What goes into building a home? Finding the perfect property, preparing that property, drawing up plans, gathering permits, employing the right contractor and subcontractors, and finally getting started, right?
Hold on. What materials do you want to build with? Every building material leaves its mark on the environment. Wood frame homes use a lot of wood, plus the energy it takes to go from tree in the forest to the finished beams in your home. It may take a while for those trees to grow back. The process of creating a steel beam creates a carbon footprint, too. There are certain materials that lower this impact and make your home a contributor to the sustainable home-building movement.
Table of Contents
- Bamboo
- Recycled Steel
- Reclaimed Wood
- Cork
- Recycled Plastic
- Green (Living) Roofs
- Mud Brick (Adobe)
- Recycled Glass
- Low-VOC Paint
- Solar Tiles
- Earth Bags
- Timbercrete
- Papercrete
- Plant-Based Polyurethane Rigid Foam
- Mycelium
- Hempcrete
- Sheep’s Wool
- Ferrock
- Rammed Earth
- Straw Bales
- Final Thoughts
Bamboo
Traditional stick-built homes are built with pine or Douglas fir. Depending on the species, pine grows at a rate of 1-3 feet per year. Young Douglas firs can grow at a rate of up to three feet per year. Bamboo has a growth rate of up to one meter (approx. 3.3 feet) per day. That means it regrows faster than it would take to harvest enough to build your home. Due to its rapid regeneration rate, there’s no fear of deforestation.
In addition, bamboo is a strong and resilient wood. Its strength rivals that of steel but provides natural flexibility. These attributes lead to innovative design possibilities for your new home. Bamboo adds a warm and organic aesthetic to your interior. Ask us how to incorporate this versatile wood into your custom home.
Every positive comes with a few drawbacks, however. There are extra steps to take to ensure bamboo’s durability and longevity, including specific treatments to resist moisture and prevent decay. Bamboo used in construction is typically only found in tropical regions, meaning using it anywhere else includes transportation, sometimes on a global scale, adding a higher carbon footprint that offsets its overall environmental benefits. Don’t let these cons scare you; bamboo is an overall positive when it comes to sustainable construction practices.
Recycled Steel
Just about any time “recycled” is used in a sentence, the word “sustainable” isn’t far behind. Steel from old buildings and scrap metal can be processed and used in new builds to help reduce the carbon footprint caused by the manufacturing of new steel. Eco-conscious homeowners will be happy to hear that recycled steel uses 60-75% less energy than the fabrication of brand-new beams.
The creation of a recycled material, especially steel, isn’t without challenges. The recycling process requires a significant amount of energy despite being lower than new steel production.
Reclaimed Wood
Much like the word “recycled,” the word “reclaimed” also triggers thoughts of Eco-friendly building practices. Check out nearly every home design show on HGTV to see how reclaimed wood is used for indoor décor or part of the structure. Reusing wood decreases the demand for new lumber, cutting down carbon emissions associated with the logging and transportation of new wood, and boosts forest conservation. Additionally, its unique aesthetic reflects its history. When used in décor, it sparks interest and conversation.
Using reclaimed wood isn’t as easy as just finding a piece of wood you like. The availability of quality reclaimed timber is limited. It requires careful handling since it may have nails, screws, and sharp edges or have been treated with potentially harmful chemicals.
Cork
Your knowledge and use of cork may begin and end at the cork board you use in your home or office to post important reminders. The material is primarily sourced from the bark of the cork oak tree, and its harvesting doesn’t harm the tree one bit! The bark will regenerate over time, making it a highly renewable material next to bamboo. The process also helps carbon sequestration since the trees store more carbon to aid in the regeneration process. Other benefits of cork include thermal and acoustic natural insulation properties. Consider it for flooring, wall covering, or underlayment in your project. Cork is lightweight and resistant to mold, mildew, and water – three things you don’t want in your home.
There are some things that may shy you away from cork. It’s very susceptible to physical damage including scratches, dents, and fading in direct sunlight. While it makes the list of sustainable production methods, most cork is sourced from the Mediterranean, with transportation adding to the carbon footprint.
