Work

Seagrass as Climate-Smart Insulation for the Tropics: Key Insights from Numerical Simulations and Field Studies

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Seagrass ecosystems provide essential ecological services and are increasingly recognized for their potential as sustainable building insulation. While prior studies have examined seagrass insulation in temperate climates, its suitability for tropical construction remains largely unexplored. This study assesses the insulation performance, practical challenges, and adoption barriers of seagrass insulation in tropical climates, using building physics simulations and structured expert interviews, with case studies in Seychelles and Auroville, India. Simulation results indicate that seagrass insulation with its high specific heat capacity effectively reduces overheating risks and demonstrates consistently low mould-growth potential under persistently humid tropical conditions. Despite these technical advantages, expert interviews reveal significant non-technical barriers, including negative public perception, regulatory uncertainties, and logistical complexities. Seychelles faces particular hurdles such as limited coastal storage capacity and stringent environmental regulations. In contrast, Auroville emerges as an ideal demonstration site due to its strong sustainability culture and openness to innovative building materials. The study further identifies that integrating seagrass insulation into a structured, regulated supply chain—from sustainable harvesting and processing to quality assurance—could simultaneously enhance ecosystem conservation and material availability. Implementing a harvesting framework analogous to sustainable forestry could ensure environmental protection alongside supply stability. The findings emphasize the urgent need for targeted awareness initiatives, regulatory alignment, and economic feasibility assessments to overcome barriers and enable wider adoption. Overall, this research highlights seagrass insulation as a promising, climate-positive construction material with strong potential under tropical conditions, provided that identified logistical, societal, and regulatory challenges are addressed through dedicated research, stakeholder collaboration, and practical pilot projects.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17094160

Authors: Benno Rothstein, Lena Heiderich, Michael Bühler, Lalit Kishor Bhati

Institutions: HTWG Hochschule Konstanz - Technik, Wirtschaft und Gestaltung, University of Freiburg

Language: English

Topic: Hygrothermal properties of building materials

Subfield: Building and Construction

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Affordable and clean energy, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896