Top 10 New Green building materials

Why Green building materials are gaining popularity these days?

The uses of Green building technology in the residential sector are increasing significantly due to the rising number of building regulations and making the policies for mandating energy-efficient buildings.

Also due to the increased awareness and income levels of the people, demand for green building materials is also to be increased in near future.

In some countries like China and India, they are already facing environmental issues, so the government is trying to give some incentives for energy-efficient buildings.

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So now we will continue to our discussion of the “Top 10 green building materials”

Also Read: New construction materials in civil engineering 2020

Here are the green building materials;

10 Green building materials

STRAW BALE

green building materials straw bale
fig.1 Straw bale
  • After the edible part of the grains have been harvested, their stalks are combined to make a straw bale.
  • This is an ancient method of constructing houses in many parts of Africa.
  • Due to the affordable and sustainable nature of straw bale, popularity is Increasing rapidly.
  • These are more energy-efficient materials and has a good thermal insulating property.
  • Since air cannot pass through the Straw bale, so it is a soundproof and fireproof material.
  • These type of green building materials is available everywhere in the world.

MYCELIUM

mycelium_green_building_material
fig 2. Mycelium
  • Mycelium as green building materials- It is the invisible part of the mushroom, the roots of mushrooms consists of minuscule threads called hyphae.
  • One disadvantage of mycelium as a building material is that it cannot carry heavy loads.
  • Buildings have many parts where they don’t need to carry heavyweights, like in walls and insulation materials, etc…
  • They are durable, fire-resistant, and can be molded into any shape.
  • Mycelium is an eco-friendly material and It offers an excellent opportunity for recycling agricultural waste into a low cost and sustainable material.

BAMBOO

green building materials- banboo
fig 3. Bamboo
  • Bamboo is one of the biggest natural building materials in the world.
  • It is a fast-growing plant and can be great sustainable material.
  • These are very durable and strong materials
  • We can easily install them
  • Bamboo absorbs more amount of oxygen than other trees, as the growth rate is faster.
  • This is an affordable material and can be used widely.
  • Bamboo also used in earthquake-prone areas due to their lightweight nature.

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CORK

cork as green building material
fig 4. Cork
  • Cork is a natural, renewable, recyclable raw material that helps in the reduction of harmful greenhouse gases.
  • Due to the thermal insulation property of the cork, it is gaining popularity these days.
  • It is also waterproof, lightweight, and resistant to moisture.
  • Using cork we can increase the quality of air, and comfort.
  • In recent years there were the largest investments in the sector of innovation and development of composite cork.

CORDWOOD

green building material- cordwood
fig 5. corkwood
  • In the construction of cordwood walls, we use round and short wood pieces, so these wood pieces don’t have much other value.
  • Cordwood walls will have both Insulation and thermal mass.
  • Cordwood is constructed with less initial cost than other wooden framed houses.
  • The properties of cordwood are mostly similar to natural wood and it is a sustainable building material.
  • These types of green building materials are available everywhere.

RAMMED EARTH

rammed earth as green building materials
fig. Rammed earth
  • Rammed earth walls or structures are constructed by compacting the moisture subsoil earth material between the temporary formwork panels. When dried they gain stability and strength.
  • Rammed earth is a historic way of construction but due to the increased popularity for eco-houses, these again came into the picture.
  • These are natural and readily available material.
  • It is a recyclable material as the soil is again used after demolition.
  • Low energy material and has greater thermal mass.
  • Rammed earth is a fireproof material and can be used in fire-prone areas.

ASHCRETE

green building materials fly ash concrete
fig 7. Ash-crete
  • Ash-Crete is nothing but using fly ash Instead of cement in the production of concrete.
  • Fly ash is a waste product released after the burning of charcoal and it is a non-biodegradable material.
  • Fly ash requires less amount of water than cement in the production process.
  • By using fly ash as a construction material, we can reduce the cost of the project and helps environmentally.
  • With the usage of ash-Crete, we can increase the strength and durability of concrete while decreasing its permeability.

CELLULOSE

cellulose insulation as green building material ppt
fig 8. Cellulose insulation
  • Cellulose Insulation is generally made from paper waste, this material consists of approximately 85% of recycled content.
  • Using this green building material in construction, renovation, and expansion of the projects, we can significantly reduce the carbon footprints and this enhances the efficiency of the building.
  • For expansions and renovations, the cellulose insulation material is available in loose-fill and blanket forms.
  • During the installation process, If the cellulose insulation material is leftover, we can return it to the supplier and can be used in the next project.
  • Cellulose has excellent insulation properties that are stronger than fiberglass.

TIMBER

cross laminated timber as green building material
fig 9. cross laminated Timber (CLT)
  • Thousands of years ago, wood was the second most populous and most used material next to the stone.
  • Timber is 100% natural material, as it is directly taken from the trees and no fossil fuels are required to manufacture the material.
  • Nowadays due to advancements in technology, we recently introduced mass timber or CLT(cross-laminated timber)
  • CLT can be easily processed and these prefabricated panels can be brought to the site and installed efficiently without wasting the material.
  • CLT is also a cost-effective material and can be easily recycled.
  • Timber also acts as a photosynthetic material by absorbing carbon-dioxide

STONE

stone as green building materials
fig 10. Stone
  • From the granite of pyramids or the marble of the Taj mahal to the limestone of empire state building, natural stone is durable and resistant to weathering and great sustainable material.
  • Natural stone is an excellent choice for builders due to its ability to sustain in long run, as we know over the past centuries, natural rock is being great weatherproof material and consumes less energy for construction and maintenance.
  • Harsh chemicals and wall coatings are not required for stone.
  • Stone is a recyclable material and we can use 100% of the stone from old projects by recycling.

So, Many of the above discussed green building materials are available locally and cost-efficient. But some of the mentioned are in the research stage and will be available soon.

If you have any doubts regarding green building materials, comment below.

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K Vinay Goud

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