Building a green home using environmentally friendly building materials

The growing global awareness of climate change and environmental issues has provoked an increase in the popularity of 'green' houses. As rapidly rising numbers of people convert to greener practices to reduce their carbon footprint, it's only natural that the number of homes and buildings complying with environmentally friendly standards is also increasing.

How to build or renovate a greener house? Sometimes all it comes down to is a few simple tricks and the use of environmentally friendly building materials. More and more suppliers are providing green products and despite the initial costs, building an environmentally friendly home can actually save you money.

Green building products: Building an environmentally friendly home

A thriving market for environment-safe products has seen availability continue to grow. The variety of supplies is vast and offers home builders an array of seemingly endless choices. Environmentally friendly factors to look for in building materials include:

• Bricks: Standard bricks generally don't provide the home with much insulation and use up a large amount of energy in the manufacturing process. Mud bricks are a more environmentally friendly option as they require significantly less energy to produce.
• Glass: Use low E glass for windows as this type provides more insulation.
• Insulation: Insulation is an extremely important element when it comes to building a green home as it will lead to less cooling and heating power required from your air conditioning and heating systems. Insulation in walls and ceilings with a natural product such as wool is highly recommended.
• Light: Include skylights where possible in your home. This is a great source of natural light and means less electricity is required.
• Non-toxic: For a healthy atmosphere, use non-toxic or low VOC paints and floor polishes. If you have a timber home, try using physical termite barriers instead of chemical-based pest control methods.
• Roof: Using recycled timber or plastic roof shingles is a popular green option. Also try using a lighter colour as this will absorb less sun.
• Steel: Steel requires a lot of energy to be manufactured and can produce carbon dioxide in the process. However, it is a highly durable and recyclable product, which may balance out the decision for you.
• Timber: If you choose to use timber ensure that it is produced from a sustained plantation and not old growth forests. Timber is also recyclable.
• Water: When organising your home's plumbing try opting for a solar hot water system. Installing a rainwater tank can help conserve water.

Are environmentally friendly building supplies more expensive?

Although some green products initially come with a higher price tag, it can often work out cheaper for you in the long run. For example, using materials with high insulation properties can end up saving you a lot of money over the years on air conditioning and heating power bills. Similarly, making use of natural light by installing skylights can cut down your electricity costs.

In addition to this, green products will generally add value to your house and result in a higher resale value than a house that hasn't made use of environmentally friendly building materials.