Abstract This article evaluates the thermal and energy performance of mortar blocks containing local agricultural waste. The mortar blocks were cast by the replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with varying amounts of date palm ash (DPA) in the range of 10–30%. Experiments and simulations were carried out to assess the thermal characteristics and energy performance of the specimens. A prototype office building was modeled and simulated in DesignBuilder (Version 6.1.06) with modified blocks prepared with DPA under the Arabian Gulf environment characterized by hot and humid climatic conditions of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The developed blocks are characterized as lightweight blocks based on density data which satisfy the requirement of ASTM C55-11. The analysis and simulation indicate that the incorporation of DPA improves the thermal resistance of up to 47%, enhances the indoor environment and yields annual energy consumption of up to 7.6%, consequently reduces the cost of masonry block production by ~ 11% without compromising the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. The masonry blocks prepared with DPA found to be economical than conventional masonry blocks. It is postulated that the novel DPA-based developed blocks are significantly sustainable products which will contribute to the valorization of DPA waste along with the reduction in the cost of construction and operational cost of the building.
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