The rapid growth in construction activities over the last decade has resulted in contamination of our natural resources. The biggest problem has been the repeated use of raw material to sustain construction activities. Green Building Materials can help us to reduce the load on our natural resources.
A Green Building Material is derived from waste materials. The biggest source of Green Building Material are the extensive landfills in our cities. These materials can be derived from three sources:
- Industrial waste
- Residential Waste
- Agricultural waste.
The industrial waste includes recycled industrial goods, such as coal combustion products, foundry sand, and fly ash which is used to make concrete. Agricultural waste such as orange pulp is also being used in construction process.
Bamboo is one product which is repeatedly being used for construction activities. Bamboo has a very short gestation period and also helps in preventing soil erosion in the forests. Its tensile strength is comparable to that of steel, and hence it can be molded into a variety of ways. Bamboo Plywoods also known as plywood are a very good substitute for timber.
Straw Board which can be derived from straw, rice or wheat is very light construction material. It is free from formaldehyde coating and hence there are no health hazards involved with it. Straw Board is finding lot of use for making furnitures and cabinets. Reclaimed Building Material is obtained from salvaging bricks and boards from a demolished construction. These materials eliminate the need for manufacturing fresh products and thus help in saving fuel also.
During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material wasted. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills.
Green residential Construction should starts with Green Renovation. A green building aims at being a champion in conserving energy. The entire building is designed to harness energy from every possible source. The doors and the windows provide the maximum opportunity for harnessing solar energy and wind energy in a passive manner, that is without the use of electrical appliance.
Active solar harnessing can be done by placing solar water panels in the outdoors. The energy thus harnessed can be use to provide heating and lighting requirements of the building. Gutter protection Systems clean our roofs clean and also help in rain water harvesting.
Build With Green products is an on line store providing Green Building Materials from various companies. www.buildwithgreenproducts.com provides complete information about the company.
