Thermo-mechanical and physical properties of waste granular cork composite with slag cement

•Buildings consume a lot of energy and there is a need to improve their thermal properties.•The use of cork in cement composite reduces the density and decreases thermal conductivity.•Air curing and cement substitution with slag also reduce the thermal conductivity.•The shrinkage increases with the increase in the cork content.•The strength of cork cement composite is reduced but is adequate for heat insulation and non-load carrying elements. Construction industry consumes a lot of energy either through the materials used or by heating and cooling. Insulation materials using waste materials could help reduce the energy consumption. Waste cork is abundant in Mediterranean countries and is rarely used as a construction material. Cork presents excellent thermal and acoustic performance and could be used in heat insulation for roof elements. This paper aims to investigate the mechanical and thermal properties of cement composites with waste cork under different curing conditions. The effect of including granulated blast furnace slag on these composites was also studied. The results indicate that the strength of cork cement composite is adequate and meets the standards requirements for heat insulation elements.