Traditionally, wood, bricks, and concrete are used in construction. These materials are typically chemical-laden before being utilized in building structures such as houses, sheds, roads, bridges, etc. Because of this, there is the continued destruction of trees for timber. Resources are being quarried to yield cement for binding sand, gravel, and bricks. Toxic elements contribute to air pollution.
We need to start thinking about our environment. In New Mexico, Las Cruces is the focal point of the Organ Caldera. To its north lie the Doña Ana Mountains, and the Organ Mountains line its east margin. To care for our forests and mountain ranges, we can use new processes in construction. Green building material alternatives can help sustain instead of depleting our natural resources.
A green building’s design, construction, or operation diminishes the impacts that can negatively affect our climate and environment. Inversely, it creates positive ripples by helping to preserve our natural resources. In doing so, it contributes to the quality of life not only of its dwellers but also in the community.
Materials and chemicals that create toxic emissions are avoided to erect a green building. Fewer and more durable materials that generate less waste are also chosen. Furthermore, reducing and recycling construction and demolition waste is given priority. Some of the sustainable and green building materials are:
Considered to be a staple in any construction, concrete is best at controlling heat within a building. Precast concrete slabs require significantly less energy to produce and assemble than traditional concrete options. This makes them highly sustainable. They are used for walls, floors, and flat roofs because they hold up well to various types of weather.
The most environmentally responsible way to save trees is using reclaimed wood. It also reduces the amount of lumber in landfills. You can easily find reclaimed wood in retired barns, excavation companies, home remodeling contractors, salvage yards, and shipping crates and pallets. It is best used for structural framing, cabinetry, and flooring.
Bamboo is a perennial grass that grows in most continents. It boasts of a high self-generation rate. Undoubtedly, it is one of the best eco-friendly building materials. Its durability is unquestionably due to an even greater strength-to-weight ratio than concrete and brick. Although it requires anti-insect treatment, it is suitable for flooring and cabinetry.
Steel is highly recyclable. New steel must be mined, heated, and shaped. Aside from being sustainable, it is long-lasting, highly durable, and water- and pest-resistant. It is ideal for roofing, building facades, and structural support. Hence, when reclaimed, it ominously reduces the environmental impacts of construction. Imagine the cost of the energy you save when you recycle steel.
Cork is harvested from a living tree. There is no need to kill the tree; cork is produced only from its bark. It makes this a highly sustainable material while offering resilience, flexibility, and wear resistance. In addition, it absorbs noise, resists fire, and is impervious to water. Cork is a significant element to use for floor tiles and insulation sheets.
Manufacturers are now using recycled plastic and other grounded trash to produce concrete. By doing so, they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They also take out plastic from landfills and thus help alleviate plastic pollution. Recycled and remanufactured plastics are suitable for building fences, picnic tables, carpet production, cable pipes, roofs, floors, and windows. Manufacturers blend virgin plastic with recycled ones to make polymeric timbers. Its sustainability lies primarily in saving trees.
Straw is harvested and replanted easily. Making them into bales takes minimal environmental effects. Because of its sound insulation and fire-resisting properties, you can place it in walls, attics, and ceilings. Use it as soundproofing and filling material to add to the integrity of a structure.
Produced from a mix of sawdust and concrete, timbercrete is lighter than concrete. Using sawdust from timber reduces lumber waste. They are easy to mold, so they are perfect for use as pavers, bricks, and blocks.
In the past, people set the original terrazzo in cement. Today, they make most terrazzo floors with epoxy resin. Durable and easy to clean, they are ideal for flooring in high-traffic areas like schools, airports, and other public buildings. When well maintained, this magnificent mosaic style of flooring can last up to four decades.
Sheep’s wool is prevalent. In addition, it regenerates quickly and is harvested easily. It is an excellent alternative to chemically manufactured insulators. More durable than straw and cotton, it enhances your structure’s energy efficiency and soundproofing. However, you need to treat it to ward off insects and prevent the growth of fungi.
Iron-rich compounds are generated from recycled materials such as steel dust or ferrous rock. It becomes a concrete-like building material but even more substantial than the concrete itself. In its drying and hardening process, it absorbs carbon dioxide. A viable alternative to cement, you can mix and pour it to build roads, driveways, bridges, and other structures.
This technology has been used since early civilizations. Rammed earth is compacted chalk, soil, gravel, or lime. Manufacturers usually make them into wooden forms, creating a similar feel to concrete. It provides an affordable solution for building firm foundations, floors, and walls.
Generated from the woody inner fibers of the hemp plant, hempcrete is a concrete-like material that is strong and light. It is fast-growing and highly renewable. They are sturdy, have good thermal and acoustic insulators, and are fire-resistant. Among others, its most extraordinary sustainable property is that it absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits.
Mycelium is a unicellular organism that contains the root structure of fungi and mushrooms. They are grown around a combination of other raw materials. This mushroom-based green building material can withstand extreme temperatures. After air-drying in molders, they turn into lightweight and robust bricks. It is an excellent organic and compostable alternative to insulation and concrete.
Popularly used for surfboards, plant-based polyurethane rigid foam comes from bamboo, kelp, and hemp. Rigid and relatively immobile, it makes good use for the purpose of sound and thermal insulation. Since it is heat and moisture-resistant, it protects against molds and other pests. Manufacturers also utilize them to produce turbine blades and furniture.
Visit us at Sun and Earth LLC if you plan to turn your space into a green building. We are located in the Las Cruces (City), New Mexico (State) area. Making your place cost-effective, energy-efficient, and environment-friendly is part of our advocacy. We can renovate or build your green home for you to meet your sustainable goals. Give us a call today at (575) 521-3537!
