Sustainable Building Materials: A Focus on Green Construction

Sustainable building materials are different from conventional materials in the sense that they are produced, utilized, and disposed of in a manner that minimizes their negative effects on the environment while still meeting present needs without endangering the ability of future generations to do the same. Buildings utilize a lot of resources, use a lot of energy, and emit greenhouse gas emissions. The industry contributes the most to global carbon emissions. The construction sector may greatly lessen its environmental effect and help to create more sustainable societies by using sustainable building materials. The environment, improved interior conditions, financial savings, increased resistance to natural disasters, and the growth of a social connection can all be impacted by the use of sustainable construction materials. 

In keeping with this, the article below highlights the top sustainable construction methods and the ideas behind them. 

Before you move ahead, we suggest you to read Green Building Materials: A Comprehensive Guide

Types of Sustainable Building Materials

The construction industry is a major contributor to environmental degradation, with high levels of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation. To address these issues, the use of sustainable building materials has become increasingly important.

Sustainable building materials can be categorized into four main classes: 

Renewable Materials

Renewable materials are derived from natural sources that can be replenished. Generally, these materials are derived from natural vegetation and can be regrown without depleting natural resources, making them a sustainable choice for building construction. However, one has to be quite vernacular with their approach as one renewable material cannot be the right fit for building materials in all kinds of climates and geographical conditions. 

Examples are wood, bamboo, and straw. 

Recycled Materials 

Materials that have been recycled have gone through some type of processing or change from their initial state and have been given a new purpose as opposed to being thrown away as trash.

Examples are metal scraps, glass, and plastic. 

Low-impact Materials 

Low-impact materials are those whose manufacture, usage, and disposal have little effect on the environment. According to popular belief, these materials are frequently produced from sustainable or natural resources. 

Examples are adobe, rammed earth, and natural fiber insulation.

Biodegradable Materials

Materials that can naturally degrade over time with the help of living things are referred to as biodegradable materials. Without leaving behind any hazardous or toxic compounds that can hurt the environment, these materials are designed to revert to nature.

Examples are bioplastics, cork, and straw bales.

The categorization of sustainable materials is as per the property. There is a very high likeability that one single sustainable material can cater to two or more categories of sustainable materials. 

The use of sustainable building materials can have a positive impact on the environment by reducing the depletion of natural resources, reducing waste, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, sustainable materials can often be more energy-efficient and durable, leading to long-term cost savings for building owners and occupants.

Discover the ultimate blend of nature and sustainability with our top 10 natural building materials, shaping a greener path for sustainable architecture.

Benefits of Sustainable Building Materials

Using sustainable building materials can bring a variety of benefits in terms of environmental protection, economic gains, and health and well-being improvements. Environmentally, it reduces resource depletion, pollution, energy consumption, and waste. Economically, it lowers operating costs, raises property value, and improves the company’s reputation. Also, on the lines of vocal for local, sustainable materials by de-facto means vernacular materials at your site’s reach. This indirectly promotes the local economy and the boom of vendors supporting indigenous craftsmanship. For health and well-being, on the urban level, it contributes to low carbon emissions. In addition, the general concept of good sustainable materials must improve indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and connection to nature. The appropriate sustainable material choice should provide greater insulation to the climatic conditions out there and require less level of man-made processing for usage.

Green buildings are surely a way to more sustainable architectural practices. To know more read 10 Clever Tips to Design a Sustainable and Affordable Home

Examples of Sustainable Building Materials

The following are examples of sustainable building materials: Timber, Bamboo, Recycled steel, Rammed earth, and Cork. These materials are considered sustainable as they are either renewable, recycled, or have a low environmental impact. Using these materials in building construction can help reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry, conserve natural resources, and promote a more sustainable future.

Timber

With the addition of more treatment options, timber is a common building material used for a range of functions in construction and may be tailored to nearly any climatic demands. It has strong insulating qualities, is lightweight, and is renewable. Timber may be utilized for structural elements like walls, roofs, and floors as well as aesthetically pleasing elements like siding, trim, and ornamental elements.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a fast-growing and renewable material that is gaining popularity as a sustainable building material. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio and is resistant to moisture, pests, and fire. Bamboo can be used for flooring, wall panels, and furniture, and as a substitute for traditional wood framing. Nowadays, bamboo usage has been prevalent in interiors too. 

Recycled steel

A sustainable and environmentally beneficial building resource is recycled steel. It is sturdy, and tough, and resists dampness, pests, and fire well. Recycled steel may be utilized for external cladding and roofing as well as structural elements like beams and columns. The recent experimental project in Hazira industrial area in Surat involves a 1-kilometer-long road with 6 lanes and is being developed as a potential solution to the issue of waste material. The waste in question is slag, which is generated during the process of smelting ores and used metals. Disposing of this type of waste in landfills is especially harmful to the environment.

Rammed earth

Rammed earth is a sustainable building material formed from dirt, gravel, and sand that has been combined with lime or cement in minute amounts. The resulting slurry is then pressed into molds to produce long-lasting, energy-efficient, and visually beautiful walls. Residential, commercial, and institutional structures frequently employ rammed earth. This is a very common alternative, although it might support a building that needs strength and more climate isolation. 

Cork

Unusual building materials like cork may also be utilized in construction and are sustainable and renewable. It has strong insulating qualities, is fireproof, and is lightweight. Insulation, wall panels, flooring, and typical wood frame can all be replaced with cork. Cork has a big role to play in interior design, much like wood.

Sustainable Building Certifications and Standards

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) are two popular certification systems for evaluating the sustainability of buildings. They provide a framework for measuring the environmental performance of buildings and encouraging sustainable building practices. 

