Arundo donax L. as sustainable building material

Arundo donax L. (ADL), also known as giant reed or Mediterranean cane, is a riparian herbaceous species characterized by long and robust stems. Classified as an invasive species because of its high capacity to grow, this natural material has been used for centuries in several sectors: handicrafts, agriculture and, mostly important, in buildings. Even if this species is easily found in the most of Mediterranean landscapes and is characterized by a large employment, most of its physical and mechanical properties are still unknown. In this context, the paper focuses on the identification of the ADL properties as plant and the assessment of the benefits to use Arundo donax in the field of constructions, especially in terms of environmental impact, through a careful analysis of existing architectures. Moreover, a simulation for the determination of the thermal performance and energy demand of a building that use Arundo donax as insulating material is proposed, also comparing the results to traditional insulating products.