Investigation of the use of straw bale as an ecological construction material in cold climate regions according to the bep-tr program: The example of Van Gevaş

This thesis examines the use of straw bale as a building material for a sustainable solution to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The focus of the study includes the evaluation of the performance of straw bale in terms of thermal insulation and energy efficiency in cold and dry climates, especially in the conditions of Gevaş district of Van province, using the BEP-TR method. The thesis draws attention to the environmental problems caused by the energy consumption of the construction sector and the hypothesis that straw bale offers an ecological, economic and practical solution to these problems is discussed. It is explained in many studies in the literature that straw bale is an effective material in areas such as heat insulation, fire and moisture resistance, and seismic resistance. Its sustainability aspect stands out with its environmentally friendly and economic advantages. Considering the recycling potential of straw bale, it is possible to see it as an important alternative in the construction sector. Therefore, the aim of the study is to raise awareness about the energy saving, cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability of straw bales. It is also emphasized that it can contribute to the necessary legislative changes for the more widespread use of straw bales as a building material in Turkey. Straw bales should also be considered as a viable option in modern architecture and should be moved beyond rural areas. In this direction, it is seen that the use of such innovative materials in horizontal architecture in Turkey can become widespread in the light of foreign examples. In this research, parameters such as energy class, carbon emission and heating load of a designed residential building were analyzed using BEP-TR simulation software. In this context, technical drawings of the designed project were made with two different scenarios, such as straw bale infill wall with wooden frame and pumice block infill wall with reinforced concrete carrier. In this direction, in the EKB obtained with BEP-TR software, it was determined that the energy performance of straw bale infill walls with wooden frame was approximately three times better than reinforced concrete pumice block infill walls. These findings show that straw bale provides more effective ther