For the past decade, sustainable building has been a buzz word for the construction industry. The idea of sustainable building includes and assimilates a variety of different strategies during the design, old methods construction, and operation phases of the building construction. And, the use of green building materials signifies one imperative strategy in the design of a building.

Green building materials offer explicit benefits to the building owner and its inhabitants. Among all, the most significant benefits are listed below:

• Improved occupant health and productivity
• Energy conservation
• Lower costs associated with changing space configurations
• Greater design flexibility
• Reduced maintenance/replacement costs over the life of the building

You have to believe, global building and construction activities consume nearly 3 billion tons of raw materials every single year which is equivalent to 40% of total global use (Source: Roodman and Lenssen, 1995). Hence, using green building materials is crucial as these promote conservation of the fast diminishing non-renewable resources globally.

Today, several builders and property owners are exploiting earth-friendly materials and construction techniques in their building projects. Appraisers must become familiar with these innovative types of materials, hence we put together 10 such green building materials that will play a vital role in continuing construction whilst supporting our planet for a sustainable future.

Top Green Building Materials Of 2020

1. Adobe

The simplest of green building materials, ‘Adobe’ is nothing but soaked earth. Normally it’s a humble mixture of clay and sand and sometimes straw is also added. Also, to provide additional weather resistance cement is added to the mixture. Further, they are shaped into rectangular bricks/blocks which are used to make walls or partitions. Benefits of adobe include energy-efficiency and protection from both weather extremes and fire; however, it doesn’t insulate very well.

2. Cob

One of the oldest methods of building with earth and straw or other fibers. The basics of this building material are very similar to adobe; it includes a basic mix of clay and sand, but typically has a higher percentage of long straw fibers mixed in. Here, instead of creating uniform bricks/blocks to build with, cob is applied as non-uniform clumps by hand in large gobs (or cobs). Cob has lots of beneficial properties which lends itself into a comfortable home, but like adobe, it lacks insulation.

3. Bamboo

Owing to its amazing rate of growth, bamboo is considered as one of the most sustainable building materials of 2020. You will be surprised to know that bamboo grows faster than it is harvested. It is incredibly strong, in fact, twice as strong as concrete and slightly stronger than steel. This green building material can be used for both structural and finishing applications.

4. Earthbag

The earthbag construction technique can be defined as construction which uses locally available soil in combination with woven bags, which are filled (with earth or sand) and stacked to form an efficient building structure. The fill material can be earth from the site, or sand, or another material like crushed volcanic rock or rice-hulls. Stacking earthbags is just one part, further, the bags are covered on the exterior with plaster, adobe, or lightweight concrete.

5. Poured Earth

Very similar to concrete, but instead of the standard sand and gravel aggregate, the mixture uses native soil. And just like concrete, the material is mixed and poured into forms. Poured earth is a very strong and weather-resistant material. Insulation can be inserted into the forms during pouring, which provides for an energy-efficient building structure.

6. Rammed Earth

As a building material, this option is tough, cheap and Green. Rammed earth is a mixture of earth, clay, and water which is crammed into forms. Conventionally this was done by hand, but current rammed earth construction is categorized by the use of heavy machinery, which is faster and more effective at compressing the material. Out of the several benefits, the main lead of using this material is its low cost.

7. Cordwood

Cordwood old methods construction loads up short, round lengths of wood into a wall. Using what would normally be kept aside for firewood, cordwood looks like a stack of wood you’d have behind your fireplace with the ends of the logs exposed. The cordwood is held together with mortar, creating a wall with both high insulation and high thermal mass.

8. Strawbale

The thick walls of a straw-bale building are becoming increasingly popular in the world of green building materials. Bales of straw from the harvesting of wheat, oats, barley, rice, rye, or flax are used as the primary building blocks. Essentially, there are 2 types of strawbale old methods construction: load-bearing and non-load bearing.

9. Earthship

Here, earth-filled tires are set into the ground, this is a basic form of rammed earth in which waste tires become the form into which dirt is packed. Homes built using Earthship incorporates the passive solar rewards of berming with the use of recycled materials (commonly, old automobile tires) to create an efficient home. These homes heat and cool itself on its own and do not consume any fossil fuels.

