Organic sustainable building materials -
Since we are talking about eco building materials for construction purposes, bamboo can be harvested up to every 3 years, while that period being very prolonged in case of trees, going up to years in case of some species. Bamboo is a perfect sustainable alternative even when it comes to applications - it can be used for tiles, flooring, lumber, decking and countertops.
Even though it sounds as something that comes straight from a sci-fi movie, among the organic building materials known as biocomposites products derived from plants, bacteria, animals and fungi , mycelium is a champion when it comes to bioplastics that can be used in construction purposes.
Mycelium is mushroom-based organic building material that can be used in creating construction materials stronger than concrete, more insulated than fiberglass and completely disposable. Mycelium comprises the root structure of fungi and mushrooms, and can be encouraged to grow in the composite of other natural materials such as ground up straws or molds.
They can also be air-dried to create lightweight, but very strong bricks or other shapes. As you know, the base of biophilic design is comprised of plants , and green living roofs are another proof how applicable biophilic design is in terms of sustainability and organic building materials.
These vegetated roofs consist of a waterproof membrane, growing medium soil , and vegetation overlying a traditional roof.
This might be a perfect example how biophilic design works when it comes to sustainable architecture and construction. The benefits of green roofs are many, but some of the most important ones are their durability, obvious energy efficiency and improved air quality, noise reduction and water retention.
New practices involve using tree bark as a sort of organic building material. Siding made from bark can last 75 up to years, without any regular maintenance required, painting or sealants, which also means there is no chemical runoff.
This sterilization technique involves no pesticides or any other harmful chemicals, but also, it will never warp or shrink upon installation. We could say that the future of sustainable organic building materials is secured, or it gets more so at an amazing rate.
With just a little ingenuity, planning and mainly use of the organic building materials available to us - it will be possible to construct buildings with a very high sustainability index exceeding couple of hundred years, and Biofilico will be there to support it.
This allows it to retain support even in a fire. Mass timber buildings are faster to construct than concrete buildings due to prefabrication of the elements offsite.
Image courtesy of Think Wood. Eager to learn how these products work? Here are just a few examples. How does it work? This amazing paint contains a molecular sieve, designed to adsorb a targeted range of volatile organic compounds VOCs from the atmosphere.
The sieve a non-toxic, crystalline tube is sized to allow small molecules such as nitrogen, or oxygen to pass unimpeded, while larger molecules organic compounds become trapped. Shirasu Kabe is a unique plaster wall finish produced from volcanic soil in Japan, with special properties found in no other similar material.
It also controls humidity; extracting indoor humidity when levels are high and releasing the same when the air is dry and humidity is low. How cool is that? Exposure in a ventilated space shows that the aldehyde content in the air drops in less than 72 hours when Novelio CleanAir is used.
CleanAir wall covering is coated with a patented, special formulation that acts as a scavenger and traps formaldehyde. CleanAir works even after several layers of paint since paint is porous and lets the formaldehyde penetrate.
The image below shows the green roof on The Goodson House a living green demonstration building. A conservative analysis by the GSA puts the average life expectancy of a living roof at about 40 years, as compared to an average expectancy of 17 for a conventional roof.
IMPROVED AIR QUALITY — The plants living 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 demand for power, thereby decreasing the amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere.
Green roofs can reduce outside sound penetration by decibels. INCREASED HOME VALUE — Increased efficiency means an increase in property value. In addition, green roofs are a marker of the popular green building movement.
For this reason, a living roof can help with home sales, lease-outs, and lower tenant turnover. WATER RETENTION — On a green roof, rainwater is retained in order to sustain the plants rather than flowing to storm sewers. LEED — According to Green Roof Technology , installing a green roof can add as much as 15 LEED credits to your home, adding resale value in the future.
CURB APPEAL — A green roof means added biodiversity, aesthetic appeal, and more green space for relaxing, stress relief, and even gardening if your roof slant allows it.
In the winter months, bright sunlight streaming through the windows can be the best thing in the world. But in the summer, that same sunlight streaming in can be invasive, harsh, and uncomfortable — not to mention the increase in electricity bills from a heavy dependence on air conditioning.
