Choosing sustainable home construction materials minimizes the environmental impact of building and promotes energy efficiency. They can also help reduce reliance on unsustainable resources such as oil and gas.
Green homes are a must-have for today’s homeowners and home builders alike. They offer benefits such as increased resale value, improved indoor air quality, and lower energy bills.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a highly versatile building material that can be used for both interior and exterior applications. It can be used in flooring, wall paneling and fencing.
It can also be used as a decorative accent for walls and furniture. It is lightweight and has excellent fire resistance.
Another advantage of building with bamboo is that it is easy to work with and does not carry the risk of exposure to dangerous asbestos-based materials. This makes it a safe building material for all levels of construction workers.
Unlike wood, which takes 25 to 50 years to grow, bamboo can be harvested every three to six years. This makes it a very sustainable alternative to timber.
It reduces pollution by absorbing carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases and releasing more oxygen into the atmosphere than trees do. It also helps control soil erosion and retains water. It is extremely resilient to earthquakes and hurricanes. It is a great option for green builders who want to make a difference in their communities.
Cork
Cork is a soft, lightweight material that can be used in a variety of different ways around the home. It’s easy to cut, easy to work with, and incredibly environmentally friendly!
It’s also very durable and scratch resistant. It’s the perfect solution for flooring, walls and roofs because of its thermal insulation and water-proofing properties.
In addition, cork is a great choice for homes because it can help keep a house cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Its air cushion design helps to insulate a room against temperature fluctuations, which can save money on energy bills.
The insulating and dampening properties of cork also make it an excellent choice for soundproofing. Because it contains so many tiny air pockets, it’s able to absorb a lot of noise without scattering it. This is why it’s still used in sound recording studios today.
Recycled Metals
Recycled metals are a great way to reduce waste and help the environment. Scrap metals such as aluminium, iron and steel can be reused repeatedly to create new products.
Recycling metals helps to reduce CO2 emissions and air and water pollution. It also makes economic sense to reuse materials where possible as this saves money and energy.
Non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, copper, brass and bronze are all easily recycled. The process does not affect the properties of these materials which means they can be used again and again.
Another type of non-ferrous metal is steel, which is widely used to build homes and buildings. It is a very strong material and doesn’t rust, making it a perfect choice for eco-friendly constructions.
Steel is often recycled from automobiles, but it can also be found in reclaimed beams and girders torn out of demolished buildings or junked cars. It is a great way to build green buildings because it’s recyclable and doesn’t require any mining or energy for its production.
Cellulose Insulation
Cellulose insulation is a type of home insulation that is made from recycled paper and can be installed in both new construction and existing homes. It is a great way to save money and energy, improve the comfort of your home and protect the environment.
The cellulose insulation material is made from up to 85 percent recycled paper and uses less energy to manufacture than other types of insulation. It also reduces the amount of waste paper that ends up in landfills and produces less greenhouse gas emissions.
It is a loose-fill or dense-packed form of insulation that can be blown into open attic cavities or sprayed in wall and floor cavities to help keep energy costs low and provide a comfortable environment for your family. It is considered one of the safest and most eco-friendly options available for your home.
In an existing home, installers remove a strip of exterior siding around waist high; drill a row of three-inch holes into each stud cavity; insert a special filler tube into the wall and blow the cellulose insulation into the cavity. When installation is complete, the holes are sealed with a plug and the siding replaced.