Sustainable building materials are the quickest way to cut back on environmental damage. They prioritize eco-friendly alternatives that minimize the use of natural resources and reduce energy consumption.
Traditional construction materials release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that degrade indoor air quality. These emissions can cause eye and respiratory irritation, headaches, fatigue, and other health issues in occupants.
Pollution-absorbing brick
The global pollution-absorbing brick market is segmented by material type, application, and end user. The concrete-based pollution-absorbing bricks segment dominated the market in 2022, with a revenue share of more than two-thirds. Government initiatives and incentives are driving the demand for pollution-absorbing bricks in residential applications. In addition, nonresidential buildings like hospitals and offices prioritize the health and well-being of occupants, visitors, and workers.
Air pollution is one of the world’s largest problems, with seven million premature deaths every year. This is why researchers are developing a new building material that can help combat air pollution. Known as the “Breathe Brick,” this eco-friendly material resembles a vacuum cleaner and sucks pollutants out of the air.
This new construction material combines the benefits of traditional construction with air purification. It is infused with titanium dioxide, which actively absorbs and neutralizes air pollutants. In addition, it has the durability and strength of traditional bricks. This unique material is expected to play a key role in the future of the construction industry. It is also a great way for builders to differentiate themselves in the marketplace and attract environmentally conscious consumers.
Rigid foam insulation
Rigid foam insulation is an alternative to fiberglass batts that can be used in walls, floors and roofs. It is a good choice for cold climates, and it has higher R-values than other types of insulation. It is also moisture resistant, which helps to prevent damage from mold and mildew.
Foam insulation saves energy by reducing air infiltration, which is the leading cause of home energy loss. It is also a good choice for reducing carbon emissions. Foam insulation is made using recycled materials, and it is often a less expensive alternative to other types of insulation.
There are three main types of rigid foam insulation: expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene and polyisocyanurate. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the most common and least expensive type of rigid foam insulation. EPS has a low R-value of 4 per inch and is typically white in color.
The more expensive, durable XPS rigid foam insulation has a high R-value of 5 per inch. XPS has several different finishes, including plastic facings or no finish. Unlike EPS, XPS does not use CFCs or urea formaldehyde as blowing agents. The industry is moving toward using hydrofluoroolefins (HFO) as blowing agents, which have a lower global warming potential than CFCs.
Sheep’s wool
Sheep’s wool is a natural, eco friendly insulation material that has many benefits and uses. Its crimped fibres form millions of tiny air pockets that help to keep homes warm in winter and cool in summer. It is also hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture and releases it when needed. This makes it ideal for heritage or timber-framed buildings that can experience more condensation. In addition, it can also lock up harmful contaminants like formaldehyde and bind them to itself.
Besides being an excellent home insulator, sheep’s wool is also used as an animal bedding material. It reduces odors and irritants, and can help to alleviate respiratory issues. It also helps to improve indoor air quality by lowering volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
Moreover, sheep’s wool can be used in compost mixtures as a source of slow-release nitrogen and other trace elements. It can also be used in weed and pest control, moisture retention, and soil temperature regulation. Additionally, it can replace peat in composts to reduce environmental impacts. This is especially important because peat extraction and use decreases the land’s carbon storage capacity, and can damage wildlife habitats.
Recycled tires
Currently, many tires are incinerated or dumped in landfills, where they take hundreds of years to decompose and leach cancer-causing chemicals into soil and water. This waste clogs landfills and pollutes the environment, but it can also be recycled into innovative and nontoxic building materials.
Tire recycling involves extracting the fiber and nylon, steel, and other non-rubber elements for reuse in various applications. These byproducts can be used to create concrete, fiberglass, stucco, caret, and cleanup products. Additionally, they can be converted into rubber powder.
The powder from shredded tires can be used in playgrounds, arena surfacing, and new shoe products. The process is efficient and requires little energy. It can also be made into acoustic walls or as a substitute for sand in construction of low retaining walls.
Recycled tires are also ideal for agricultural use, as they help increase yields and offer improved performance over traditional asphalt. They can be used as ground cover or fences, and even bind together to form protective barriers that reduce collisions between trucks and boats. The material is also a good choice for mulch because it does not float away during rainstorms and doesn’t attract termites.
Newspaper wood
Newspaper wood is a cutting-edge material that reverses the traditional paper production process by turning paper into a substance that resembles wood. It is made by coating sheets of recycled newspapers with solvent-free glue and tightly rolling them into logs. It can be cut, milled, sanded, and treated like any other wooden product. It is also waterproof and flame-retardant. It can be used for furniture, cabinets, and more.
Traditional paper production relies on the harvesting of trees, which can cause deforestation in sensitive and ecologically valuable areas. The designers of NewspaperWood at Dutch design label Vij5 use a glue that is free of solvents and plasticizers to ensure that any sawing or sandpapering waste from the production of this innovative building material can be returned to the existing paper recycling cycle.
Increased awareness of possible health risks and indoor air quality concerns has led to a demand for non-toxic and low-emitting materials in construction projects. This has encouraged affordable housing developers to switch to safer products, and many have taken advantage of the LEED and Enterprise Green Communities criteria incentives that offer points for using healthier building materials.