A strong straw policy can supply three quarters of the insulation needs for construction and renovation in France

• Usable remainder of french straw production is about 3,6 Mt per year. • Straw consumption for all of french building construction is about 3,5 Mt per year. • Straw consumption for all of french building renovation is about 4,8 Mt per year. • Straw can supply up to 77 % of construction and renovation needs. The building sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and regulations are increasingly promoting the use of bio-based insulation materials to support decarbonization. After an interesting literature review, this study evaluates the potential of wheat straw as an insulation material for construction and renovation in France. It quantifies the amount of straw realistically available for these applications while accounting for competition from other sectors, such as agriculture and bioenergy. Five allocation scenarios are considered, ranging from 0 % to 100 % of available straw dedicated to buildings. A quantitative methodology is applied, segmenting the French building stock based on construction type and compactness coefficients. Two scenarios, “carbon neutrality” and “business as usual +”, are calculated to determine straw insulation requirements. The results show that with an annual straw production of 3.6 million tons, allocating 50 % of the remaining usable straw to buildings could insulate 38 % of new and existing buildings. Under a strong policy scenario where 100 % of the remaining straw is allocated, up to three quarters (77 %) of insulation needs for construction and renovation could be met. Then, a comparative analysis with other insulation materials highlights that straw has a significantly lower GHG footprint and embodied energy but remains more expensive than conventional materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) or glass wool. These findings emphasize the potential of straw insulation to contribute to France’s climate objectives. However, data refinement, particularly for tertiary buildings are needed.