and tested for compressive strength, water absorption capacity, durability, and composite sample performance. According to the findings, rice straw-based composite bricks have comparable compressive strength (3.2-4.5 MPa) to ordinary clay bricks, notably lower thermal conductivity (0.28 W/mK), and reduced water absorption ability. When compared to traditional clay bricks, the economic analysis demonstrated a 20-25% cost reduction in material manufacturing. According to the study's findings, rice straw composite eco-bricks can assist Sri Lanka's construction industry in implementing circular economy principles, converting waste into value, and reducing carbon emissions, in addition to providing a sustainable alternative for building materials.