50 best sustainable building materials
In recent years there has been a growing concern for the sustainability and more environmentally friendly focus in all sectors especially building construction. Architects such as ourselves are always trying to put forward alternative sustainable building solutions, not because it's a trend, but because there is a responsibility we have as designers to ensure that clients who are concerned about such green matters are aware of the alternatives out there. It brings us pride that we can help clients reach their green and sustainability goals.
In order to determine our top 50 sustainable building materials, let’s get to the core of our concern and really understand what the word sustainability is and what factors constitute something as ‘sustainable’.
What makes a building material sustainable?
A quick google search will tell us that the definition of sustainability is:
“The avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.”
But there are several factors that make a sustainable building material. We will use these metrics as a method of scoring our materials to determine which is best for sustainability for building construction for the location of the site/
For a building material to be truly sustainable it must meet the following criteria:
a) Vernacular
If a building material is close by, it’s a common sense option to use it. Vernacular architecture is a proven method of sustainability, in both environmental, economic and social aspects.
b) Resource Efficient
The efficient use of resources throughout the product’s life cycle, from extraction throughout manufacture, use and disposal is important to take into account when making this assessment. A cradle to cradle approach is important to consider to ensure that there is little to no waste and the resource is maximised.
c) Renewable
Can this product be replaced easily or regrown quickly to account for the rate of harvest or excavation? This is important for sustainability to ensure the material can replenish naturally over time or manage sustainably.
d) Socially Responsible
Fair trade and community well-being is an important human right factor that should be included within the manufacture and production of the material, to ensure the safety of workers and its consumers. Not to mention the by-product waste of the material must not adversely affect the environment. This is essential to the sustainability philosophy.
e) Economic Viability
Full lifecycle costs and including maintenance expenses should be assessed to ensure that this material is even financially viable in the long term. It’s no use if a material is sustainable if the client will have to keep replacing it. Sustainable building materials need to make sense financially, as well as environmentally.
The Top 50 Sustainable Building Materials
Cross-laminated timber CLT
Bamboo
Rammed Earth
Hempcrete
Recycled steel
Recycled Glass
Straw Bales
Cork
Fly Ash Concrete
Recycled Plastic Lumber
Reclaimed Wood
Sheep’s Wool Insulation
Recycled Rubber Flooring
Sheep’s Wool Insulation
Mycelium-Based Materials
Precast Concrete
Low-Emissivity (Low-E) Glass
Salvaged Brick
Living Walls (Green Walls)
Compressed Earth Blocks
Ferrock (Eco-Friendly alternative to Concrete)
Recycled Paper Insulation
Timbercrete
Permeable Paving
Solar Tiles
Recycled Aggregates
Straw-Clay
Reclaimed stone
FSC certified wood
Biodegradable Geotextiles
Shredded Tires Aggregate
Water-Based Paints and Finishes
Plant based Insulation
Recycled Asphalt
Ceramic Tiles
Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag
BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaics)
Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Energy-Efficient Windows and Doors
Recycled Content Gypsum Board
Strawboard
VOC Free Paints and Adhesives
Reflective Roof Coatings
Paper based VCL (vapour control layers)
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Lighting
Fiber Cement
Zero-VOC Sealant and Caulks
Recycled Content Carpet Tiles
Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC)
Clay Plaster
Thermally Modified Wood
