Thermal insulation: comfort and energy savings

Thermal insulation in Marrakech: how to reduce your energy bills (and increase comfort)

Thermal insulation in Marrakech: how to reduce your energy bills (and increase comfort)

In Marrakech, summers are long and very hot, with peaks that can exceed 40°C during heat waves. In these conditions, air conditioning becomes a major expense, but it is not a fatality. The first ‘climateization' of a building is its envelope: walls, roofs, glazing and thermal bridges. A well designed insulation limits heat transfers, reduces the necessary power of the equipment and stabilizes the interior temperature.
On the regulatory side, Morocco adopted the Thermal Construction Regulation (RTCM) through Decree No. 2-13-874, making minimum performance requirements for residential and tertiary buildings mandatory. This text, applicable to six climatic zones, was made mandatory in 2015 — a key step that promotes the energy efficiency of new buildings.
Over and above the standards, recent research shows that a high-performance envelope in a semi-arid climate (such as Marrakech) can significantly reduce cooling requirements.Insulation combinations (including recycled insulation and phase-change materials) show significant energy gains in dynamic simulation.On a global scale, the International Energy Agency points out that buildings consume more than one third of energy and that cooling accounts for almost 20% of electricity used in buildings — all of which are reasons to act on the envelope to limit requirements.
In particular, in Marrakech, the priority is often the insulation of roofs/terraces exposed to solar radiation, and then that of walls. Rock wool, PSE, high performance exterior coatings, indoor dubbings type BA13 + insulation: solutions exist and adapt to the constraints of each construction site. Sound insulation is also relevant in urban areas to improve acoustic comfort. To maximize efficiency, insulation must be designed with air tightness, ventilation and treatment of thermal bridges.
Our method at SECOND WORLD: thermal audit (camera, thermal bridge tracking), materials recommendation according to budget and constraints, careful implementation (flat roofs, facades, interior walls), post-work test/control and post-work monitoring. Result: a more stable thermal housing, less demanding equipment and light bills.

Sources (selection):
• Climate Marrakech (high summer averages) — Weather-Atlas & Climate-Data.
• RTCM (Decree No 2-13-874, 2014) — IEA Policies; official text.
• Study on innovative materials in Moroccan semi-arid climate — CDMI (2024).
• Share of Building Energy & Cooling — IEA, ‘The Future of Cooling'.