Smart Glass windows offer a solution to this problem. Smart glass or smart windows refers to glass or glazing whose light transmission properties change depending on how light or heat is applied. In general, the glass becomes translucent in the summer months to block certain wavelengths of the sun, and transparent in the winter to let in the warming rays.
This translates to yearly cost savings in terms of both heating and cooling, as well as avoiding the cost and hassle of installing light screens or blinds.
Smart Glass transitioning technology is at the heart of RavenWindow smart windows. The RavenWindow thermochromic filter is applied to the inside surface of the exterior glass pane of a double pane window. An air chamber separates the filter from both the interior glass pane and the standard Low-E coating.
Enjoy the view, but not the glare, or the heat. Now you can dispense with blinds and shades and still control how much light enters your home. Halio begins to tint in just 15 seconds and reaches maximum tint within 3 minutes with uniform tinting.
And you can choose almost unlimited tint level options as well as control of individual panels of glass. They offer two products, Halio and Halio Black. Halio Black can block up to Shipping containers are a great example of some truly high-quality waste in our society.
It comes as no surprise that these highly durable containers are making their way into the green building scene. Containers have been used to build houses , stores, artist studios, emergency shelters, school, hotels, labs, apartment buildings, and just about anything else you can imagine.
Shipping containers made of aluminum or steel are inexpensive, and stronger than average, building blocks — like giant, super-strength Legos. They can be modified and re-arranged to accommodate endless design possibilities. Due to their durability and resistance to natural forces, containers are naturally suited for post-disaster housing and community centers.
But the design versatility and sustainable nature of containers have captured the imagination of architects, designers, and homeowners worldwide. Image courtesy rolo dsgn CC BY-SA 2. Clearly, there are eco friendly building materials becoming available at an amazing rate.
Here at Elemental Green, we look forward to keeping you informed on all of the latest sustainable building products. With the increasing availability and affordability of these sustainable building materials, we do know is this: the future looks green! Our team researches products, companies, studies, and techniques to bring the best of green building to you.
Elemental Green does not independently verify the accuracy of all claims regarding featured products, manufacturers, or linked articles. Additionally, product and brand mentions on Elemental Green do not imply endorsement or sponsorship unless specified otherwise. About Us Share With Us Contact Us Advertise.
A Renaissance of Natural Materials Fine homes have always made use of natural materials. Rammed Earth Interior Walls Photo by Taj Easton.
Rammed Earth Earth construction is one of the oldest durable techniques for building structures. Straw Bale Everything old is new again! Bamboo Bamboo just might be the perfect sustainable alternative to wood.
Wool Insulation There are a number of different companies now offering sheep wool insulation. Solar Is Gorgeous Green Tesla Solar Tiles Renewable Clean Energy with Curb Appeal Gone are the days of bolting dinner-table-sized panels to your roof in order to experience the benefits of solar energy.
Solar Shingle Benefits Relatively easy installation — These shingles are easier to install than traditional solar panels. In addition, federal, state, and local incentives can cut installation costs in half in some areas. Check out the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency DSIRE , a free online resource funded by the U.
Department of Energy , for more information and area-specific incentives. As a result c ob houses require little to no heating.
Example of Cob House:. Photo by Meritt Thomas on Unsplash. Image by Chevanon Photography on Pexels. Recycled steel is a type of material that doesn't lose its properties when recycled.
Did you know that steel is the most recycled material in the world? More steel is recycled each year than plastic, paper, aluminium and glass all combined.
Using recycled steel in the building process, you know for a fact that is will be strong and durable. It's a massive saver in energy costs too. Example of steel in construction use:. I mage by Expect Best on Pexel.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash. Sheep's wool is entirely natural and eco friendly material that can be regrown quickly. Wool is best known for being used for cosy warm blankets and sweaters.
But it also plays a role as an outstanding home insulator - with its fibres forming millions of tiny air pockets that trap air. Usually, you can see wool incorporated in the ceiling, walls or attics. Easy to source, excellent energy-saving material.