Definition: Carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon in a “carbon pool,” thus limiting the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Recycled Plastic
Do you ever wonder what happens to the plastic containers you toss in your recycling bin each week? They head to your local recycling plant, where they may be turned into more containers and even building materials. The building material is increasing in popularity given its essential part in keeping plastics out of oceans and landfills and making the world a better place. Recycled plastic reduces the need to produce new plastics – a very energy-intensive process full of carbon emissions.
Some of the pros that may attract you to building with recycled plastic: high durability, and resistance to issues like corrosion, rot, and pests. Recycled plastics are ideal for outdoor applications, including decks, fences, and outdoor furnishings.
Keep in mind the strength and structural integrity of recycled plastic can vary, making it an unsuitable material for various load-bearing applications. Also, plastic recycling is a more complex and costly recycling methods.
Green (Living) Roofs
Turn your home sustainability attention up – to the roof of the home, that is. Green or living roofs are a fast-growing trend in sustainable building practices. It’s the practice of growing vegetation on rooftops. These roofs absorb pollutants, reduce heating and cooling costs, and more. The soil needed to grow the roof acts as a natural insulator, and the whole of green roofs are great for stormwater management. The roof absorbs and filters the rainwater, reducing runoff and strain on your drainage system. These benefits are great for rural and urban environments alike.
Keep in mind that if you’re on a budget, a green roof requires a significant initial investment, a robust structural support system, and regular maintenance and care for the vegetation.
Mud Brick (Adobe)
Mud brick, or Adobe, is one of the oldest building materials. It’s no surprise that its status includes Eco-friendly properties. Bricks are formed from a mixture of earth, water, and organic materials like straw and a sun-dried rather than fired. This natural engineering process offers a significant reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions when compared to brick manufacturing.
Benefits for your home include nearly unmatched thermal mass, which regulates indoor temperatures – enjoy an indoor environment that’s warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This attribute alone requires less reliance on artificial heating and cooling systems for increased energy efficiency.
Consider your climate and environment before choosing Adobe. It is less durable in wet climates, requiring regular maintenance to prevent erosion. Structures built with Adobe bricks are also more prone to seismic damage without proper reinforcement.
Recycled Glass
Recycled materials have Eco-friendliness built in! It’s made by repurposing glass waste, keeping the material out of landfills. Like recycled steel, recycled glass takes significantly less energy and carbon emissions to produce than manufacturing new glass. Recycled glass is durable, easy to maintain, and can be used in a variety of applications. You can find recycled glass as an element of various countertops, tiles, and other decorative elements. Recycled glass makes the perfect sustainable material for indoor and outdoor use. Note that the cost of glass recycling is high, and while you may feel you must include recycled glass in your build, it can be more expensive than new glass.
Innovative Materials for Sustainable Home Building
There are a number of other sustainable materials you may not know about or considered as a building material. For our clients hoping to add some unique touches to their sustainable homes, we can discuss these materials as well.
Low-VOC Paint
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are organic compounds with high vapor pressure at room temperature. VOCs are emitted as gases from various chemicals, like those found in paint. Paints with low levels of VOCs minimize the amount of these chemical pollutants, improve indoor air quality, and reduce environmental impact. Low VOC paints often have reduced odor as well, while still being available in a variety of colors and finishes to achieve your perfect color palate. These paints can be more expensive for those on a budget, and long-term costs like durability and coverage may not match those of higher VOC paints.
Solar Tiles
“Going solar” has been a trend that has survived decades. It seems a drive through any neighborhood in the U.S. will net you multiple sightings of homes with solar panels. Solar tiles, however, are different. Much like the roofing tiles on most homes today, solar tiles blend traditional roofing material with solar panel technology.
Harness the power of the sun to generate electricity for your home without the bulkiness of large conventional solar panels. You’ll reduce your need for fossil fuels and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to their ability to generate clean energy, they also offer the protective qualities of traditional roofing tiles. Solar tiles offer a more attractive look, especially in neighborhoods with strict home design regulations.
Like any product outside the norm, cost is often a drawback for some. Solar tiles are often more expensive than traditional solar panels and have lower efficiency rates than panels. Like panels, the initial investment can be significant. Solar tiles, no matter how much you want to include them, may not be suitable for all roof types, so consider your building materials carefully.
