A Review on the Utilization of Cow Dung in Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Building Materials

Abstract

The construction industry contributes significantly to the degradation of our environment, due to the large amount of energy and carbon emissions associated with its operations. Over the past few years, there has been increased interest in using sustainable and eco-friendly materials as alternatives to traditional building materials. One material that has good potential for use in the construction industry is cow dung (a very common agricultural waste product in India) which has shown great promise for applications such as bricks, plaster, and composite materials. This review paper will summarize what research has been conducted on the use of cow dung as a construction material, emphasizing information regarding its mechanical properties, environmental benefits, and practical use. The conclusion of this paper will show that cow dung has been found to provide advantages including improved thermal insulation; decreased cost of material used for construction, and increased sustainable construction methods.

KEYWORDS: Cow dung, Sustainable building materials, Eco-friendly building materials, Green building, Affordable housing