Traditionally, wood, bricks, and concrete are used in construction. These materials are typically chemical-laden before being utilized in building structures such as houses, sheds, roads, bridges, etc. Because of this, there is the continued destruction of trees for timber. Resources are being quarried to yield cement for binding sand, gravel, and bricks. Toxic elements contribute to air pollution.
We need to start thinking about our environment. In New Mexico, Las Cruces is the focal point of the Organ Caldera. To its north lie the Doña Ana Mountains, and the Organ Mountains line its east margin. To care for our forests and mountain ranges, we can use new processes in construction. Green building material alternatives can help sustain instead of depleting our natural resources.
A green building’s design, construction, or operation diminishes the impacts that can negatively affect our climate and environment. Inversely, it creates positive ripples by helping to preserve our natural resources. In doing so, it contributes to the quality of life not only of its dwellers but also in the community.
Materials and chemicals that create toxic emissions are avoided to erect a green building. Fewer and more durable materials that generate less waste are also chosen. Furthermore, reducing and recycling construction and demolition waste is given priority. Some of the sustainable and green building materials are:
Considered to be a staple in any construction, concrete is best at controlling heat within a building. Precast concrete slabs require significantly less energy to produce and assemble than traditional concrete options. This makes them highly sustainable. They are used for walls, floors, and flat roofs because they hold up well to various types of weather.
The most environmentally responsible way to save trees is using reclaimed wood. It also reduces the amount of lumber in landfills. You can easily find reclaimed wood in retired barns, excavation companies, home remodeling contractors, salvage yards, and shipping crates and pallets. It is best used for structural framing, cabinetry, and flooring.
Bamboo is a perennial grass that grows in most continents. It boasts of a high self-generation rate. Undoubtedly, it is one of the best eco-friendly building materials. Its durability is unquestionably due to an even greater strength-to-weight ratio than concrete and brick. Although it requires anti-insect treatment, it is suitable for flooring and cabinetry.
Steel is highly recyclable. New steel must be mined, heated, and shaped. Aside from being sustainable, it is long-lasting, highly durable, and water- and pest-resistant. It is ideal for roofing, building facades, and structural support. Hence, when reclaimed, it ominously reduces the environmental impacts of construction. Imagine the cost of the energy you save when you recycle steel.
Cork is harvested from a living tree. There is no need to kill the tree; cork is produced only from its bark. It makes this a highly sustainable material while offering resilience, flexibility, and wear resistance. In addition, it absorbs noise, resists fire, and is impervious to water. Cork is a significant element to use for floor tiles and insulation sheets.
Manufacturers are now using recycled plastic and other grounded trash to produce concrete. By doing so, they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They also take out plastic from landfills and thus help alleviate plastic pollution. Recycled and remanufactured plastics are suitable for building fences, picnic tables, carpet production, cable pipes, roofs, floors, and windows. Manufacturers blend virgin plastic with recycled ones to make polymeric timbers. Its sustainability lies primarily in saving trees.
Straw is harvested and replanted easily. Making them into bales takes minimal environmental effects. Because of its sound insulation and fire-resisting properties, you can place it in walls, attics, and ceilings. Use it as soundproofing and filling material to add to the integrity of a structure.
Produced from a mix of sawdust and concrete, timbercrete is lighter than concrete. Using sawdust from timber reduces lumber waste. They are easy to mold, so they are perfect for use as pavers, bricks, and blocks.
In the past, people set the original terrazzo in cement. Today, they make most terrazzo floors with epoxy resin. Durable and easy to clean, they are ideal for flooring in high-traffic areas like schools, airports, and other public buildings. When well maintained, this magnificent mosaic style of flooring can last up to four decades.
Sheep’s wool is prevalent. In addition, it regenerates quickly and is harvested easily. It is an excellent alternative to chemically manufactured insulators. More durable than straw and cotton, it enhances your structure’s energy efficiency and soundproofing. However, you need to treat it to ward off insects and prevent the growth of fungi.
Iron-rich compounds are generated from recycled materials such as steel dust or ferrous rock. It becomes a concrete-like building material but even more substantial than the concrete itself. In its drying and hardening process, it absorbs carbon dioxide. A viable alternative to cement, you can mix and pour it to build roads, driveways, bridges, and other structures.
This technology has been used since early civilizations. Rammed earth is compacted chalk, soil, gravel, or lime. Manufacturers usually make them into wooden forms, creating a similar feel to concrete. It provides an affordable solution for building firm foundations, floors, and walls.
Generated from the woody inner fibers of the hemp plant, hempcrete is a concrete-like material that is strong and light. It is fast-growing and highly renewable. They are sturdy, have good thermal and acoustic insulators, and are fire-resistant. Among others, its most extraordinary sustainable property is that it absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits.
Mycelium is a unicellular organism that contains the root structure of fungi and mushrooms. They are grown around a combination of other raw materials. This mushroom-based green building material can withstand extreme temperatures. After air-drying in molders, they turn into lightweight and robust bricks. It is an excellent organic and compostable alternative to insulation and concrete.
Popularly used for surfboards, plant-based polyurethane rigid foam comes from bamboo, kelp, and hemp. Rigid and relatively immobile, it makes good use for the purpose of sound and thermal insulation. Since it is heat and moisture-resistant, it protects against molds and other pests. Manufacturers also utilize them to produce turbine blades and furniture.
Visit us at Sun and Earth LLC if you plan to turn your space into a green building. We are located in the Las Cruces (City), New Mexico (State) area. Making your place cost-effective, energy-efficient, and environment-friendly is part of our advocacy. We can renovate or build your green home for you to meet your sustainable goals. Give us a call today at (575) 521-3537!
.png){kind=icon}