Anyone who has ever attempted to buy environmentally friendly building materials knows that the process can present a challenge. With the green movement picking up steam, too many less-than-reputable marketers have taken advantage of the frenzy to market products as eco-friendly, even when they’re not. Here, we’ll look at a few myths about buying green building products and home building materials and look at a green building materials list that can help you orient yourself in your search for sustainable types of building materials.
It Just Isn’t True: Common Myths About Building Green
- Building green is just too expensive. Sure, the upfront cost of sustainable products is sometimes higher than the cost of other products, but that doesn’t mean they cost more in the long run. Green building designs, strategies, materials, and practices reduce energy costs, labor costs, and medical costs by improving indoor air quality, health, and the productivity of occupants. They last longer, require fewer resources to develop, and are more aesthetically pleasing, plus they command higher resale value.
- Green products don’t actually help the environment. Natural, non-toxic products are good for indoor and outdoor environments. It’s hard to see large-scale change when so few have committed to green building, but it just might have the potential to make a major atmospheric difference.
- Green building is inefficient because it’s new. Green building has actually been around for years, and green building materials are far more accessible now than ever before. The movement toward green building is an evolution toward greater efficiency, purity, and harmony with nature. If anything, green buildings are more efficient and technologically advanced than their synthetic counterparts.
- Green building is just another hippie fad. In recent years, green building has actually become highly mainstream, especially in Europe. Not only are consumers buying into a healthier future, but architects, designers, and builders are getting on board as well. This trend is here to stay, thanks to the major changes it can make for our environment.
A Green Building Materials List for Beginners
If you’re interested in jumping aboard the green building boat, think about using these sustainable materials in your project:
- Flooring: Bamboo, cork, FSC wood planks, salvaged wood planks, natural or recycled carpets, recycled rubber, or recycled tile.
- Paint: Low- or no-VOC paint, natural paint, or non-toxic stain.
- Walls and ceilings: Recycled content drywall, FSC wood framing, salvaged structural members.
- Special finishes: Recycled glass tile or grasscloth wallpaper.
- Caulks and adhesives: Soy-based sealants or low-VOC adhesives and sealants.
- Insulation: Recycled newspaper, blue jeans, or plastics, wool, or spray foam.
- Wood and millwork: Salvaged or FSC wood millwork and trim.
- Roofing: Recycled metal, slate tile, clay tile, fiber cement, FSC wood shakes, green roof.
- Exterior cladding: FSC or reclaimed wood siding.
Green building is the wave of the future. Help greenify your building project by choosing materials from our green building materials list and opting for the most eco-friendly processes. Continue your research here: porchtopier.com
