How to Reduce Carbon Footprints with Sustainable Materials

As the impact of global climate change becomes more felt, pressure is mounted on the construction industry given the high carbon footprints the sector has been given.

This sector can, therefore, make a significant contribution toward the overall reduction of environmentally destructive practices by using sustainable building material.

In the following sections, how these materials contribute towards coming up with a greener world, minimizing carbon footprint, are discussed.

The Environmental Cost of Traditional Construction Materials

The advancement and utilization of the conventional construction materials such as concrete, steel, and bricks are costly when it comes to environmental impacts.

Besides, these materials need much energy during the extraction, processing, and transportation as these processes produce GHG emissions.

For example, the cement industry contributes about 8 percent of the entire carbon dioxide emission around the world.

Therefore, sustainable building materials, including recycled steel, bamboo, and rammed earth, are products that are designed to be resource efficient and emit nearly zero level of pollution.

Simply replacing intense materials with more environmentally friendly ones, it is possible to solve problems connected with carbon emissions as well as natural resources.

Key Sustainable Materials Transforming the Industry

New technologies in the use of environmentally friendly products are playing a big role in the construction industry.

Some prominent examples include:

1. Bamboo:

This is a rapidly growing plant used as hardwearing and recycled material in floors, walls and structural work.

During growth, bamboo accrues carbon dioxide that it absorbs, thus reducing CO2 emissions associated with construction from bamboo.

2. Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT):

CLT is an engineered timber and can also be used in lieu of steel and concrete. As a material it seizes and retains carbon through its life and is sourced from renewable forests.

3. Recycled Materials:

By employing steel, glass and plastic secondary materials, it means that the specific waste materials are not dumped into the landfill and less crops up energy exertion used in the production of primary materials.

They help to minimize embodied carbon – the amount of emissions from the production of materials – as well as achieving operational energy saving in a long term.

Sustainability beyond Materials: Circular Economy and Design

Sustainability in construction is a broader concept than only the used building materials.

Reducing waste in buildings can be achieved through the use of principles of a circular economy that advocate for flexibility in buildings in case they are disassembled for reuse.

Green building certifications which include LEED and BREEAM promote aspects such energy-efficient designs for buildings as well as water saving features and life cycle assessment.

Thirdly, the use of locally sourced material benefits from the fact it contributes little to emissions related to transportation.

For instance, sourcing local-stone or specifying reclaimed-wood would reduce carbon footprint, and, create local employment.

It is possible to reduce environmental impacts through the utilization of sustainable construction materials, energy efficient construction designs, and renewable energy systems in constructing the building and making them environmentally friendly as well as economically profitable for the construction market throughout the building’s lifecycle.

The Role of Policy and Innovation in Driving Sustainability

It can therefore be seen that, while change towards sustainable building materials is a technological issue, the direction of change is largely unprompted by technology alone but driven by policy, regulation and international agreements on emissions.

Most governments now offer tax incentives for the use of green materials through certified green standards such as the LEED and BREEAM.

These certifications assure builders that they should adhere to certain principles of construction that exclude wastage of resources, energy, and non-environmentally friendly emissions.

Further, research is active and technology is dynamic, which is leading to the development of material science.

For instance, through the incorporation of the bacterial healing agents in concrete help these material heal itself hence eliminating the need for frequent rehabilitation and increasing its durability.

In the same way, 3D printing IT tangible objects having environmentally friendly components such as hemp Crete as well as recycled plastics is revolutionalizing the construction industry by reducing carbon footprint and dumping.

Other policies that on the circular economy that require that materials be reused together with recycling are also encouraging sustainable construction.

To enhance the use of sustainable building materials more and faster, the different governments, researchers and industries should come together to support the improvement.

Conclusion

The use of sustainable building materials is another obvious way that carbon footprints in the construction industry could be lowered.

On bamboo and CLT to recycled materials let’s have a look at these solutions which are changing construction potentials.

If the sustainability concept is incorporated in designs, sourcing and construction processes, then the built environment can help fight climate change.

Also read: The Use of Geothermal Energy in Building Material Production