Exploring greener construction methods will ensure other industries become more sustainable, too. Several green technologies and practices are being introduced to this sector. Here are some of the most impactful ones.

1. Biodegradable Materials

Current materials used in construction can create a lot of waste after the building is eventually torn down. This can be toxic to the environment and take hundreds of years to decompose. By changing the materials used, we can improve the future without compromising the integrity of our buildings. In fact, green materials can often help the structure last longer for less money.

Organic plants like hemp or recycled materials like fiberglass insulation are good examples. Switching a few things or reusing items can go a long way in helping a building prolong its life and reduce the amount of waste it will produce in the future.

2. Green Insulation

We already touched briefly on recycled fiberglass insulation. While recycling of any kind is a plus, we can make our insulation use better and greener. Fiberglass is glass that has been melted down, which requires a lot of energy and can be harmful to handle. For greener materials used in modern-day insulation, look no further than your own home.

Cotton insulation has become extremely common. It’s exclusively made out of denim or recycled scraps of jeans. Cellulose insulation has also been growing in popularity. Instead of being pushed between the walls, it’s sprayed on, which makes installation easier. Incredibly, the material used in cellulose insulation is recycled newspapers.

3. Cool Roofs

The technology of a cool roof is less about the material it’s made from and more about the design. These roofs are designed and angled to ensure the sun is reflected instead of absorbed, reducing the heat taken in by the home and cool or warm air escaping through the roof. This may not seem like a major change, but dark roof shingles can reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit or 65.5 degrees Celsius, creating a lot of unwanted warmth inside the home during summer.

Reducing the heat from the roof lowers the building’s temperature. This puts less strain on air conditioning systems so they use less energy. Even using a coat of reflective paint on a new roof can reduce temperatures in urban and suburban areas.

4. Self-Powered Buildings

Self-powered buildings use green energy to power their systems, such as solar, wind or thermal. When a large structure like a skyscraper goes off the grid to use renewable energy, the money saved can be reinvested elsewhere.

Skyscrapers often install wind turbines on their roofs, while some suburban communities use geothermal technology to benefit the entire area. However, the most popular sustainable method is solar energy. Panels can be installed in any home or building and produce their own air conditioning system. It has become common practice to install solar cooling systems in buildings during construction.

5. Rammed Earth Brick

Rammed earth is a construction technique that’s been used for thousands of years. Due to its green nature, it’s becoming popular again on a global scale. However, this technique takes time to create.

To make rammed earth, one must mix soil with hard materials like gravel or clay to form a substance similar to concrete without the harmful chemicals. Then, it has to cure. The curing process can take a few months or as long as two years, making it inefficient timewise unless the process is more automated. With today’s technology, better automation practices are possible.

Portions of the Great Wall of China were made with rammed earth, so the longevity of this material has already been proven. Another benefit is the regulation of temperature inside the structure, which stays cool in summer and warm in winter.

However, water has the potential to wash away the materials. With proper regulation systems installed, this issue becomes obsolete.

Construction Going Green

These few green methods and others can increase a building’s sustainability while reducing its overall carbon footprint. Practices like these are used in every aspect of the construction process, from planning to siting to building. Even after a structure is complete, maintenance and use will contribute to how much emissions it will or won’t put off during its lifetime.

Sustainability can go hand in hand with energy efficiency. Thanks to our advancing technology, green practices are often cheaper and better made than others. One of the main hurdles for builders is the installation price. However, by making this small investment upfront, the rewards and money saved in the long run will only prove beneficial.

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You can also make your own home more sustainable by following the latest movements in green construction. Here are six green construction design trends you can use to make a new home more eco-friendly:

1. Solar-Powered and Off-The-Grid Homes

Home solar systems have become a lot more powerful over the past few years. New tech — like home battery systems — means you can run your home almost exclusively on local solar power.

If you stay connected to the grid, you can sell any excess power you generate back to your energy company. You can also detach from the grid entirely and make your home self-powered. However, you’ll need a powerful and durable battery setup to keep your home powered when the solar panels aren’t collecting energy.

2. Tiny Homes

The small size of the average tiny home offers significant environmental benefits for homeowners. These houses don’t use nearly as much building material as normal-sized residences require. They’re also much cheaper to heat and cool. If you want to spring for energy-saving insulation, you won’t have to use nearly as much as you normally would. Energy costs, in general, will also be a lot more manageable.

