Sustainable From the Bottom Up: Green Materials for an Entire Building [infographic]

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Happy Feet: Eco-Friendly Alternatives

Bamboo

Best for: 

• Bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms

Pros: 

• Matures in less than five years
• Available in caramel and blond-colored planks
• Lasts as long as traditional hardwood

Cons:

• Not a local material, most imported from Asia

Cost Per Square Foot: 

• $4 to $8

Cork

Best for: 

• Family rooms, living rooms

Pros: 

• Naturally resistant to rot and fire
• Mutes sound
• Fast recovery from dents
• Minimal manufacturing waste
• Extremely durable (properly maintained floors last 40+ years)

Cons

• Not ideal for basements or bathrooms, standing water can damage cork
• Not ideal over radiant floor heating as it’s a natural insulator

Cost Per Square Foot: 

• $3 to $7

FSC-Certified Wood

Best for: 

• Dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens

Pros: 

• Wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council:
  • Encourages ecologically and socially responsible forestry
  • Preserves biodiversity
  • Respects the rights of workers and indigenous communities

Cons:

• FSC-certified companies may sell noncertified wood. Check lumber for the FSC logo

Cost Per Square Foot: 

• $3 to $6

Natural-Fiber Carpet

Best for: 

• Bedroom, stairs, living rooms

Pros: 

• Coir, jute, and sisal fibers are biodegradable, nontoxic and renewable
• Look for products with Green Label Plus certification from the Carpet & Rug Institute to ensure the lowest chemical emissions

Cons: 

• Traps dust mites and can aggravate asthma or allergies

Cost Per Square Foot:

• $4+

If These Walls Could Talk: Wall Options

Blocks made out of recycled materials

• Such as waste sludge ash from power stations
• Look like and are used in the same way as normal blocks

Non-fired bricks

• Dried naturally
• Mainly used for internal, non-load-bearing walls
• Breathable
• Good source of insulation

Recycled/re-used bricks

• Greatly reduces the energy involved in manufacturing

Fried honeycomb clay blocks

• Used to create a single skin wall
• Naturally insulating
• Quick to assemble
• Breathable

Insulation Options

Cellulose

• Made of shredded newspapers and fire retardant, damp cellulose
• Comparable price and product to fiberglass

Mineral Wool

• Made of basalt rock and recycled slag
• Sound-absorbing
• Resistant to pests and fire

Cotton

• Made of old denim and other recycled cotton
• Low chemical content

Agricultural products

• Corn, soybean oil, or sugar cane
• Available in rigid boards or spray foam

Fiberglass

• Eco-friendly versions available
• Up to 40 percent of the spun glass is made of recycled material
• Some are enclosed in bags to prevent airborne fiber concerns

Sheep’s wool

• Made from sheared wool that is fluffed and treated with pest control additives
• Good option for those concerned about health issues

Cement

• Mixed with water and frothed with air
• Permanent
• Extremely fire-resistant
• Pest and mold resistant

Greensulate

• Made from mushroom fibers
• Fibers are blended with agricultural by-products
• Custom-made fit for walls

Pick Up a Brush: What to Look for

• Latex paint
• ZERO VOC CONTENT 0%: VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) contribute to atmospheric pollution.
• Milk paint

Read labels

• The lower the VOCs, the safer and healthier the paint
• Low-VOC paint contains less than 50 g/L before tinting
• Zero-VOC paint has less than 5 g/L before tinting

Check VOC levels with manufacturer

• Ask if your paint can be tinted with no- or low-VOC colorants

Consider milk paints

• Synthetic-free milk paints use raw, organic ingredients and are zero-VOC even after tinting
• Require preparation (add water and mix) and some knowledge to use

Go latex over alkyd

• Most oil-based alkyd paints contain far more VOCs than water-based latex paint
• Most stains contain VOCs above 50 g/L

Go light over dark

• Lighter colors use less tinting which lowers the VOCs

Go flat over glossy

• The flatter the sheen, the lower the VOCs

The Roof Over Your Head: Green Roof

• Covered with some type of living vegetation

Intensive

• Permanent
• Thickest and heaviest option
• Requires the most maintenance
• Support large variety of plants

Extensive

• Permanent
• Common on commercial buildings
• Lighter and thinner than permanent

Trays

• Non-permanent
• Containers, or trays filled with vegetated material
• Less expensive option

Pros: 

• Aesthetically pleasing
• Reduces, absorbs, and filters rainwater runoff
• Provides extra layer of insulation
• Can act as a vegetable garden
• Extends the life of a roof and/or building

Cons: 

• High initial upfront costs
• Requires additional design and engineering review
• Can be high-maintenance
• Can not be retrofitted

Solar Roof

• Solar system seamlessly integrated into the roof

Pros: 

• Shingles can be integrated in roof design and harness the sun’s energy for power
• Can be installed new and retrofitted
• Available in a number of styles and from several manufacturers

Cons: 

• More expensive than both standard solar panels and standard roofing

Conclusion

Whether you’re buying a new home or looking to remodel, sustainable replacements can positively influence the health of your family and the environment.

Sources: www.apartmenttherapy.com, www.sustainablebuildingresource.co.uk, www.oldhouseweb.com, ecoliving.scotiabank.com

For more information on eco-friendly materials, visit our Green Building Materials page»

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image: Solar Trade Association