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Abstract

This study analyzes the energy and environmental performance of hemp-based wall solutions applied to Moroccan residential buildings by combining dynamic thermal simulation and life cycle assessment (LCA). A reference building is assessed under four representative Moroccan climates (Al Hoceima, Oujda, Marrakech, and Ouarzazate), comparing a conventional wall retrofitted with hemp plaster and a wall incorporating hemp concrete. The results show that hemp concrete significantly reduces annual heating and cooling energy demands by 20–24% depending on the climate, with heating needs decreasing by up to 40% and cooling needs by approximately 15%, particularly in hot and arid regions. The LCA reveals a reduction in embodied energy of about 17% and a decrease in embodied carbon of up to 20% compared with the conventional wall, while the contribution of hemp concrete represents less than 3% of total impacts. Operational carbon is also reduced by 20–24%, corresponding to a decrease of up to 22 kg CO2/m2• year depending on the climatic context. Overall, these findings demonstrate that integrating hemp in the form of hemp concrete is substantially more effective than a simple plaster-based solution and confirm that hemp concrete is a relevant construction solution for improving energy efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of the residential building sector in Morocco.

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