Tiny homes are often a prime choice for people who want an off-the-grid house. It’s much easier to power a house that’s only a few hundred square feet than an average-sized home.

Tiny homes are affordable, too — some of the cheapest ones cost less than $10,000 to build. They’re also very mobile. Moving a normal-sized house is a major undertaking. A tiny home, by comparison, is easy to ship across the country. Often, tiny homes are designed to allow you to hitch one to a truck and tow it wherever you’re headed.

3. Smart Homes

Smart home tech consists of devices like thermostats and home assistants that connect to the internet to share data. They can all help you cut back on your home’s resource usage. Smart thermostats can intelligently adjust the temperature and connect with home assistants, like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, making it possible to change the temperature with just your voice.

Smart energy and water monitors can help you track how much electricity and water your home uses at different times of the year. This ability allows you to identify when you’re using more resources than normal.

Some of these smart home systems can even intelligently adjust your resource usage for you. Smart thermostats, for example, can automatically turn off the heat when a home security system detects no one is home — even if you forget to set the thermostat before you leave.

4. Green Home Materials

Using recycled or energy-efficient materials can go a long way in making a house more eco-friendly. This trend can also lend it an interesting design flair that you wouldn’t get with standard building materials. Home designers have honed in on three green materials in particular:

1. Deconstructed materials: These are home materials like reclaimed brick, wood paneling and flooring that are salvaged from other construction projects. Often, these supplies are sturdy, unique and more interesting than most materials you’d find for sale in a home design catalog. With deconstructed materials, you also avoid worrying about the environmental impact of harvesting new resources.
2. Aluminum: This metal is 100% recyclable, making it a popular choice for eco-friendly designers. The material is also strong, highly resistant to corrosion and lightweight — making it a versatile metal that can serve well in many different construction projects.
3. Bamboo: Designers agree that bamboo is one of the most eco-friendly building materials out there. Because bamboo regenerates quickly — with some species growing up to 35 inches in 24 hours — it’s much more sustainable than other woody materials. And unlike other fast-growing and sustainable building supplies like hemp, bamboo is tough, with a great strength-to-weight ratio and serious durability.

5. Prefabs and “Cargotecture”

Prefab is short for “prefabricated.” These houses are constructed off-site and then shipped to a construction site in pieces, where workers reassemble them. These prebuilt homes are extremely resource-efficient. And because the construction only involves reassembling the already-built house, building a prefab home also decreases construction time significantly. Shortening construction time can reduce the risk of erosion and other serious environmental impacts that this industry poses.

“Cargotecture” is a similar idea. These are buildings consisting of used cargo containers, and this architectural movement offers a way of reusing millions of storage units sitting empty in global ports. These containers remain where they are because it’s often too expensive to return them to their port of origin.

Homes built out of shipping containers are remarkably eco-friendly because the home structure contains 100% recycled materials. Like prefab houses, cargo container homes are low-cost and quick to build — all construction crews need to do is assemble them on-site.

6. High-Efficiency Windows

Traditional windows are typically energy inefficient — to the point where 25% to 30% of residential heating and cooling energy usage is due to windows. Usually, this has meant that if you wanted big statement windows in any part of your house, you would have to balance looks against the extra power you’d use on heating and cooling. If you wanted to create the most energy-efficient residence possible, large windows were a no-go.

New window construction design trends have changed this. High-performance window glazing, thermally broken frames and smaller mullions have made massive windows as eco-friendly as standard-size ones. Even if you don’t want to go bold with your design, upgrading to high-efficiency windows can help you cut down on heating and cooling costs — making your house a little more sustainable.

Improving Sustainability With Green Home Design

New green design trends are making it easier than ever to build a sustainable home. Improved solar-powered systems, new prefabs and green building materials can all construct a house with a minimal environmental impact.

These trends will likely become more popular and effective over time. New green tech — like improved solar batteries — is always in the works and might make homes even more sustainable in the future.

The post Green Home Design Trends You Need to Know appeared first on Green Building Insider.

Asphalt shingles are the most common choice for roofing, but they are not your only option. There are many materials available today that are not only attractive and durable, but also eco-friendly.

Why Go Green With Your Roof?

