10 Green Building Materials To Consider

Do you want to hear the good news? According to Dodge Data and Analytics’ World Green Building Trends 2018 report, green building is officially a global trend, and energy conservation is a top priority for people around the planet. In the US, the change is being driven by consumer demands, followed by environmental regulations and healthier buildings. Even better: the trend is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. The percentage of companies that expect to have more than 60% of their projects green-certified has grown from 16% in 2016 to 32% in 2018. Companies report that they expect that percentage to rise to 45% by 2021. With more people building green, more people are also developing innovative, new, green materials to take advantage of this growing market opportunity.

Sustainable Building Materials for Home Construction

Here we name some of the most outstanding materials used in ecological construction that are revolutionizing the home construction industry.

Tesla Solar Tiles

Clean, Renewable Energy With Curbside Appeal

Gone are the days of screwing panels the size of a dining room table to your roof to reap the benefits of solar energy. Solar Roof Shingles are small, custom shingles designed to blend in almost seamlessly with traditional shingles. These shingles are not only aesthetically attractive, but they also function as solar panels and are highly durable to keep your roof protected from the elements.

You may have heard of Tesla Solar Tiles, although these are not the only options on the market. As you can see in the photo, they are undoubtedly the most attractive.

Benefits of Solar Roof Tiles

Installation is relatively easy These tiles are easier to install than traditional solar panels. Shingles are installed over new or existing roof decks, and an electrician or roofer connects the units and to the home’s electrical system.

Perfect for environmentally conscious homeowners who plan to re-shingle their roofs anyway, they’ll probably find solar shingles especially appealing. Solar shingles not only provide a renewable energy source and cost cuts on your energy bill but also provide weatherproof protection for your roof.

Prices should be comparable to other high-end roofing solutions. With solar shingles, using solar power doesn’t have to mean cutting off your electricity supply. Most solar tile systems are connected to existing power supplies, which come back online after sunset and on particularly cloudy days.

The Renaissance Of Natural Materials

In the past, only high-standing homes were made with natural materials. But today you can find many products and techniques that incorporate natural materials. Many of these techniques were used historically and are now making a comeback.

Interior Rammed Earth Walls

Earthen construction is one of the oldest and most enduring techniques for building structures. Think of the Great Wall of China. Well today, they can be seen in luxury homes creating walls that resemble sedimentary rock.

Rammed earth walls (or even floors) can be used as thermal storage, allowing the sun to warm them during the day and then slowly releasing the heat on cool evenings.

This low-carbon technique uses ways in which the soil and binder are layered and pressure is then applied to create a hard surface. These blocks use waste materials from quarries to create cement blocks that can be installed by any mason.

Abrazo Bullet

Early American settlers used straw bales for their homes on the Great Plains. Now the technique has been updated for application in new constructions.

Straw bales are made from waste from the agricultural industry. It is a substitute for wood. The walls will be thicker than a conventional wooden frame. These thick, well-insulated walls offer a very high R-value. Contrary to what you might believe, straw bale houses are fire resistant and can mimic any aesthetic.

Bamboo

Bamboo could be a sustainable alternative to wood. Although it looks aesthetically similar, bamboo is a grass, which means that bamboo regenerates very quickly compared to trees. Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet depending on the type of bamboo and the region, sometimes up to 3 feet a day!

It is not just its rapid growth that makes bamboo sustainable. For construction purposes, bamboo can be harvested up to every 3 years;, the trees can only be harvested every 25-50 years (depending on the species). The rise in popularity of bamboo has allowed many forests to regenerate.

Bamboo is a sustainable alternative in many applications, such as tile, trim and flooring, plywood, countertops and countertops.

Prefabricated Techniques Set Trend

Structural Insulation Panels

Structural insulated panels are one of the most airtight and well-insulated building systems on the market today. Due to the hermetic sealing they are ideal for ecological construction. An airtight house requires less energy to heat and cool and allows for better control of air quality. Some panels are certified to ensure that the wood used for the panels comes from sustainably managed forests. There are many advantages to building your house with these types of panels. Here are some.

Energy is saved

Up to 40% of a home’s heat loss is due to air leakage. This solves this problem by creating a top cover with minimal air exchange and high thermal resistance.

Resources are saved

Foam and fiberboard, its two main components, require less energy and raw materials to produce than other building structures. They have the power to reduce the waste generated during the construction of the house to ensure the most efficient use of the material.

Improve Air Quality

A home built with insulation panels provides better control over indoor air quality, as the airtight building envelope minimizes or eliminates incoming unfiltered air. As for the fresh air that enters the house, controlled ventilation filters pollutants, toxins and allergens while dehumidifying the air to reduce the potential for mold growth. In addition, they do not contain harmful chemicals, which is another potential risk to air quality in buildings that do not use insulation panels.