The US Green Building Council (USGBC) developed LEED in 1998. It rates buildings according to several criteria, including their ability to conserve energy and water, as well as their use of resources, materials, interior environmental quality, and sustainable site development. Buildings are given points as part of the certification process for satisfying specific sustainability standards. Platinum is the highest degree of certification, with the other levels being Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. 

BREEAM, on the other hand, was created by the UK's Building Research Establishment (BRE) in 1990, and it evaluates buildings based on similar categories as LEED. BREEAM also uses a points-based system and offers certification levels from Pass to Outstanding. It is widely used in Europe and is gaining popularity in other parts of the world. 

The Passive House Standard aims to standardize energy efficiency and thermal comfort in AEC practices. It calls for very effective thermal insulation, airtight construction, high-performance windows, and mechanical ventilation systems in buildings. With the Passive House Standard, buildings are supposed to consume less energy while still providing their residents with a pleasant interior space. The global standard was created in Germany in the 1990s and has subsequently been accepted by a large number of nations. 

All of these certification systems aim to promote sustainable building practices and help to create a more sustainable and healthier indoor environment for occupants. By evaluating buildings based on their energy and water efficiency, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and sustainable site development, these certification systems encourage the adoption of sustainable building practices and the use of sustainable materials in building construction.

Sustainable Building Practices and Design

Examples of sustainable building elements and techniques include green roofs and walls, rainwater collection, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, and sustainable mobility alternatives. These characteristics can increase community livability, improve air quality, lessen the impact of the urban heat island, save water resources, manage stormwater, and minimize energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. Future communities may be more sustainable and resilient as a result of incorporating these qualities into building design and construction.

Green roofs 

Green roofs, also known as living roofs, are roofs with vegetation. 

These roofs can provide several benefits that contribute to sustainable development: 

Reducing the urban heat island effect- In urban areas, the temperature is often several degrees warmer than surrounding rural areas due to the abundance of heat-absorbing surfaces. Green roofs help reduce the urban heat island effect by providing a cooling effect through evapotranspiration. This can further reduce the cooling and energy consumption load on the structure and ultimately a whole urban effect to cool down the micro-climate. 

Reducing stormwater runoff- Green roofs help to retain rainwater, which reduces the amount of stormwater runoff that enters the drainage system. This, in turn, reduces the risk of flooding and eases the strain on municipal infrastructure. 

Prompting biodiverse development- Green roofs can filter air pollutants, which helps reduce air pollution's impact on human health. As an indirect consequence, this can foster a more biodiverse environment in the urbanscape. 

Rainwater Harvesting 

In the case of rainwater harvesting, it is a sustainable practice that is now part of the development code in the country. The government has made this mandatory: All new buildings with a size of 250 square meters or more are now required to have rainwater harvesting systems installed. To encourage compliance, a discount of 6% on property taxes will be provided as a reward for those who implement such systems. This increased governmental efforts and even increased participation of private players can help inhabitants channel the usage of saved water in daily life chores and make a significant impact on groundwater table restoration. 

Other efforts such as energy-efficient lighting and HVAC plus sustainable transportation options can elevate the sustainability status of public infrastructure. These can help individuals accessing public infrastructure reduce their impact on the environment.

Looking to make your home more sustainable? Check out these 8 eco-friendly ways to reduce your environmental impact and create a more sustainable living space.

Challenges and Limitations of Sustainable Building Materials

Sustainability is quite a vast topic to be discussed. The most problematic notion in the market about sustainable building materials is that we can have a general template to be followed everywhere. However, the choice of desired sustainable material as per the location is dependent upon factors like 

• Embodied energy
• Cost of deployment 
• Ease of availability and multiple others. 
• One pick among these can be challenges associated with cost as sustainable materials can be more expensive than traditional materials, which can be a problem for those with a tight budget. Availability can also be an issue as sustainable materials may not be available in all areas. 
• Durability and longevity are also concerns as some sustainable materials may not last as long as traditional materials, leading to higher maintenance costs. 
• Sustainable materials may also have performance limitations in certain applications or lack standardization, making it difficult to compare products. 
• There may also be a perception that sustainable materials are less aesthetically pleasing or versatile. Also, with limited experimentation on these in the market till now, we could easily say we don’t have a design catalog to be explored in terms of sustainable materials. 
• It is important to carefully evaluate the benefits and limitations of sustainable building materials to ensure they are appropriate for the specific project and meet the needs of all stakeholders involved.

As mentioned above choosing the right building material involves a critical assessment of multiple metrics. How to Choose the Right Building Material for Your Project
 

Future Developments and Opportunities in Sustainable Building Materials

Researchers are already experimenting a lot with new sustainable building materials like bioplastics and biomimetic materials that offer improved performance, durability, and sustainability. Some of the examples are – 

Mycelium bricks 

Algae 

Or other biomaterials that can augment the nature of complex design produced by 3D printing techniques. 

Not only that but partnerships between industry, government, and academia are assuring innovation and the adoption of sustainable practices in construction which are technologies supporting the usage of these very same sustainable materials – 

Digital technologies automating the probe into Life-cycle assessment over the entire life of building materials can optimize production processes, reduce waste, and improve building material performance. 

The present circular economy model places a strong emphasis on material reuse and recycling to decrease waste and advance sustainability, and new technology for the future will make sure that this is integrated into routine developmental procedures. 

Also to achieve the objectives of sustainability, architects would be deploying more and more technological solutions. 11 Technological Solutions Architects Would be Using in the Future

These developments and opportunities can create a more sustainable built environment for future generations. Sustainability is not just about choosing the right material; it is the process of carefully managing the development process most efficiently. If you are an architect or a construction professional who subscribes to these sustainable practices, keep reading Planndesign.

Lastly, take a read to the Strategies for Achieving Sustainable High-Rise Buildings

and Urban Design Problems, Architects Should Address while Designing