Eco-friendly roofs are friendly to more than just the environment. Sustainable roofing can lead to a higher property value, which will come in handy if you ever sell your home. But you don’t need to move to feel the advantages of a green roof.

Some eco-friendly materials like metal or slate can last upwards of 50 years, double the lifespan of an asphalt roof. Then there’s the benefit of sustainable living. Protecting the environment is a growing concern, and using green roofing materials is one way you can contribute to that cause.

Sustainable roofs have a lot to offer. But what specific materials can you use?

Metal

Metal roofs are some of the longest-lasting ones out there. Though metal roofing can be expensive, you will likely never have to replace it. These roofs are durable enough to withstand rain, snow, hail and wind for years to come.

Because of its slippery nature, metal roofing is ideal for collecting rainwater or preventing snow buildup. One possible downside is that some metals may rust over time. However, many alloys are resistant to corrosion. Even vulnerable metals can resist rusting if appropriately treated.

Clay

People have used clay as a roofing material for centuries. It has a proven track record of weathering the elements. Exceptional strength aside, these roofs are also notable for their beauty.

Not only are earthen tiles durable and aesthetically pleasing, but they are also easy to recycle. If that wasn’t enough, clay is also fireproof, making it pretty close to invincible. There is, however, a cost for all these advantages.

Clay tiles are heavy, and as such, you cannot install them yourself like you can with other materials. You will have to hire a professional roofer to apply them, which means you’ll have to spend more money.

Slate

Slate is a kind of rock made up of clay and volcanic ash. This material offers many of the same benefits as clay tile: It is durable, fireproof and attractive, often coming in sleek, dark colors. Unfortunately, it also shares clay’s downsides.

Slate roofing is heavy and requires strong supports and professional installment. It is also comparatively expensive. Artificial slate is an available, and cheaper, option, but some people can spot the difference in appearance between this and the real thing.

Wood

Wood never goes out of style. It’s natural, it’s attractive and it’s versatile. Wooden shingles and shakes look good on nearly every kind of house and alongside almost any building materials.

Like with metal, there are several different kinds of wood you can use as roofing, although cedar is the most popular. Various woods have different properties, but generally, wood roofing provides excellent insulation from temperatures in both extremes.

One unique aspect of wood is that it will change color as it ages, but this may be desirable, as many people believe it looks better over time. The major drawback of wooden roofing is that it’s flammable. To protect your home, if you go with a wood roof, you’ll want to get it treated with flame-resistant materials.

Recycled Shingles

Recycling is one of the best things you can do to help the environment. While asphalt may not be eco-friendly on its own, you can recycle asphalt shingles to find a second life as paving or even new roofing material.

Just as you can recycle shingles, you can buy ones made of recycled material. Many recycled shingles are either reused asphalt or rubber from old tires. This kind of roofing is durable, getting its strength from its combination of materials, and are one of the most environmentally friendly options.

Recycled shingles can sometimes resemble wood, making them aesthetically pleasing as well.

Choosing the Right Material

There are upsides and downsides to every material, so no one roofing option is better than the rest. To find what works best for you, consider your budget, your home and your environment.

If you live somewhere with more extreme weather, you’ll want something more durable, like metal or slate. If your hometown has a milder climate, you can safely opt for a more vulnerable material like wood.

You should also consider the structure and material of your house. Clay and slate roofs work best with stone or concrete houses, both for their looks and for their strength, which can support the weight of these materials.

Naturally, you have to think about your budget as well. Slate might be easier on the eyes, but it will put more of a strain on your wallet. A roof with increased durability might be expensive, but it also may be worth the price, since it will last longer.

Regardless of what your situation is, there is a material that will work for you. If you find yourself needing a new roof, consider one of the many green options available.

The post What Green Roofing Materials Are Available Today? appeared first on Green Building Insider.

Warehouse owners and those in the logistics industry must determine how to make facilities eco-friendly. How can you implement green initiatives without sacrificing productivity and profit?

Invest in Natural Lighting

Most buildings are reliant on artificial lighting. Designers often ignore options like windows and skylights when building for utility rather than aesthetic. However, warehouse owners can switch to natural lighting options that reduce energy reliance. Ensure you opt for double-paned glass, which keeps structures insulated and comfortable.

