Green Building Materials

What are Green building materials?

The sustainable building or Green Building is a concept that mixes and integrates a wide range of solutions throughout building projects' design, construction, and operation. Using ecologically friendly construction materials and products is essential to any structure.

The following are some of the benefits that building owners and occupants gain from using green construction materials:

• Reduced maintenance and replacement expenditures over time
• Conserving energy
• Improved health and productivity of the residents
• Increased Design Flexibility

Construction and building activities utilize 3 billion tons of raw materials annually, accounting for 40% of global consumption. The use of Green building materials helps to conserve nonrenewable resources all over the world. Green building materials, when utilized in the design and construction process, can assist decrease the environmental effect of building industry source materials such as extraction, shipping, processing, fabrication, and installation.

4 Sustainable and Green Building Materials

People have cut down trees and mined minerals to make cement, which has been used to combine sand, gravel, and bricks for years. But today, environmentalists and scientists are noticing a depletion of natural resources, harming not only nature but also the human population. Innovative construction technologies and long-lasting, ecologically friendly building materials are now accessible for use in developing a better society. The following are some environmentally friendly and green building materials.

• Bamboo
  Bamboo is considered one of the best green building materials. Some specimens of Bamboo have grown up to three feet in just 24 hours due to their rapid self-generation. There is no need to replant after harvest since it continues to expand and grow. Except for Europe and Antarctica, Bamboo thrives as a perennial grass on all continents.
  
  This material offers many advantages in addition to its high strength-to-weight ratio and long lifespan. This is the most excellent material for cabinets and flooring. One hassle of using Bamboo is that it must be treated to keep insects and rot at bay. When Bamboo is soaked in water, the starch attracts insects and causes it to bloat and break.
  
  
• Precast Concrete Slabs
  The slabs are manufactured in a production facility before being delivered in bulk to building sites. Despite being mainly formed of concrete, many include significant unfilled air gaps, similar to concrete blocks. Because of their weather durability, these precast concrete slabs may be utilized for creating external walls, facades, and flat roofs.
  
  Concrete, a low-cost building material, is good at managing the temperature within a structure. Precast concrete slabs are more environmentally friendly than standard ones since they require less energy to make and build. As a result, precast concrete is protected from various adverse weather conditions while curing on the building site. Precast slabs avoid concrete fractures and structural problems, saving time and money when the structure is demolished in the future.
  
  
• Cork
  Cork, like Bamboo, is a fast-growing plant. While the tree is still alive, the bark, which is a kind of cork, can be collected. Cork retains its resilience, elasticity, and ability to re-form even when subjected to extended pressure. Ceramic floor tiles are prevalent due to their high wear resistance and tensile strength. Due to these characteristics and its strong noise-absorbing capabilities, it is ideal for insulating sheets and subflooring. It is also an excellent thermal insulator if left untreated since it burns cleanly and has no hazardous fumes. Cork does not absorb water or decay due to its near-impermeable structure. Since it can only be found in the Mediterranean, shipping costs are high.
  
  
• Recycled Plastic
  Concrete is made using recycled plastic and other ground-up rubbish rather than sourcing, mining, or milling new components. This process minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and reuses plastic trash. It is also better for the environment since it is used in various ways instead of clogging landfills.
  
  To conserve trees, fences, picnic tables, and other buildings made of polymeric timbers can be made from recycled and virgin polymers. The trash from two-liter bottles may be spun into plastic fibers and used to produce carpets. Cable pipes, roofs, floors, PVC maintenance holes, and PVC windows may all be made from recycled plastic.
  
  
• Recycled Wood
  One of the most ecologically responsible methods to conserve trees and minimize the amount of timber in landfills is to use recycled wood. It can be discovered in abandoned barns, excavation businesses, home restoration companies, salvage yards, and shipping boxes and pallets.
  
  This wood can be utilized for flooring, cabinets, and building construction. Despite its low structural integrity, the light weight of this material needs to be carefully selected. Wood requires further strengthening and treatment due to its vulnerability to insects and decay.