What is a green building material? The green marketing we are usually exposed to relates to reducing consumer waste. We have all been taught that recyclable materials are preferable to products that will wind up in a landfill after they are thrown away. But what about something you don't plan on throwing away? With increased focus on the environmental impact of building materials, your new home can be green from the inside out.
In environmental terms, a commonly used synonym for green is sustainable. To be considered sustainable, building materials must be resource efficient, energy efficient, and affordable.
Resource efficiency is a way of evaluating the origin of a building material. If the material is produced responsibly and implemented efficiently, this contributes to the sustainability of the house it is used in. Home insulation may contain recycled industrial content. Wood used in the frame of a house might come from a certified sustainably-managed forest. Kitchen tile could come from a company participating in a resource-efficient manufacturing program designed to reduce waste and harmful emissions.
It may be important not only how a material is made, but also where it is made. Locally available materials are considered more resource-efficient because energy is conserved in transporting them to the eventual building site. All aspects of the material's use are considered when evaluating resource-efficiency.
The concept of energy efficient materials is familiar to most consumers. Proper insulation, efficient heating and air systems, and extras such as storm windows are popular ways to keep utility bills in check. Sustainable building introduces some additional issues.
Human energy is valued along with electrical energy. Many building materials release chemicals into the air over long periods of time, and this can affect the long-term air quality of the interior of a home. Sustainable building materials are low-toxic or non-toxic to begin with, and feature minimal chemical emissions. Low odor paint is becoming more popular, and non-toxic sealants are becoming common for flooring. This is believed to increase the quality of health in the home environment, a way of conserving energy for the people living there.
Affordability is also a consideration in sustainable building. The 'life-cycle cost' of a material is measured by considering the initial cost combined with the cost of replacing that material if it wears out. Materials that are durable are considered more sustainable because they reduce the effort as well as the resources necessary for repair or replacement. Newer, environment-friendly light bulbs are noticeably more expensive than traditional bulbs, but they last several times longer. The money saved on replacement bulbs and the energy saved by not climbing on a chair to replace them every few months makes them more affordable in terms of sustainability.
Green materials are catching on rapidly. Suppliers of materials are working hard to associate their own brand names with this trend. It is already common to see advertising related to eco-friendly features in new homes and condos. What was previously considered a niche market has rapidly taken over the mainstream. Before long developers may be advertising the sustainability of the building's construction as well as the final, outwardly visible result.