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There are materials
available for those seriously into green construction.
Rammed Earth Walls give a nature feel and absorb sound well. If used in internal spaces they are a good solution.
Lime Rendered Hay Bales provide good thermal insulation from a local renewable source. The walls are thick and space is required, not always an option in inner city sites.
For those who are to use the general materials there are sustainable concerns and advantages. At present there is significant discussions on the way forward on implementing sustainability within the construction industry. Many of the main material producers are championing their own concerns. Some of the current arguments for the main materials are listed below:
| Steel | Currently
around 70% of steelwork is recycled a fairly impressive record for
any major industry. Blast Furnace slag is a by produce
of steel production. Through technological advances it is now
possible to use this slag as a substitute for cement. To form steel it is heated to around 1200ºC requiring furnaces producing high CO2 levels. When producing steelwork from ore the levels of energy required is even higher. The world market requires large plants located on a Global scale. It is therefore necessary to transport the steelwork considerable distances. The heat and transportation required results in high embodied CO2. |
| Concrete | Limestone is
fired to 2400ºC at which point a chemical reaction occurs and cement
is formed. Sand, aggregate & water is then added to form
concrete. There is various debate on the effect of large scale
mining required to extract the base materials. Due to the low cost of concrete it is not financially viable to recycle concrete for reuse, but steps are being made to reuse it. Crushed concrete is often used under roads and foundations. When properly used in construction it is possible to reduce the over all running (heating/cooling) costs of buildings. Concrete is a dense material capable of retaining heat. Concrete allowed to cool in the evening and through the night can help cool a building during the day. This significant reduction in energy use through the life of the building dramatically offsets the initial embodied CO2 (or so the Concrete Society will proclaim!) |
| Timber | At present
winning favour in the industry for the most sustainable resource.
During its growth timber absorbs CO2 effectively locking
CO2 away within the structure. Softwood Timber in
the global picture is a local resource reducing the transport. The jewel in the timber industry sustainable crown is FSC timber. Timber with this designation has been sourced from sustainable forests. As clients and builders are becoming aware of this it is being specified more readily. One concern is that FSC timber can only supply 10-20% of the total demand. If the demand outstrips supply the cost of FSC timber will become prohibitive. Once the building has reached the end of its design life the timber is not recycled. Burning or left to decay will release the CO2 initially locked into the timber. Timber decays and preservatives are required to prevent it. The type of preservative used and its manufacturer can cause a sustainability issue. However as concerns are being raised the timber industry is responding with better products. |
There are other materials available for those seriously into green construction.
Rammed earth walls give a nature feel and absorb sound well. If used in internal spaces they are a good solution.
Lime rendered hay bales provide good thermal insulation from a local renewable source. The walls are thick and space is required not always an option in inner city sites.
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Farm House & Stables in Hertfordshire New build detached house & stables. Design incorporates many new sustainable design ideas. The timber frame is designed with increased thickness to accommodate high levels of insulation dramatically reducing the heat loss from the building. A green grass roof is included over sections of the stables and house to help the design blend into the environment. Sustainable services design provided Building Design Partnership |
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Association
for Environment Conscious Buildings
Real Green Book - over 100 pages of tips for making your home or office
more healthy and kinder to the environment
Building
Research Establishment (BRE)
UK construction and fire research consultants.
Chartered
Institute of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE)
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers is an
international body which represents and provides services to the building
services profession.
Construction
Resources
Construction Resources is Britains first ecological builders merchant,
and a centre for ecological building, bringing together under one roof in
central London a unique range of state-of-the-art building products and systems.
Energy
Efficiency Best Practice Programme
The UK Governments Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme provides
advice to UK business and the public sector on how to save energy and reduce
carbon dioxide emissions
Managenergy
ManagEnergy promotes co-operation between local and regional energy
agencies through workshops, study tours and online events on energy saving and
renewable energy.
Sustainable
Energy Action
SEA is a not for profit independent company and its aim is to promote the
sustainable use of energy in housing, businesses and transport in Southwark,
Greater London and more recently nationwide.
