Top Sustainable Building Materials for Eco-Friendly Construction

By utilizing sustainable construction materials & measures for reducing energy consumption, Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods), for its operations nationwide, is actively engaged in the construction of green buildings. The initiative of the company starts with 5 green buildings that contribute to the advancement of a low-carbon sector. 

Peerapong Krinchai, the Head of Engineering at CP Foods, said “The Company is striving to meet global environmental standards with the objective of achieving a net-zero emission by 2050.”

Utilizing sustainable building materials is one of the significant aspects of eco-friendly construction. Owing to the pressing need of addressing environmental issues, it is crucial to understand what makes these materials different and why using these materials is imperative. Sustainable construction aims to reduce the impact of carbon footprint through a building’s lifecycle right from the design & construction phase to the operation & eventual demolition. This approach comprises utilizing sustainable building materials that are eco-friendly & render minimal environmental impact.

These building materials are sourced as well as processed in several ways and one such way is ensuring that it minimizes waste generation. Sustainable building materials contribute to enhanced energy efficiency within the buildings. In this article, let us look at the various sustainable building materials that are used for eco-friendly construction.

Cork

Most often associated with wine stoppers & bulletin boards, cork can be used as building material. The cork people use comes from cork oak trees that can live up to two hundred years. During its lifespan, the cork oak can produce somewhere around a hundred kilos of cork, which makes it one of the most renewable sources. Cork is stripped from the tree barks which are then processed for manufacturing cork that is further made into stoppers or boards. Today architects show interest in cork since it is water-resistant, lightweight, recyclable & thermally efficient.

Sustainable Materials is a company that specializes in various sustainable building materials. The company offers cork bricks and it ensures that these products are the right fit for modern building design.

iCork Floor offers cork flooring, underlayment & wall tiles. The unique approach followed by the company to cork building materials is it designs, manufactures as well as tests its products and ensures that it gives the best products with the best product quality.

Other cork-building material companies include Wicanders Wise, Jelinek Cork Group, Beach Bros, Manton Industrial Cork Products and others.

Recycled steel

One of the most commonly recycled materials that has proven to stay usable without losing its properties is steel, which is strong & durable. Steel can be useful, just like any newly manufactured steel that is used for construction. The huge amount of energy as well as pollutants from the extraction as well as manufacturing of steel by recycling reclaimed steel can be reduced, and through this, we can save natural resources. The energy that is used in the recycling process is less when compared to a regular manufacturing process since raw materials are already processed.  

“The iron and steel stockists market is experiencing notable trends as there has been an increased demand for steel products due to the global revival of construction and infrastructure projects. The industry is also witnessing a shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly practices, leading to the rising demand for recycled steel and greener production processes,” says Amol Mehta, Managing Partner, Kamal Trading Corporation.

Reclaimed wood

We can never go wrong with wood as it is easy to use. With proper care and the right aesthetic, it can lead to some pleasing architectural elements. But how can the use of wood be made sustainable? The answer is with proper management, and it can be used as a renewable resource. However, the reliance on new wood should not increase as its usage can lead to overtaking its growth rate. Therefore, one easy solution is to recycle reclaimed wood. We are witnessing this practice with upcycled furniture. Also, deforestation can be reduced by recycling wood and indirectly promoting biodiversity & carbon capture.

“In the realm of windows and doors manufacturing, a profound transformation is underway, underpinned by compelling statistical evidence. The industry is primarily driven by demand for energy-efficient, sustainable construction solutions, urbanization, technological advance- ments, and consumer preferences for customization and security,” says Ashim Chugh, Founder and Director of Duromax Building Systems.

Hempcrete

Hempcrete is manufactured by combining a mix of hemp fibre as well as lime. These usually come in blocks and are deemed as carbon-negative material. This is owing to its higher absorption of carbon dioxide than emission. Hemp fiber also works similarly to timber. However, it grows faster. Hence, it can be replenished easily. Hempcrete blocks are flexible to design & they work as insulators too. Thus, it decreases the energy consumption needed for either heating or cooling.

Americhanvre – a full-service hemp building material installer in Pennsylvania with its mission to store carbon actively in the walls of homes by using hemp building materials. More carbon in the walls = less carbon dioxide in the air.

Mycelium

In the past decade, mycelium has been explored as one of the potential sustainable construction materials. It is also a fungal material, which is more specifically manufactured using the fungi’s root-like fibers. If developed as well as used in the right manner, mycelium can become one of the innovative green materials owing to its biodegradable & organic properties since it is insulating & non-toxic to users as well as the environment. Since mycelium is lightweight & resistant to water & fire, it is being utilized in more sectors, such as packaging & fabrication, now.

Biohm – a London-based company leverages innovative technology to develop mycelium-based construction materials. The company utilizes the product for creating insulation, fireproofing & soundproofing materials for the construction industry.

It is about time for architects and the construction industry to take an interest in sustainable architecture & its materials for countering the high carbon emissions or the built environment owing to the need for positive, sustainable change in the sector long overdue.  Although we may not witness any results immediately, we can make explicit strides in making the planet a better place to dwell for future generations.