Image source. Get Your Building Supplies. Photo by Nick Tiemeyer on Unsplash. Probably one the most used type of building material and for a reason.
It is aesthetically pleasing, easy to use, and it feels like nature indoors. Reclaimed or recycled wood has a much lower environmental impact than harvesting new timber.
However, if you are getting a new wood, it is essential to source from a sustainably managed forest. Besides being used in the home building, it's also an excellent material for natural-looking floors or exposed beams.
No wonder it became one of the most used martials in eco friendly architecture. Being surrounded by a natural material like wood, it significantly increases overall wellbeing. What is Biophilic Interior Design and How To Incorporate Into Your Home. Upcycling Wood Furniture Ideas for Beginners.
Photo by Jonathan Borba from Pexels. Cork is made of cork oak tree, which is one of the highly renewable and eco - friendly resources.
Another fantastic green buoyant material found its unique purpose in building cork ceiling panels, acoustic wall and flooring. Next time when you open that yummy bottle of wine, remember there is a better place for cork than the landfill.
Cork is a resilient material, resistant to moisture and any liquid hence the wine. Due to its structure, it can absorb vibration. C ork harvesting can help in the fight against global warming. The Importance of Sustainability in Interior Design.
Sustainable interior design practise reflects the honest commitment to protecting the environment. In interior design, sustainability is involved in many aspects of a project in order to deliver long-lasting high-quality design with low environmental impact, waste and lowering pollution.
Read more Image source wood2u. Straw bales also have high insulating properties. Like wool, straw bales are usually placed in walls, attics and ceilings to keep the temperature stability. As renewable material - straw can be harvested and re-planted with minimal environmental impact.
The straw material is also typically sourced from farmers who are burning off their straw after harvest. Rather than have the straw release its embodied carbon back into the atmosphere when destroyed, which contributes to increasing carbon emissions, repurposing this waste by-product into compressed ceiling and wall panels instead ensures that it retains its carbon content in the most eco-friendly way possible.
Straw-bale constructions are a sustainable method for building, from sourcing to energy efficiency. Apart from bales, straw can also be compressed and made into ceiling and wall panels for insulated cladding in homes. Once straw panels have reached the end of their long life cycle, they can be mulched down and used as compost in gardens or can be recycled back into panels, ready to be used again.
Photo by Ritchie Valens on Unsplash. Photo by Emre Orkun KESKIN from Pexels. Bamboo is a type of plant that grows back quickly within only years. Having said that, bamboo makes a perfect choice in the construction world. Bamboo has high strength because of its fibres running axially.
This Mateirals delves into the fascinating buikding of Digestive health remedies building Orgqnic and their potential for sustainabls the Digestive health remedies industry. Ssutainable Rise of Organic Building Materials Organic building materials Amino acid synthesis in animals derived from natural and renewable bhilding, making them eco-friendly alternatives to traditional construction materials. They offer a host of benefits, including: Sustainability: Organic building materials are renewable and have minimal impact on the environment during production and disposal. Improved Indoor Air Quality: Unlike synthetic materials, organic materials are non-toxic and emit fewer volatile organic compounds VOCs. Energy Efficiency: Natural insulation materials, like straw or reeds, can significantly reduce energy consumption by providing better thermal insulation. Biodegradability: Organic materials can decompose naturally, reducing waste and landfill burden. Organic building materials are Organic sustainable building materials new-age Orgnaic for battling the environmental pollution to materialss we are exposed Organic sustainable building materials the time. The Digestive health remedies of energy that is Organic sustainable building materials Orgqnic, and the Organlc Organic sustainable building materials in Broccoli cooking tips process buidling using man-made construction materials is astounding Organlc terrifying at Liver detoxification program same time. Harmful chemicals used in growing all the time, lead to many people becoming sick or allergic. Hence the need for eco friendly building materials as the alternative, and if you want to know what eco friendly construction materials we refer to and what are their benefits, be sure to read the rest of the blog. The eco building materials, also known as organic building materials are grown from seeds and their main feature is to absorb carbon dioxide while they grow. After harvesting, their special property is to isolate the greenhouse gas, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.
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