Earth Bags
The unique building material is made from polypropylene bags packed with earthen materials, including soil, sand, and clay. Much like Adobe bricks, earth bags are Eco-friendly due to their utilization of natural, locally-sourced materials. Not only is the carbon footprint of manufacturing the building material significantly less, so is the means to transport it to the building site. They offer excellent thermal mass for the all-important “warm in the winter, cool in the summer” indoor temperature, without reliance on artificial heating and cooling methods.
Using earth bags takes careful planning and requires significant physical effort and time. The team at Acipe Design can help you create the proper design and help implement proper construction techniques to ensure the structural integrity of your home and battle against moisture – a big concern in humid and rainy climates.
Timbercrete
Sustainability isn’t just about using natural products or recycled products. It’s about using the whole product. While recycling plastic, glass, and steel, or turning to materials like Adobe or earth bags for their use of natural products goes a long way toward sustainability, using every piece – even what seems like waste – of a product is also sustainable. Timbercrete does just that. It is a composite building material made from sawdust, a waste product from the timber industry, and concrete. Using the sawdust keeps it out of landfills and makes use of a readily available resource. Timbercrete and its use of sawdust cuts down on the need for cement, a product with a high carbon footprint during production. Add these characteristics to the plus column: timbercrete improves insulation properties when compared to traditional concrete, adding to the energy efficiency of your new home. It’s also lighter than standard concrete, meaning a reduction of transportation emissions and easier handling during the construction process.
While a unique alternative to traditional concrete, timbercrete may offer lower structural strength, limiting its use in various load-bearing applications or requiring a larger quantity for the same structural efficiency. As with other newer materials, availability may be scarce, increasing the cost.
Papercrete
We’ve been recycling paper since elementary school. The tall boxes standing in the corner of the classroom waiting to hold messy first drafts of essays or the test you didn’t do as well as you thought you would. Newspapers are almost a thing of the past, but your credit card statement, water bill, and more are still printed and mailed to your home each month. All that paper goes into the recycling bin once it’s no longer needed. When it gets to the recycling facility, the paper is ground up and processed into other forms to be used again. The water bill you threw out last year may come back in the form of papercrete.
The innovative and sustainable material is a mix of recycled paper, cement, and additional fibers or additives to strengthen it even more. The recycled paper, along with a smaller carbon footprint and reliance on landfills, conserves energy. Like timbercrete, papercrete is more lightweight, easier to handle and work with, and offers excellent insulation properties, all keys to supreme energy efficiency in your new home. Don’t forget that the use of recycled paper makes it a more Eco-friendly choice over conventional concrete.
Like timbercrete, papercrete faces the same strength and durability challenges compared to traditional concrete. You’ll need to consider adding additional support for various load-bearing purposes. The paper in papercrete may also be more susceptible to moisture absorption and extra sealants and design considerations need to be made to prevent degradation.
Plant-Based Polyurethane Rigid Foam
This innovative and Eco-friendly building material is derived from other renewable resources, including bamboo, kelp, and hemp – some of which we discuss in this article. This plant-based alternative already has a leg up on its petrochemical counterpart: it reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and the associated carbon footprint produced. Its production uses less toxic chemicals, too, further adding to its place as more Eco-friendly.
Add this building material to the column with other alternative building materials with excellent insulation properties and energy efficiency. Along with being lightweight and durable, it provides impressive thermal and acoustic insulation to reduce artificial heating and cooling needs. Add in resistance to moisture and mold, and it makes the perfect construction material for your home. As with most newer building technologies, the cost is typically higher than its established counterpart and may not be as readily available in all regions.
Mycelium
There are a number of materials on this list you may not have even thought could be building materials. Mycelium, for example, is the root structure of fungi. It’s currently one of the most groundbreaking Eco-friendly building materials on this list. The sustainability of it lies in its natural composition and low-impact process of cultivation. Mycelium grows quickly and feeds on agriculture byproducts, including sawdust and straw, thus turning this waste into a valuable, usable resource. The pro column continues to fill with reasons like less water consumption and energy use than traditional building material manufacture; it biodegrades for a minimal environmental impact, and, like many other entries on this list, is an excellent choice for sustainable insulation. Mycelium can be grown into various shapes and sizes for design versatility like no other, and it is also fire-resistant.
Innovation takes time. Mycelium is still in its early stages as a building material, and there is limited data on its long-term durability and performance. Careful installation and maintenance are also required to prevent its susceptibility to moisture as well.
