Project Title: Championing Bio-Based Construction for Hot Climates
In the heart of Morocco, Karima Berradi is reshaping the way we think about buildings, not just as structures, but as part of a living, sustainable ecosystem.
As an ISA Fellow and a pioneer in eco-innovation, Karima leads a ground-breaking project aimed at transforming agricultural waste into energy-efficient building materials. Her work tackles two urgent global challenges: reducing carbon emissions from construction and improving living conditions in hot climate regions.
Karima’s mission is bold yet simple:
To create affordable, bio-based insulation solutions that improve energy performance, promote local innovation, and elevate environmental health — starting in southern Morocco, and extending far beyond.
🔧 What Karima Has Achieved
Developed multiple construction material prototypes using a blend of date palm waste and clay, making sustainable construction viable in rural and urban settings.- Created insulation prototypes from straw and palm fibres, proving that local bio-waste can rival industrial materials in thermal performance.
- Trains over 100 architecture and engineering students annually in sustainable construction practices — building a new generation of green builders.
- Launched a new master’s module in sustainable architecture at the University of Mohammed V in 2022 — a legacy of her ISA project and part of long-term capacity-building in Morocco.
- Identified over 500,000 tons of exploitable agricultural waste in rural areas, unlocking new circular economy opportunities for farmers and small enterprises.
Awarded the Swiss Government’s ESKAS Grant to implement and advance her research in sustainable building materials.- Recipient of the Green Talents Award by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), recognizing her as a global leader in environmental innovation.
- Secured a Postdoctoral position at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (Empa) to develop next-generation bio-based materials from Moroccan palm waste.
- Honored as “Woman of the Year in Sustainable Development” by the Moroccan Ministry of Energy and Mines — a testament to her growing influence in national policy and innovation circles.
Karima’s work exemplifies what ISA exists to support: local leadership with global relevance. By turning agricultural by-products into high-performance insulation, Karima is redefining what sustainable architecture means in the Global South.
