Choose the right building materials and you can make your home more environmentally friendly and economical to maintain – without adding to the cost of construction.
Deciding on the best materials can be complicated but you’ll find many places to get advice. Here are some thoughts to help get you started.
Installing insulation is the most cost-effective way to improve the comfort of your home, especially when used together with good passive design. Every time you turn on an air-conditioner or heater in an uninsulated home, your money disappears into thin air. Insulation can also help if you have problems with damp; some types also have soundproofing qualities.
Most common building materials don’t offer much natural insulation. But there are some exceptions that may need little or no extra insulation, including aerated concrete blocks and polystyrene-based products.
Choosing the best windows and glazing for your climate is the next most cost-effective investment you can make to keep your home comfortable all year round. A lot of heat passes in and out through windows and doors; the type of glass and frames you choose can make a world of difference. PVC frames for example, offer great insulating qualities and are low maintenance.
Overall there is no single most environmentally friendly combination of building materials; it depends on your location, climate, budget and the style of your home. Find out all you can before you build or renovate, get some expert advice and you’ll have a more comfortable, more environmentally-friendly home that costs you less to maintain and run.
The right insulation and glazing makes your home more sustainable to operate; it’s also important to choose sustainable building materials whenever you can.
1. Consider the environmental cost of materials.
Many common materials take a lot of energy to produce. They use non-renewable or scarce natural resources and harm the environment when they’re made. Some may last just 10 years and can cost you and the environment a great deal every time they need replacing. Sustainable materials have less impact on the environment from the time they’re made until they’re thrown away or recycled. A piece of timber from a local, sustainably managed plantation has less impact than imported forest timber. A recycled piece of wood has less impact still.
2. Look for locally-produced materials.
Using materials that are made and sold nearby saves money and energy on long-distance transportation.
3. Think about the total life of your home.
Choose materials with the lifecycle of your home in mind. Many inferior materials have a short life and will need replacing or fixing a number of times during the life of the home. The energy used to build the average home is equal to about 15 years of average household energy use. So you want the building to last for the environment’s sake, even if you move on. Most homes are built to last at 50 years, aim for 100+.
4. Reduce, re-use and recycle.
The 3 ‘R’s also apply to building, not just packaging. Reducing the size of your home is the most effective way to conserve the world’s resources, reduce waste and cut costs. Don’t demolish but re-use at least part of an existing home and ask your local council about how you can recycle building materials that can no longer be used.
5. Re-use recycled materials yourself.
Use recycled timber, bricks or doors when renovating, or in a new home try at least to use materials with a high recycled content. You’ll be helping to create a market for recycled resources which in turn will encourage others to recycle.