Experimental Investigation of the Energy Efficiency of Earth Brick from the Aoulef Region in Algeria

Clay brick is used all over the world, because it is an ancient building material, and its strength and elasticity vary depending on its water content and the type of additives to it . Brick walls are naturally energy-saving, they form a natural insulator of the heat of the external environment, despite their minuses, such as fragility and moisture absorption. In this research, we will conduct experiments on bricks from the AOULEF region of Adrar province in southern Algeria, consisting of 60% Clay, 10% gypsum and 30% sand ‘We study the transmission of energy through a brick whose dimensions are 30×15×12 cm3. Where we expose this brick to temperature for 240 minutes .We measure heat transfer and change of thermal conductivity through laboratory samples. Preliminary results have shown that clay bricks with a thickness of 15 cm insulate heat 35%, and this percentage increases, especially in large sizes, which makes the work of air conditioners easier by controlling the temperature, we can save energy and thus achieve sustainability.