Introduction

Heating problems of Philippine buildings

With more and more people moving into the cities in developing countries like the Philippines,
the risks concerning heat also rise affecting urban areas. Urban areas are significantly warmer
than rural ones, a phenomenon called Urban Heat Island (UHI), explains (Estoque, et. al., 2017).
UHI has a direct impact on the local climate. According to this study, the UHI effect in Baguio
City has been on the rise in recent years, despite the city being colder than lowland areas. To
compensate for the humid environment in tropical countries, people rely on air conditioning units
(ACUs). However, the usage of ACUs furthers the production of greenhouse gases and
contributes to the global rise in temperature (Barroga III, 2017).

This research seeks to identify the potential benefits of agricultural waste, particularly corn, a
staple crop in the Philippines as a material for a Passive Cooling System (PCT) product. Cobs
and husks of corn not only feed the nation but also leave behind significant amounts of waste.
Rather than viewing this waste as waste, this research seeks to identify ways to turn it into a
resource that could revolutionize the sustainability of construction. The Philippines, with its
expansive agricultural landscapes, is plagued by corn waste each year, which, if not managed,
exacerbates environmental concerns and poses health risks. Furthermore, the country's tropical
maritime climate necessitates buildings that offer protection from extreme heat and humidity.
This research examines the potential of corn husks and cobs as eco-friendly materials for wall
cladding and ceilings, not only as an environmental benefit, but also to ensure that they are safe,
durable, and cost-effective.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924271617303064?via%3Dihub
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/9119/
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/523/1/012040/pdf

Purpose And Rationale

The demand for forest resources is rampant due to different applications that resulted in a
scarcity of supply in woods particularly in developing countries. This scenario gives the insight
to find an alternative material apart from wood in creating wood-like construction materials. It is
found that agricultural waste has the potential materials to develop different designs of wood-like
materials. (Prasetiyo, et. al, 2020) Corn cob is considered an agricultural bio-waste that can be
reused and incorporated into the building industry as a thermal insulation material. Corn husks
offer several benefits, such as improved mechanical characteristics, increased heat resistance,
reduced noise, and heightened resistance to fire. However, it is required to conduct more
research will provide a more comprehensive analysis that it has thermal performance of building
materials using corn cob and husk as raw materials and if it is sustainable to be used. (Bentes, et.
al,2021) This study aims to establish corn cob and corn husk as alternative materials aside from
wood in the development of eco-friendly wall cladding. Determine its capabilities by testing its
thermal insulation, durability, strength, and sound reduction. Furthermore, the study will ensure
that these materials meet structural integrity and safety standards, making them a cost-efficient,
easy-to-install solution that can enhance housing accessibility while reducing the environmental
impact associated with wood-based construction materials.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652622031420

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352710221008561

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/591/1/012011/meta

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The corn husk's best test of compressive strength and wear strength as a brick is within 7
days. The study shows that they make a brick with a corn husk with different percentages (5, 20,
and 20). The results show that the 5 percent brick test had a compressive strength of 57.257
kg/cm2 and the 10 percent brick test had a strength of 30,183 kg/cm2, which is suitable for the
SNI 03-0349-1989. However, the wear test for all of the perceptible bricks did not meet the
standard. (Basyar, 2022)
 The present generation has focused on strengthening the structures and making them
more durable. However, to achieve those kinds of criteria, the materials should have thermal
conductors. A dried corn cube will mold like a plate and be installed in a mini house for a test.
The result shows that the corn cube is effective as an alternative material for thermal conductors
and reduces indoor temperatures. (Sahat, 2018)

The bond quality is not compromised when solid microspheres are used as a substitute for
50% of Urea formaldehyde resin in wood joints. These enable the addition of particles to the
glue, such as formaldehyde absorbers or self-healing materials. The strength of the wood joints
was unaffected, but the addition of microspheres reduced the adhesive's ability to permeate the
wood, which may help patch up broken joints.

