In today's world, new buildings and houses are popping up everywhere. While many of these buildings are constructed from common materials, some are made from sustainable materials. In fact, more and more people are choosing to use sustainable materials during construction projects because these materials are better for the environment and can be renewed much faster than non-sustainable materials.
A list of sustainable materials
Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the most popular new materials, despite having been used for many years. This lightweight material is quite strong and can grow faster than trees. While you can use bamboo to replace rebar and concrete, we often see it used in flooring.
Straw Bale
If you're looking for a way to insulate your walls without using concrete, plaster, and regular insulation, straw bales are your best option. When these bales are placed inside walls, they create excellent insulation that will keep the temperature inside your home consistent year-round.
Recycled Plastic
Concrete used to be made from sand, gravel or stones, as well as water and cement. However, nowadays concrete is made from recycled plastics and even trash that is crushed and compacted. This is a great way to keep plastic out of landfills and put them to good use.
Wood
Wood is more sustainable than concrete and steel, but it is not as sustainable as other materials. What makes this material so sustainable is the fact that it doesn't take much energy to transform trees into wood for use in the construction industry. The only way for this material to remain sustainable is if the forest from which the trees come is properly managed and transformed into a biodiverse habitat. Therefore, new trees must be planted for every tree felled.
Wood concrete
Timbercrete is a newer material and is composed of concrete and sawdust. Although concrete is not that sustainable, wood concrete contains enough sawdust to make it a sustainable product. This material can be turned into blocks, bricks and paving, so it is quite versatile and can be used in almost any project that normally requires concrete.
Clay
Decades ago, people used earth from the land to build the walls of their homes. This same method is still used today, but it is applied to wooden forms before being used on houses or buildings. We recommend using bamboo inside the rammed earth, due to the additional security measures it offers.
Recycled Steel
Creating new steel parts takes a lot of energy, which is why recycled steel is often sought after by builders. Recycled steel also does not have to come from a home or building. Instead, you can use steel from an old car to build a house.
Reclaimed wood
Have you ever seen someone taking firewood from an old barn that is being demolished? This reclaimed wood can be used in many areas of a home or other building. Most people will use reclaimed wood for flooring or exposed beams.
Rigid plant-based polyurethane foam
Rigid foam is typically used as insulation in buildings. Most older rigid foam is not environmentally friendly, but the plant-based option is. This material is made from bamboo, kelp, and hemp, making it resistant to insects and mold. The best part about this rigid plant-based polyurethane foam is that it provides a sound barrier and is also heat resistant.
Gram
When you take the time to pour concrete while leaving space in between, you are essentially making grass concrete. Open patterns of grass or flora allow you to use less concrete. Using this sustainable material and method also helps improve drainage and water absorption.
Mycelium
Mycelium is such a new material that it is still considered futuristic. This is an all-natural material made from mushroom roots and other fungi. Once this material is in place, you can encourage it to grow around other natural materials to create strong but lightweight shapes and forms.
Ferrock
Ferrock is another new material and is made from steel powder and other recycled materials. Once all the materials are mixed, you end up with a concrete-like material that is even stronger than concrete itself.
Ashcreto
Fly ash is a byproduct of burned coal and when you use it as a component of concrete you get what is considered ninety-seven percent recycled concrete.
Engineered wood
When using real wood to make flooring, there is a lot of waste. This waste is then used to create artificial wood. This type of wood is made up of many layers of wood, but it is all the layers in between that are made up of wood waste as well as wood fibers and softwoods.
String
One of the easiest ways to ensure that no wood is wasted during use is to use it as firewood. The logs are cut into short pieces and stacked on top of each other. A special mortar is used between each piece to ensure that air and elements cannot get between the wood. Cordwood creates a strong structure that can support almost anything.
Straw
Few people use thatched roofs anymore, but those who do know they are choosing a sustainable material that offers excellent insulation. Straw is basically a mixture of dried straw, dried reeds, dried reeds and some other natural materials. Most of the time, you will see this type of material used on roofs in remote locations, as it allows them to use what they have instead of hauling other materials.
Cork
Corkboard, or just regular cork, can be used on floors, walls, and more. This material provides excellent insulation and can save you a lot of money when it comes to reducing energy bills. This material is also good if you are looking for a soundproof material.
Natural Clay
Instead of using gypsum-based plaster, you should use the more sustainable natural clay product. The inside of a building can look very nice if you choose natural clay over all the other options, but it must be finished correctly if you want it to look this good.
Concluding
These are some of the best sustainable materials you can use to construct homes and buildings, but there are a few others as well. If you are looking for ways to help the environment, then you should choose these materials over all the other unsustainable materials out there.