10. Clay Bricks

There are several advantages of clay for which it can be used in architecture. One of the main being the fact that Clay as a building material is ideal for tropical conditions in our subcontinent. Other than these natural clay – of which terracotta is made of, is the most flexible form of earth. It is essentially the least resisting material. Clay is the oldest known versatile building material which has lasted for centuries sustaining its value and utility, it is the most plastic and workable material as it takes shapes of a toy to a material used for making high rise buildings. Clay, when fired, leads to a porous structure which is filled with air when dry thus providing the best of the insulation properties largely useful to regulate the temperature (keeping cool in summers and warm in winters).

In The End …

We need to realize that the world doesn’t belong to us – it belongs to someone who is yet to come. To ensure our descendants reside a world worth living in, we need to make proper use of sustainable resources. Let’s pledge to minimize the suffering of those unfortunate enough to be born in the apocalyptic harsh environment that we’ve spent so long stoking. Which of these materials do you think will have the greatest impact in the future? Do drop us a comment!

Until next time, let’s keep it green!

Sustainable Door Most of us think all doors are created equal, but this is one completely wrong notion as they are definitely not. When you start planning the interiors of your new home, you will discover that there are so many types of doors to pick from. When in the process of selecting, the first thing that comes to mind is the material i.e. do you want a glass door or a wood door? then comes the style; do you wish to go paneled, French, or maybe Dutch. While the choices are endless and baffling, there are few common designs that you can consider. Here we break down the 7 common types of doors for your home.

Types Of Doors – 7 Common Designs

Below listed are 7 types of doors based on their materials:

1. Wooden or Timber Doors

This is a go-to door. Wood or timber as a material are the pillars for door/window construction. Regional accessibility of the product and the ease with which it can be used by the regional carpenters are the primary benefits of using this material. These days wood is readily available in the market in an assortment of ranges. You would need to choose it based upon the demand for your property and your plan for total spending. They can be utilized for all places in the home, they are best positioned for outside places.

2. Metal Doors

For years, steel or other such metal materials are used in building and construction as strength and sturdiness can be banked upon them. This material is a very strong alternative for outside and interior doors alike. Metal doors can be both solid or hollow and are a great alternative to wood. These can likewise be made in high quality in cold rolled moderate steel, accuracy crafted. They are long enduring and demand minimum upkeep.

3. Glass Doors

Glass doors normally comprise of panels of glass fixed into a wooden frame. Ideally, glass doors cannot be used in the main entrance due to privacy considerations. They can be used in common areas or for the back of the house where views will be most apparent. One area where glass doors absolutely excel is with the amount of Natural light they let in; but again, these are very hard to maintain and more expensive than other types of doors.

4. PVC Doors

Poly Vinyl Chloride is a plastic material very commonly used for making products like pipes, water tanks, fittings, etc. Currently, PVC is extensively being used in the manufacturing of doors. Today a large variety of PVC doors are available in the market, all of which come in diverse colors and designs. The biggest advantage of using these doors is that they are extremely light in weight, termite-proof, moisture resistant, and anti-corrosive. Also, they can be easily installed and fabricated.

5. Fiberglass Doors

Fiberglass is a glass which is drawn into fibrous form and woven into cloth. It is strong, light and non-flammable and has high tensile strength. Fiberglass doors are doors with insanely low upkeep. These are super durable, have high insulation, and are tough to dents. Also, fiberglass doors can be installed with wood panels, can be stained or painted. Above all, they are great options for interiors and exteriors.

6. Aluminum Glazed Doors

Aluminum has been one of the most common materials used in the construction world. A huge number of items like doors, windows, partitions, drape walls and much more… aluminum is one metal that has been put to a large number of uses due to its lightweight.  Aluminum frames for doors have the unique benefit of enduring tough ecological conditions. These frames are not impacted by termites and last for ages.

7. Bamboo-Jute Composite Doors

With a maturity cycle of 3-4 years, bamboo is one of the fastest renewable plants and a great natural resource when compared to other forest hardwoods. This material is a good substitute for wood as it offers great potential for processing it into composites. Laminates made of Bamboo can replace timber in many applications including doors, windows, and their frames, etc. Jute-coir is another great alternative for wood which can be effectively utilized in the manufacturing of doors. Bamboo-jute composite doors have the lead of being water-resistant, corrosion-resistant, termite resistant, eco-friendly, bio-degradable and cost-effective.

Go Sustainable With Doors

While designing the perfect ‘Green Home’ or transforming the one you already own – one thing you would need to focus on is the doors. Green doors play a huge role in the home design as they automatically increase the energy efficiency of a home.

