LAUSR

Abstract Waste generation is a consequence of human activity and as such, it is certainly inevitable. The huge amount of wastes generated all over the world varies exponentially with population growth. In order to ensure sustainable development, there is need to prevent wastes from downgrading the economy, and also taking a toll on the environment and health of citizens through harmful emissions. This can be achieved by adopting the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) principle to optimize resource utilization. In this work, thermophysical and mechanical properties were investigated for boards produced from coconut leaflet. The results showed the values of thermal conductivity, bulk density, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, heat penetration time, water absorption, flexural strength, and compressive strength to be (0.0643 ± 0.0001) W m−1 K−1, (388.03 ± 0.09) kg m−3, (2705.59 ± 1.65) J kg−1 K−1, (6.12 ± 0.01)  ×  10−8 m2 s−1, (3.307 ± 0.003) h, (86.33 ± 0.15)%, (0.573 ± 0.001) N/mm2, and (0.480 ± 0.001) N/mm2 respectively. These values are within the range reported in several literatures for heat-insulating materials used as ceilings or for construction of solar oven/cooker. Statistically, one-way analysis of variance performed at 0.05 level of significance revealed an existence of significant difference between the mean temperature values of the exposed surfaces and the data got for the underside surfaces of the boards. Thus, instead of continuing to burn or dump coconut leaflet as waste, putting it into production cycle can result in a material that is environmentally-friendly, cost-effective, and suitable for engineering applications. This, in turn, will help to minimize waste, preserve environment, improve economy and create endless sustainable construction opportunities.