PROBLEM

Corn is one of the Philippines' largest crops. Aside from rice, it is considered second in
the country's agricultural resources. The Philippines has six different kinds of corn: sweet corn,
lagkitan, purple corn, young corn, wild violet corn, and Visayan white corn. It is an important
crop since it is used for human consumption as well as animal feed. Since 1994, the production
of corn has averaged from 0.7 to 0.8 metric tons per hectare up to 1974, with 2.83% of it
considered wastage. (Salazar, et al, 2021). In the meantime, 4.4 million metric tons of corn
waste are disposed of from corn production every year. The corn husks and corncobs are
considered corn waste. They are either left in the field to decompose or burned by farmers. The
associated problem with burning corn waste is that its smoke can result in difficulty breathing
and eye irritation, and at the same time, it leads to environmental and health hazards. Some
farmers decide to discard them beside the roads and fields, where they decompose very slowly,
which makes it an unpleasant sight to see a mountain of corn waste. (Hapinat, 2021)

The Philippines has a tropical and maritime climate. It is composed of high temperatures
and humidity, with an abundant amount of rain. The average annual temperature in the
Philippines is 26.6 degrees Celsius and 25.5 degrees Celsius for the coolest months, based on all
of the weather stations in the country. (Simon, 2022). Based on the Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical, and Astronomical Services, the highest-ever heat index in the Philippines was 60
degrees Celsius, which was recorded in Casiguran, Aurora (Mendoza, 2023). Exposure to hotter-
than-average conditions affects the body's ability to regulate temperature and can result in a
chain reaction of disorders such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and hyperthermia.
The effects of rapid gain of heat can result in hospitalizations and even death. (WHO, 2018)

The main purpose of wall cladding is to protect the house’s interior and exterior walls
from weather and chemical effects that could bring problems to the walls of houses or buildings.
However, a wall cladding system is not a cheap set-up for a house. it can provide an aesthetic
look to houses and buildings, but it has an associated expensive price to pay for it not to mention
its maintenance repairs (Khyalia, 2018).

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/advantages-disadvantages-wall-cladding-sandeep-khyalia

https://www.scribd.com/document/422713612/feasibility-study-of-coconut-husk-and-corn-husk-
as-alternative-paper?irclickid=zSRSvcVXxxyNR74wVvTQ-yAjUkFUS
%3ATOUR5Swc0&irpid=123201&utm_source=impact&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=aff
iliate_pdm_acquisition_TakeAds%20Networks&sharedid=232498&irgwc=1

https://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com/country-hub/philippines/climate-in-the-philippines/

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1816548/extreme-danger-casiguran-aurora-logs-highest-ever-heat-
index-at-60c#:~:text=MANILA%2C%20Philippines%20%E2%80%94%20Casiguran%2C
%20Aurora,Astronomical%20Services%20Administration%20(Pagasa).

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-heat-and-
health#:~:text=Rapid%20rises%20in%20heat%20gain,exhaustion%2C%20heatstroke%2C
%20and%20hyperthermia.

https://www.phcc.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/PCC-Issues-Paper-2021-01-Issues-Paper-
on-Corn-Industry-in-the-Philippines.pdf

https://ap.fftc.org.tw/article/2711

https://jwoodscience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1007/s10086-018-1717-9?
fbclid=IwAR3qcFLEB-sZscjTAM9nmhFrRUbMm5Nnq-_8qeCxWB-v6GbId5l7sRqdH6A

The decision to investigate the impact of corn husk/corn cob as an alternative on the compressive
strength capacity and thermal insulation of wall cladding is prompted by numerous important gaps in
the existing body of knowledge, particularly in the local context. To begin, there is a lack of
comprehensive studies exclusively focused on this topic, indicating a large knowledge space that must
be filled. Furthermore, the scarcity of local studies emphasizes the importance of study in this field in
order to provide insights applicable to the specific needs and conditions of the local construction
industry. The advantages of utilizing corn husk/corn cob as a substitute to improve wall cladding are
substantial. These options have demonstrated encouraging results in terms of enhancing wall cladding
compressive strength and thermal insulation. However, their application as a wall cladding alternative is
unknown. Conducting a study that specifically examines the influence of the corn husk/corn cob on the
compressive strength and thermal insulation of wall cladding can provide valuable information regarding
their environmental friendliness, economical capabilities, and improving the performance of wall
cladding.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336104074_Particleboards_from_Corn_Hus
ks_and_Citric_Acid