Time is saved

With each wall as a complete unit, there is no need for framing with sticks, insulation, etc. that consume a lot of time. A complete envelope of the house can be built in a matter of days instead of weeks.

Grow on your roof

Living Rooftops

Living roofs, or green roofs, are defined as vegetated roofs consisting of a waterproofing membrane, a growing medium (soil), and vegetation (plants) on top of a traditional roof. It is a somewhat rigid definition, but the result is spectacular.

Benefits of green roofs

Durability

Properly installed green roofs double the number of years it typically takes before a roof needs to be replaced compared to traditionally installed roofs. The average life expectancy of a living roof is about 40 years, compared to an average life expectancy of 17 years for a conventional roof.

Energy efficiency

A study published by the National Research Council of Canada showed that in the summer months, a green roof reduces fresh air loss by 70-90%, thus reducing air conditioning consumption. Green roofs can act as an insulating layer and reduce heat flux (heat transfer through the roof of a building) by up to 72%.

Improves Air Quality

Plants that live on green roofs, especially leafy plants and flowers, can capture air pollution and filter toxic gases from the air. The energy efficiency factor of green roofs also reduces energy demand, thus reducing the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere.

Noise reduction

The benefits of green roofs showed that ecological roofs have excellent acoustic insulation, especially for low frequencies. Green roofs can reduce outside sound penetration by 40-60 decibels.

Home Value Increase

Increased efficiency means increased property value. In addition, the green roofs are a sign of the popular movement of this type of green construction. For this reason, a living roof can help with home sales, rental agreements, and lower tenant turnover.

Water retention

On a green roof, rainwater is retained to support plants rather than flowing into storm drains. Living roofs can retain between 70% and 90% of rainfall in summer and between 24% and 40% in winter.

A green roof means increased biodiversity, aesthetic appeal, and more green space for relaxation, stress relief, and even gardening (if the roof slope allows).

Upcycle At End Of Life

Transport Containers

Shipping containers are a great example of some high quality waste in our society. There are millions of containers around the world, and they are usually only used for shipping for about 20 years; at which point they are often removed and disposed of, even though they are still in excellent condition. Not only are containers plentiful, they are inherently durable, relatively cheap, and environmentally friendly (since it is reclaimed material). It’s no wonder these durable containers are making their way onto the green building scene. Shipping containers have been used to build houses, shops, artists’ studios, emergency shelters, schools, hotels, laboratories, apartment buildings, and anything else you can think of.

Aluminum or steel containers are inexpensive and stronger than average. They can be modified and rearranged to accommodate endless design possibilities. Because of their durability and resistance to natural forces, shipping containers are naturally well-suited for homes and community centers after a disaster. But the design versatility and sustainable nature of shipping containers have captured the imagination of architects, designers and homeowners around the world.

Choose when to see and be seen

SmartGlass

In the winter months, bright sunlight streaming through windows can be one of life’s best experiences. But in the summer, that same sunlight coming in can be invasive, harsh, and uncomfortable, not to mention rising electricity bills due to heavy reliance on air conditioning.

Smart Glass windows offer a solution to this problem. Smart glass (or smart windows) refers to glass or glasses whose light transmission properties change depending on how light or heat is applied. In general, glass becomes translucent in the summer months to block certain wavelengths of the sun, and transparent in the winter to let in warm rays. This translates into annual cost savings in terms of heating and cooling, as well as avoiding the cost and inconvenience of installing light screens or blinds. Smart glass can even reduce fabric fading by blocking up to 99% of harmful UV light.

Wood is still current

Wait! Wood is not a new material. It is true that wood is an old standard, but it is being applied in construction materials in an innovative way.

Wood itself is replacing carbon in buildings, and when combined with sustainable forestry practices it can be a great option for the planet.

Acetylated Wood Products

Ecological alternative to the use of toxic pressure-treated wood. The wood is modified by acetylation to create a rot resistant product, improved thermal insulation with better dimensional stability and longer life.

Mass Timber

Cross-laminated lumber and glued laminated lumber (glued laminated lumber) are increasingly being used instead of steel or concrete.

Sustainable

Both steel and concrete manufacturing have a high level of carbon dioxide emissions. In comparison, wood from sustainable sources has a low net carbon level. In addition, cross-laminated lumber uses smaller pieces of wood, which allows efficient use of the wood.

Fire resistant

When exposed to fire, the carbon on the outside of bulk wood forms an insulating layer that protects the interior wood from damage. This allows you to retain the support even in the event of a fire.

Cost Effective

Mass timber constructions are faster to build than concrete constructions due to the prefabrication of elements outside the construction site.

The Future of Sustainable Building Materials

It is clear that environmentally friendly building materials are available at an affordable price. With the increasing availability of these sustainable building materials, we know the future looks green.