If natural options aren’t available, choose LED bulbs. LEDs do the same work as incandescent and fluorescent alternatives while using 80% less energy, keeping utility costs low. Plus, these bulbs last much longer than other options, shrinking your carbon and waste output. If you’re ready to skyrocket to the 21st-century, research renewable energy options, like solar and wind power.

Go Paper Free

It’s nearly 2020. If you’re still using paper invoices and inventories, why? An eco-friendly commitment means going paper-free. Trade in the traditional invoices for digital options. A computerized system is more efficient — if you make a mistake, you can fix it in an instant. You can also scan in data through a handheld scanner or smartphone.

Start by looking at current processes. Where can you adopt digital alternatives? You might be surprised how easy it is to make the transition. Calculate how much you spend each year on printing costs, including ink and paper. Then, compare that number to the start-up cost for a digital system, which doesn’t require ongoing supplies. While a paper-free system might require a higher investment, it will lead to substantial long-term savings.

Install Polished Concrete Floors

Warehouse floors are typically concrete. Polished concrete doesn’t require harsh or dangerous chemicals during its application or upkeep. It’s denser than traditional options, meaning it’s energy-efficient. It’s also sealed and resistant to damage, so you don’t have to worry about costly repairs or replacement. Additionally, you can make concrete in the quantity needed for the project which reduces waste.

Despite the high-end appearance of polished concrete, it’s more affordable than most options. The start-up and lifecycle cost is similar to other inexpensive choices, like carpet.

Reduce Waste

Lean manufacturing is a process where companies create an efficient workplace by reducing waste and streamlining processes. Not producing anything in your factory? No problem. One of the primary tenements of lean manufacturing — waste reduction — can make your facility eco-friendly.

Waste isn’t merely what you toss in the garbage. It can be lost time, movement and space. Do customers wait a long time for their orders? That’s another form of waste. Do you use too many resources to create a product? Perhaps you over-ordered product and use much-needed floor space to store it. Analyze current procedures and determine what you can do to reduce waste and make your facility greener.

Improve Your Insulation

Warehouses can be hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Owners might shell out a lot of money to keep workers comfortable regardless of the weather outside. If you want to create a relaxed atmosphere and reduce your carbon footprint, don’t open the doors and windows. Instead, upgrade your insulation and weather-stripping. You should also use fans to keep air moving, taking less pressure off the HVAC system.

Look into eco-friendly insulation options you can add to your building. Sheep’s wool, for example, is a renewable resource with natural insulative properties. When you compress wool fiber, it forms millions of tiny air pockets. These air pockets keep buildings warm in winter and cool in summer. As a result, you don’t need to adjust your thermostat as much and can save big.

Upgrade Your Packaging

When most of us think of packaging, Styrofoam packing peanuts, plastic bubble wrap and cardboard boxes come to mind. For those interested in improving their carbon footprint, make the switch to eco-friendly packaging. Opt for biodegradable peanuts instead of Styrofoam. Choose corrugated paper bubble wrap instead of plastic. Use as much recycled material as possible.

Look into innovative packaging ideas that you can adopt. For example, experts believe seaweed may take over the plastic industry. Seaweed packaging dissolves in hot water and is safe for consumption. If you don’t want to eat it, you can dispose of it in the garden or compost pile for natural fertilizer. Manufacturers who use seaweed packaging can print logos directly onto the outside.

Make Your Warehouse Eco-Friendly

It’s not an option to go green — it’s a necessity. Sustainability doesn’t mean a loss in productivity or profit. Instead, you can incorporate the tactics above, such as lean manufacturing, polished concrete, natural lighting and eco-friendly packaging. The result is a facility more efficient than ever before.

The post How to Make Your Warehouse More Eco-Friendly appeared first on Green Building Insider.

More homeowners and renters want sustainable abodes, and business owners desire increased revenue from energy-saving buildings. Building certifications such as LEED, BREEAM and Green Globes grow in recognition as contractors dive into sustainability head-first. The construction industry is listening to the public’s concerns, and they’re rapidly adapting to address these points.

The energy-intensive materials of yesteryear have faded in favor among environmentalists, and the general public is following. Attractive and sustainable solutions swoop in to replace them. Though many ideas exist — some current and some old — the construction industry favors a few in particular. Here is a list of seven sustainable building materials construction companies often use.