One great thing about opting for the environmentally-conscious movement is that unlike earlier, today there are many different options being developed for those interested in sustainable green materials.

source – Gosmartbricks

Can we humans be all ready to any natural disaster coming our way? Can our disaster management plan run along way when crises arise, what kind of futuristic technology solution needs to be applied to make India full proof with respect to alarming global warming calamities coming our way? These are some of the big questions which the media is talking about so do us as humans. India is second largest growing economy in the world with growing population at a faster rate of 1.3 % and energy consumption at 4.3 % and vanishing natural resources. The construction sector in India is one of the major consumers of energy. Land which is an essential natural resource & most demanding, both for the survival and prosperity of humanity and for the maintenance of our ecosystems has been heavily exploited beyond its potential which is glaringly evident in many developing cities of India. We all aim to live in a developed city, but where has development taken us, exploitation of the resources. The world outside is talking about green revolution, carbon neutral & low carbon footprint. We all are still far more to catch the race, all are year’s old ancient understanding and livelihood with basic needs have vanished with the competing world.

We demand for more & more development but as humans are we not thinking what’s going to stay for the future generation. Considering all these problems, it can be seen that the root cause for the present deploring environment is the lack of effective social & green responsible policies. In reality, each of these issues has risen owing to the collusion between demand & development, mainly the construction industry. Owing to huge demand put up by the rising Indian population for housing and supporting infrastructure, builders are continuously building to meet the demands without considering the tremendous pressure exerted upon the existing environment. Man, in his pursuit to have an effective built environment suiting his needs has resulted in extreme destruction of the natural environment which also leads to unhealthy living conditions. This is quite evident in developing Indian metro cities. What one needs to understand from all this is that, though infrastructure is important and totally justifiable in a city, aiming to gain “developed city” status, it should not occur at the cost of environment which will cause disastrous consequences on nature. In fact, the occurrence of unplanned urban development with complete disregard for nature will always backfire like the very recent Kerala floods. What new strategies need to be planned looking at this changing scenario is the bigger question? The true success of any developed country lies in striking a chord between development and environment; in achieving sustainable development.

The year old 100 smart city mission is yet to be caught up in the pace of mainstream construction. Planning, Implementation, Monitoring & Governance is what needs to be in place. A developed city is not only the integration of advanced technologies, but a blend of modern era, human behaviour, responsive approach & adaptation to changing climatic conditions, variety of local diversity and integration of different cultural aspects. In simple language, a City in which a newly born baby and a senior citizen can live happily with good quality of life. Good quality of life means, a responsible and Green living where equal importance is given to respect our valuable resources as well as our own needs. We as young entrepreneurs can always dream for a change to happen, but the change we wish will not be sudden. We should educate our surrounding to focus on small outcomes towards responsible citizens & adapting green sustainable initiatives in our society. A small effort will always be rewarded that’s what it always says. Social responsibility towards the environment should be inculcated in all younger generation as the future of the country lies in the young hands.

The right way of development is a gate way to the future we all wish to have, it offers a systematic framework to generate economic growth, achieve responsible & social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strength governance. Development of the city lays in turn hands of people the only way forward if we all dream to be sensitive towards our environment and for that we all need to get involve with it. Every time when I visit the seashore or the mountains or a quite forest, I look at it and say this is one reason wherein we all should try to preserve our environment; it’s a gift which we all have received. Sooner or later we all need to believe that we humans cannot live with green environment, but earth can live without humans. For right way towards responsible development and health environment we don’t need to sacrifice strong economy. It’s never too late to return to nature for good & healthy living.

The Article is submitted by our Community member Ar.Mellissa Pereira Assistant Professor M.Arch (Sustainable Architecture) CEPT University.

Sustainable Solutions For Your Homes

AIROXY – WATER SAVING SHOWER HEAD – AIROXY – WATER SAVING SHOWER HEAD (BLACK / BLUE), This water saving shower head can mix air with water to spray water effectively to maintain equivalent water pressure compared to regular shower heads.

DualThreadAerator :- With 3 LPM straight shower flow aerator you save water and reduce water bill.

Zerodor:-Zerodor is a revolutionary waterless urinal technology which can save over 151000 liters of water per year per urinal. That is one whole year of 14 families getting access to water.