Adobe construction as a bioeconomy strategy for a sustainable housing in tropical biomes

Abstract Recent focus on the impacts of adverse climatic events have intensified debates regarding the global economic development model based on fossil fuel combustion. In this context, alternative production models with lower CO 2 emissions have gained prominence, particularly those aligned with circular economy and bioeconomy principles. Adobe, an ancient earthen construction technique, has re-emerged as a potential low-impact solution due to its low embodied energy and use of locally available natural resources. We conducted a comprehensive literature review that addresses the use of adobe as a viable and sustainable alternative. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [PRISMA] statement, a search was conducted in scientific journal databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Periodicos Capes, with subsequent processing of the selected articles using Rayyan and Manus software. The number of articles is directly proportional to the nature of the descriptors used for the database searches. More generic descriptor such as “sustainability” yield an impractically large number of publications. Therefore, the search was based on the association of the descriptors “adobe” with “sustainability” and “bioeconomy” and “circular economy” in three languages. Fifty peer-reviewed articles were selected after applying the exclusion and inclusion criteria. It was observed that this is a theme that has shown growth in publications in recent years, certainly driven by the greater interest in topics related to the low-carbon economy. The number and spectrum of research areas relevant to this topic are noteworthy, at the same time, our analysis demonstrates a low national production, although with a growing trend, particularly in low-seismicity regions.