When discussing the processes that cause the most damage to the environment, many people forget the environmental impact of the production and use of traditional building materials. Due to increasingly worrying effects, ecological awareness has grown in recent years among individuals, businesses and even entire industries, which is why there is a growing emphasis on replacing outdated and polluting methods and striving for sustainability in the construction industry as well.
We have previously discussed what we can do to protect our environment in the material handling and the construction In this article, we would like to offer some ideas for those who are looking for healthier and more sustainable building materials for the design and construction of their buildings.
What makes a building material sustainable?
First, we need to clarify the concept of sustainable building materials. This category includes materials that use less energy, water and raw materials in the manufacturing process and, at the same time, generate less waste due to their long service life.
Sustainable building materials are typically those that natural materials, such as wood, stone or straw, but this category also includes new generation artificial building materials (modern concretes and glasses, building blocks or even solar panels), which are stronger, lighter and more economical than their traditional counterparts.
By using a combination of materials from both categories current construction practices can be made more sustainable, and buildings with significantly better energy efficiency can be created, thereby contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and heavily polluted waters.
Five particularly sustainable building materials
Following the precise definition, let us examine which materials are best suited to meet the above requirements.
Recycled plastics
The world's population produces and uses tens of millions of tonnes of single-use plastic every year.
A significant portion of this enormous amount ends up in landfills or, even worse, in natural waterways.
However, thanks to developments in construction technology, this does not necessarily have to be the case.: plastic can be recycled to produce building materials such as plastic bricks or cladding materials.
Bamboo
Thanks to its versatility and rapid growth Bamboo is one of the most sustainable building materials.. Although bamboo is a type of grass, its strength is similar to that of wood, yet it is flexible.
Can be used in construction projects for building scaffolding and roof structures or even for roofing.
The advantage is that fast-growing, renewable raw material, which is environmentally friendly and cost-effective to grow and harvest.
What's more, bamboo absorbs more CO2-absorbs as much as trees, thus contributing to the reduction of air pollution.
Stone
Stone, which occurs naturally in countless places, can be found in interior design items, furniture components and building materials.
A durable material requiring minimal maintenance, which is highly recyclable and produces almost no waste due to its exceptionally long service life.
Cork
Derived from a plant called cork Cork is not only good for sealing champagne and wine bottles or for fishing, but it is also an excellent natural and mould-resistant insulating material..
Since no trees need to be destroyed to harvest it, cork is an excellent renewable and recyclable alternative to traditional insulation materials that require manufacturing.
Laminated wood
Laminated or plywood wood is prefabricated cladding material, which has greater strength and water resistance than traditional wood.
With pre-formed elements, covering is faster than with traditional parquet or wall covering materials.
The widespread use of the above or similar sustainable building materials can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry.
