Materials:
Environmental impacts compared
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Embodied
energy As the amount of energy used in the running of a building (operational energy) shrinks, the energy used in its construction becomes more significant. |
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Bricks
Though more-often consuming large quantities of energy in their production, this most traditional of English building materials offers strength, durability and a high capacity for reclamation. |
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Blocks
Blocks are becoming available in a more diverse range of materials including clay, concrete and wood. Careful specification can exploit each material's unique qualities. |
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Insulation
Insulation materials are used to enhance the thermal performance of construction elements. The wide range of products available reflects the variety of applications, materials, environmental concerns and performance. |
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Pitched
roof coverings The roof is arguably the component of a building most exposed to the elements. The specification of roofing materials often involves the trading-off of enviromental impacts with durability. |
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Flat
roof coverings In general, flat roofs should be avoided - but where pitched roof options are unavailable, a variety of roofing membranes are available that offer different qualitiles of durabiltiy and environmental impact. |
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Window frames Though the heat lost through a window frame is likely to have more of an environmental impact through the product's life cycle - much debate continues around the materials frames are made from. |
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Rainwater
goods Specifying rainwater goods is not as straight-forward as it might seem. The environmentally-conscious designer must be aware of the, often complex, equation of durability, sourcing, embodied energy and recycled content. |
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Composite
boards Composite boards can offer material and structural efficiency, but concerns remain about wood sourcing and potentially toxic binding agents. |
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Joinery
paints and stains Paint has a relatively poor environmental reputation, flush as many products are in embodied energy and VOC solvents. However, these concerns are motivating a new generation of products which include more natural and friendly ingredients. |
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Wall
paints New, greener, ranges of wall paints are becoming available to replace the high-VOC synthetic varieties currently specified. |
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Smooth
flooring The flooring market has become associated with the dominance of synthetic, particularly PVC, materials - but more traditional and natural materials such as linoleum, cork and rubber are staging a renaissance. |
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Carpets
and matting Carpets including materials derived from petrochemical sources almost completley dominate the industry - but careful research and specification can offer alternatives that result in less impact on the envrionment. |
