1. Bamboo

Bamboo resists pests and disease, making it a stress-free option for building owners — no termites means fewer bills to pay. It’s more durable than concrete, providing a sturdy structure for frames and walls. Bamboo’s lightweight quality makes foreign transportation less fuel-intensive, although there are a few species native to North America. It also grows quickly, which allows for abundant harvesting — some types shoot up to three feet within 24 hours.

Green buildings often feature bamboo in flooring, walls and cabinets. In locations with limited access to steel, builders use it to reinforce concrete slabs, adding an extra layer of strength.

2. Reclaimed Wood

Rustic chic enthusiasts, this one is for you. Building with reclaimed wood involves reusing preexisting wood and restructuring it for a new purpose. If you’ve been to a vintage store, you’ve seen plenty of dressers and chests made of this material. Contractors find it equally convenient for construction projects, as it provides durability along with charm and low cost.

Reclaimed wood possesses a lower embodied energy than fresh wood because it doesn’t undergo the cutting and curing process. A percentage of lumber is always lost during cutting, but this can go towards creating engineered wood. Reclaimed wood also decreases deforestation and allows trees to grow to proper maturity before their eventual harvest.

You’ll most often find reclaimed wood in support beams, countertops, shelving and flooring.

3. Precast Concrete

Precast concrete slabs are recyclable — construction workers make them with locally mined or recycled materials. Their production requires less energy than pouring concrete on-site, and they offer fewer chances for structural cracks and errors. These slabs arrive at construction sites according to predetermined specifications, which saves a tremendous amount of time and energy. Efficiency is a requirement at many construction sites, and precast concrete fits the bill.

The strength of concrete slabs functions well in constructing bridges, underground infrastructure and pavement. Along with its toughness and fire resistance, it also absorbs sound, making it ideal for places like libraries and hospitals.

4. Cork

Now you can have the perfect home aesthetic to match your wine collection — who would’ve thought? Construction companies commonly use cork as a flooring solution, though it also works as insulation. It’s fire-resistant, impenetrable and liquid-proof, which saves the hassle of constant upkeep. It also has excellent thermal and acoustic absorption, making it for great blocking out sound and holding in heat.

Cork grows on trees that regenerate their bark, which leaves them healthy and ready for the next harvest. These trees primarily exist in the Mediterranean, which can make fossil fuel emissions higher. It makes up for this with its lightness, though, by reducing the energy needed for transport.

5. Steel

Metal is one of the most durable building materials of them all. You see it in towering skyscrapers, winding railroad tracks and sturdy bridges every day. The possibilities of this material are endless, and luckily, steel doesn’t require a ton of energy to produce. The carbon footprint of steelmaking has decreased by 37% since 1990, and engineers continually find ways to streamline the process.

Once a metal structure reaches the end of its purpose, builders can deconstruct it and recycle it for new initiatives. Steel is unique in its ability to be reused forever. Ninety-three percent of structural steel in the U.S. consists of recycled metal, which proves how versatile this material is.

6. Non-VOC Paint

Many paints and varnishes contain chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These are irritating at best and deadly at worst, and their concentration rises indoors. Before you give up your painting hobby for good, though, know that non-VOC paints exist. Developers are starting to use these inside green buildings instead of toxic paints. You’ll also find an abundance of low-VOC varnishes at your local department stores, but this label can be ambiguous. How much is “low” without a specific number?

Using non-toxic paint can even reduce the need to run the AC to cycle chemicals out of the air, which saves money and energy.

7. Wool

Sheep’s wool serves as a common substitute for more toxic insulation types. It grows faster than cotton — meaning higher production — and it doesn’t degrade like straw does. The most sustainable manufacturing processes come from New Zealand. Water efficiency, flock health and energy conservation are paramount on New Zealand sheep farms. The nation’s care and attention to detail has secured their position as a giant in the wool making industry.

Head to the nearest home goods store, and you’ll likely find a wool rug or two. It’s become a favorable solution for rugs and carpeting due to its ability to purify indoor air. Wool absorbs nasty particles and contaminants and prevents them from reentering the atmosphere, leaving you with cleaner oxygen.

Constructing Greener Futures Through Innovation

Green building materials prove their durability and efficiency in countless ways. More construction companies and consumers will reap the benefits of sustainable building as businesses make the switch. Soon, it’ll be commonplace to uphold eco-friendly initiatives in the comfort of your home.

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