Hempcrete
This sustainable composite building material is made from a mixture of hemp fibers, water, and lime. Hemp is a fast-growing, low-impact crop that requires minimal pesticides and fertilizers. Its Eco-friendliness extends to its ability to absorb a significant amount of carbon dioxide during growth, making it a carbon-negative material.
Like many of the materials on this list, hempcrete offers impressive insulating properties on the thermal and acoustic levels. This quality helps reduce heating and cooling energy costs, and its breathability regulates humidity for a healthier indoor environment. Other attributes in the pro column include fire-resistance, lightweight, and pest-resistance.
Consider everything before you move forward, however. The material’s lower structural strength compared to traditional concrete negates its use for load-bearing walls and insulation. Certain regions have strict hemp cultivation laws, meaning sourcing can be costly.
Sheep’s Wool
The wool in your sweater may be the next big step in sustainable building. Sheep’s wool is quickly gaining recognition in the Eco-friendly building material market. Its main use at the moment is insulation. The natural, renewable resource – sheep regrow their wool annually – is one of the most sustainable items on this list. Harvesting it has a minimal environmental impact when compared to synthetic alternatives. Add up the pros and you may pivot to sheep’s wool as your insulator of choice. If you own a wool sweater, you know it has excellent thermal properties. Those properties extend to building material and regulate indoor temperature efficiently. The natural fibers are breathable and allow for moisture control and a healthier environment. Rounding out the list, wool is naturally fire-resistant and can absorb indoor air pollutants.
Many of the items on this list are fairly more costly than their conventional counterparts, and wool is no exception. Some of its expense comes from the necessity to add extra treatments to deter pests and enhance longevity and overall performance.
Ferrock
Cut down on industrial waste and take carbon dioxide out of the environment, just with the building materials you choose for your home. Ferrock is a fairly new building material, innovative in its use of waste steel dust and silica from ground glass. It’s considered a more sustainable alternative to traditional concrete and reportedly stronger than standard Portland cement. On top of all that, it absorbs carbon dioxide, making it an ideal option when it comes to battling climate change.
However, its infancy status means ferrock isn’t as readily available or as thoroughly tested as traditional concrete. Add on the complex process requiring specific conditions and you may be looking at increased time and monetary budget.
Rammed Earth
Much like Adobe, rammed earth is an ancient building technique that has sustainability written all over it. The process involves compacting layers of earth with other natural stabilizers like lime and/or cement. Another aspect of its Eco-friendliness is its use of local soil. Sourcing local materials cuts down on the need to transport more traditional construction materials and the carbon emissions that process includes. The technique also saves energy consumption when compared to conventional construction materials.
We could sing even more praises, like excellent thermal mass – think warm in the winter, cool in the summer, sound insulation, durability, and a unique aesthetic from its natural, textured layers.
Consider your costs and time frame before choosing rammed earth. It requires highly-skilled labor and meticulous execution to get things right, adding more time and cost than more traditional construction methods. Keep in mind, too, that regions with high rainfall or seismic activity will need additional reinforcement to survive the conditions.
Straw Bales
Bricks can be stacked and formed into a variety of shapes to create the home of your dreams. Straw bales, a byproduct of grain production, are emerging as an Eco-friendly alternative. It’s another way to incorporate waste products into making something new, keeping waste out of landfills and turning agricultural residue into a valuable building resource. Like many of the materials on this list, straw is a renewable resource that also captures carbon during its growth, creating a lower carbon footprint than other traditional building materials. Straw comes with excellent insulation abilities as well, reducing the reliance on artificial heating and cooling and their related costs. If your house is being built in or close to agricultural regions, the material is easy to source. If you’re looking for natural, rustic charm in your build, straw’s unique aesthetic will help you accomplish your goals.
Consider your environment and its limitations before choosing straw bales. The bales need to be kept dry to prevent mold and rot. It is a rather labor-intensive process, too. Using straw bales may require thicker walls compared to conventional materials, cutting down on interior space.
Final Thoughts
We at Acipe Design know there’s a dream house for every client, and we want to help you design it to your custom needs. If sustainability and low environmental impact is also a part of your dream home, we can walk you through many options.
The materials discussed in this article are just some of your options. Book an appointment with us to discuss all of your options and start building.
Contact us today!