Proof is in the fibre: Sashwin (right) and Vasan showing the difference between their sustainable roof tile made from banana fibre (left) and the conventional cement roof. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: Inspired by the abundance of banana trees in Malaysia, pupils from a Tamil primary school here have developed a sustainable roofing material made from banana fibre.
SJK (T) Taman Tun Aminah pupils T. Sashwin and V. Vasan Lakkshmen, under the guidance of their teacher, invented the construction material in April last year.
Their innovation also clinched several international awards.
Sashwin said they experimented with a range of materials for the project, including egg shells, sugarcane, coconut and oil palm. Ultimately, they concluded that banana fibre was the most suitable choice due to its excellent thermal insulation properties.
“The fibres, taken from discarded layers of banana tree trunks, were collected, cleaned and blended into powder form. It was then mixed with cement at a 70:30 ratio and moulded in a tray.
“The mixture is then dried thoroughly under the sun to produce an eco-friendly and biodegradable roofing solution with multiple environmental benefits,” said the Year Six pupil in an interview.
Sashwin, who is passionate about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), said he enjoys reading the news and is concerned about global warming.
“I decided to read up on the issue and realised that we have to do something to save the Earth, so this project is a good start for us to offer a sustainable construction solution.
“Hopefully, our innovation can be marketed and adopted by the industry because it is also cheaper compared to the conventional cement and clay roofs,” he added.
His teammate Vasan Lakkshmen said the roofing system, made of 70% banana fibre, has natural insulation properties.
“We recorded significant temperature differences when the banana fibre roof was placed side by side with a cement roof under a heat source,” he said, adding that their innovation could help to keep buildings cooler in hot climates and reduce the need for air-conditioning.
The Year Five pupil said he has gained a lot of knowledge about STEM and the environment through the project.
“I am a shy person, and I find it challenging to speak publicly. I needed to give presentations for this project, so it has helped me gain more confidence,” said Vasan, who aspires to be a graphic designer.
Their supervising teacher, A. Puvanesvari, who is also the school’s science panel head, said the project clinched second place and a gold medal in the open category of the World Innovation and Invention Competition in South Korea last year.
“Our school held a STEM competition last year, and their idea was chosen as it was the most relevant to the theme of sustainability.
“From there, we conducted the research, created the prototype, and submitted it to numerous competitions.
“Besides South Korea, the project was also recognised in innovation competitions in Indonesia, Thailand and India.
“The project, along with other student innovations such as compost made from discarded tea leaves, has sparked a lot of STEM interest among the pupils, which is a positive sign,” she added.
Puvanesvari said the school plans to patent the banana fibre roofing system and hopes to commercialise the product to benefit the masses.
The innovation was also recognised by the Iskandar Malaysia Ecolife Challenge, a high-impact project organised by the state Education Department, Iskandar Regional Development Authority and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
